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Elise Sport
Elisesport
Lotus
Lotus logo
28,000 CR
Model year: 1999
Performance Index: B 492
Drive Type: RWD
Engine Placement: Mid
Basic Performance
SPEED
4.6
HANDLING
5.7
ACCELERATION
7.5
LAUNCH
8.1
BRAKING
5.8
Advanced Performance
Power: 190 HP (141 kW)
Torque: 140 lb ft (189 N·m)
Weight: 1543 lbs (699 Kg)
Front: 39%
Displ: 1.8 L
Power/weight: 271 HP per ton

202 kW per ton


The original Elise was so lightweight that the run-of-the-mill Rover engine, barely wheezing out 118 horsepower, was more than enough to allow the Lotus to embarrass much more powerful sportscars. Corners? Forget about it, the Elise makes go-karts look like land barges. So when Lotus snagged the (very British-sounding) Very High Performance Derivative version of the K-series engine from the Rover parts bin to create the limited production Sport, the resulting 192 horsepower output in the bantamweight chassis had the effect of turning the insanity up to 11. When you told a Lotus dealer that you wanted a Sport (or presented a regular-spec car for conversion), it set Lotus’ highly-skilled race technicians a-flutter, hand-modifying the Elise with competition-ready componentry like a roll bar, thin-shell race seats, and of course suspension and brake upgrades. The result is breathtaking; it’s a very small car that can do very big things, like dash to 60 mph in just 4.3 seconds. While that’s impressive, just like the Sport’s less burly Elise siblings, its forte is lateral acceleration. That means the twisties are its natural habitat, and you’ll quickly understand why Lotus’ commitment to “adding lightness” has given them the reputation for making some of the best-handling cars around.

If you can find one, buy it. Now. Really. There is nothing like it. The Rover K-series engine is actually quite torque, instead of the rev-tastic nature of the later Toyota engines fitted. Furthermore, this is a track honed car. The Elise 340R might be a more special car to look at, the Exige is probably even more focused, but the sheer brilliant blend of open top motoring, with grip, power, a rorty exhaust note and those Coke bottle hips make the Elise Sport 190 one of the most desirable cars in the world...

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