The Lotus Elise is a two-seater with rear-wheel-drive mid-engine roadster conceived in early 1994 and published in September 1996 by the English manufacturer Lotus Cars. The car has a hand on her hull in fiberglass and extruded aluminum chassis with a binder a rigid platform for the suspension, the burden of costs of production and maintenance to a minimum. The Roadster is capable of speeds up to
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The Lotus Elise is a two-seater with rear-wheel-drive mid-engine roadster conceived in early 1994 and published in September 1996 by the English manufacturer Lotus Cars. The car has a hand on her hull in fiberglass and extruded aluminum chassis with a binder a rigid platform for the suspension, the burden of costs of production and maintenance to a minimum. The Roadster is capable of speeds up to
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(from Project Kahn Press Release) Project Kahn Lotus Elise
The Lotus Elise is the ultimate British race car for the road. Now Project Kahn has developed a complete conversion to enhance the vehicle.
The most prominent element within the Project Kahn Elise package is the full aerodynamic body styling system. This completely transforms the car providing a complete and encapsulating look. the styling system comprises of front spoiler, ventilated front wings, larger side air intakes ducts, side sills and a rear boot spoiler.
The Project Kahn Elise also sports a complete interior upgrade, featuring quilted nappa leather, available in a variety of colours and combinations. All seats, door panels, steering wheel and centre console are re-upholstered to add a tactile quality to the driving experience. various fabrics are also available including alcantara, suede, perforated leather, grained leather, smooth leather and many more.
The performance is not ignored as the vehicles air flow system is enhanced with the addition of the Kahn sports exhaust system and the suspension is lowered with 28 stage dampeners for superior handling. The Kahn rear spoiler follows the exact dimensions of the car whilst adding down force for increased performance.
© Source: seriouswheels
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What's New for 2008
The supercharged Elise SC debuts for 2008, boasting a 220-horsepower version of the standard Elise's 190-hp four-cylinder power plant. All Elises for 2008 get a new instrument display with a trip computer, along with revised options packages.
Introduction
The 2008 Lotus Elise is a one-of-a-kind, lightweight sports car for purists who yearn for the closest thing to a telepathically controlled track special you can find on the road. While other exotics rely on massive engines, space-age materials and high-tech technologies to hustle them down America's twistiest roads, the Elise utilizes an age-old principle -- the lighter, the better. Now there's a mantra celebrities can get behind.
Despite a mere 190 horsepower generated from its Toyota-sourced 1.8-liter four-cylinder, the base Elise still manages to go from zero to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds. Credit a curb weight of 1,984 pounds, which is a minor miracle in this era of perpetually pudgy vehicles. By comparison, a Mazda Miata weighs 2,498 pounds and has only 170 hp aboard. For 2008, a detuned version of the supercharged four-cylinder found in the Lotus Exige S makes its way into the more street-going Elise SC, which boosts thrust up to 217 hp and 153 pound-feet of torque (versus 133). This power increase means a 0-60 drop to 4.4 seconds, a number matched by the 420-hp Audi R8.
However, we're not sure if those few 10ths of a second are enough to warrant the Elise SC's $8,000 price premium. That's because 4.9 seconds is still pretty darn fast, and quite simply, the Lotus Elise would be a riot even if it was powered by several hamsters running on a wheel. Referring to "go-kart-like" handling has almost become cliché, but if there was ever an apt car for that phrase, it's the Elise. Body roll is negligible, grip is exceptional and every subtle turn of the steering wheel has an immediate effect on the roadster's heading and attitude. Like kids named Dweezil and Moon Unit, this is a car that demands your attention. Yet every second you're behind the wheel, you're rewarded by steering that involves you in the process so directly (there's no power steering) you'd swear your fingers were touching asphalt.
This is a weekend toy, and even then, the distance traveled on any given weekend will be limited by the Elise's miniscule interior and cargo space. Getting in and out of the "cabin" is especially difficult with its huge sill and low-slung seats. But it's this lack of creature comforts and amenities that allows the Elise to be both a lightweight handling star and cost about $46,000.
© Source: edmunds
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(from Brian Eyerman) It started as a dream. Inspired by only the purest of sports cars, the Spyder 1 focuses on performance through light weight. The car originated as a 2005 Lotus Elise which weighed around 1975 lbs. Private owner, Neil Ratnavira, dreamed of a car that was centered around driving. Rather then block out the driving experience with things like stereos and climate control, Neil wanted to embrace the elements that were once familiar to the origins of the automobile. In doing so he designed a fresh, unique car that many tuners dare to even think of. With the help of co-builder, Brian Eyerman, the dream became a reality.
Over 600 hours went into the creation of the Spyder 1. The project took 8 months to finish. The car was featured for the first time at LOG27 (Lotus Owners Gathering) in Aspen Colorado in 2007. When asked if Neil was going to trailer the car to Colorado? He answered "And miss out on 1,700 miles of driving... Why the hell would I want to do that?". Many sponsors and friends came together in the making of the car. Their time and effort together contributed to the making of one man's dream. A dream that will not be forgotten. Unfortunately on January 8th, 2008 the Spyder was t-boned by a driver that ran a stop sign completely destroying the car. It's only a matter of time until Ratnavira and Eyerman create another truly special car.
Thank you to our friends and sponsors: GUT Sport, Braille Auto, Giro Disc, Motul, Works Bell, Sector 111, Burke Built, Clear Pro, RK Sport, Specialty Car Craft, Phil at BOE Fabrication, Brent at Baldwin Racing, CharlieX W., Mark, Matt C. and everyone else who contributed big or small to the making of the Spyder 1.
© Source: seriouswheels
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