EDMUNDS.COM 2005 LOTUS ELISE
Find, Buy, Review, Make offers on, and View more vehicles like the 2005 LOTUS ELISE new at UsedNewCars.com!
Click Here For More Reviews On Edmunds.com
 Summary
What Edmunds.com Says
Sports car fans rejoice! The European version of the Elise was very good; the U.S. version is even better. Better get in line quick if you want one, though; initial demand is sure to outstrip supply of this hot roadster.
Pros
Ultralightweight chassis, free-revving four-cylinder, uninhibited steering, supercar performance without the supercar price.
Cons
Spartan interior, engine still a bit peaky for U.S. tastes, ride quality more Formula One than grand touring, limited dealer network.
What''s New for 2005
After years of letting Europeans have all the fun, the lightweight Lotus Elise sports car finally makes it to the States.
Overview
Introduction:
One reality, and enemy, of sports car design over the last 30 years has been the inescapable escalation of vehicle weight. While two-seat performance cars have become more comfortable, more reliable and safer in recent decades, they have also become rather portly, at least by sports car standards. Sadly, if you''ve wanted both performance and light weight in one machine, you''ve pretty much had to give up the new car smell (not to mention modern technology, reliability and safety features) and start shopping the classifieds. But all that ends with the introduction of the Lotus Elise to the U.S. market. The Elise has been on sale in Europe since 1996, but European demand for the vehicle, along with stringent U.S. crash standards, has kept it from leaping the pond -- except for a limited, race-only version that wasn''t legal to operate on public roads. As impressive as the original Euro-spec Elise was (1,520 pounds, 118 horsepower), it could be argued that the 2005 U.S. version is vastly superior. It''s true that meeting U.S. crash standards required the addition of airbags and other safety features that added weight. And Lotus knew that even sports car fans in this country have trouble sacrificing amenities for the sake of performance, so the U.S. Elise comes standard with air conditioning, antilock brakes and an AM/FM/CD audio system. But don''t look for stability control or power steering on this sports car. Lotus was willing to bend the Elise''s original "weight is the enemy" philosophy for American tastes, but the company refused to break it. The carmaker managed to keep the U.S. Elise''s curb weight under the one-ton mark. At 1,975 pounds, the Elise is easily the lightest performance car sold in this country, and the engine power of the U.S. model is over 60 percent greater than the Euro version. Rather than the 1.8-liter, 118-hp Rover K-series engine utilized in the base European models, the Yankee-version Elise gets a more powerful 1.8-liter Toyota engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission. While the basic drivetrain is nearly identical to U.S. versions of the Celica GT-S (thus making emissions certification much simpler), the Lotus folks fitted new intake and exhaust components, as well as a reworked engine controller, to broaden the engine''s power band and bump peak horsepower from 180 to 190. That''s more than enough power to manage the Elise''s increased weight, and Lotus says the car will sprint from zero to 60 mph in under five seconds. Like any new performance car, especially one with nine years of pent-up demand, it may be difficult to secure an Elise during the first year of production. Lotus plans to sell approximately 2,400 units through its 39 U.S. dealers, but pre-orders for the 2005 model year have already pretty much exhausted supply.
 |
For Pricing information, see Edmunds'' Pricing page. |
Body Styles, Trim Levels and Options:
The Elise is built as a two-seat, rear-wheel-drive, midengined convertible with one trim level. The interior is understandably spartan, but must-haves like air conditioning and a CD player are standard. Two major option packages offer a bit of customization: The Touring Pack includes leather seating, power windows, upgraded stereo with MP3 capability, stowage net, double-insulated soft top, additional sound-deadening material and full carpeting. The performance-oriented Sport Pack features lightweight alloy wheels with Yokohama A048 LTS tires and a track-tuned suspension. A hardtop is available as a stand-alone option.
Powertrains and Performance:
Power for the Elise comes from a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine sourced from Toyota and mated to a six-speed manual transmission. Lotus fitted new intake and exhaust components, as well as a reworked engine controller, to broaden the engine''s power band and push peak horsepower to 190 at 7,800 rpm. Torque peaks at 138 lb-ft at 6,800 rpm. The four-wheel independent suspension system features Eibach springs and Bilstein monotube shocks. Lotus claims a 0-to-60 time of just 4.9 seconds.
Safety:
The U.S.-spec Elise includes dual front airbags as standard equipment. A four-wheel antilock brake system is also included, but traction and stability control systems are not available. The Elise has yet to be crash tested.
|
For more Safety information, see Edmunds'' Safety page. |
Interior Design and Special Features:
Interior accommodations relay a clear sports car theme. Composite sport seats provide plenty of support, and controls are simple enough to keep your attention on the road. Style abounds with subtle extras like extruded aluminum pedals and plenty of alloy trim. The wide door sills and low steering wheel require some fancy footwork when entering or exiting the vehicle.
|
For more Interior Features information, see Edmunds'' Specifications page. |
Driving Impressions:
The non-power steering feels as natural as anything we''ve ever driven, and the 1.8-liter Toyota engine is indeed more user-friendly (with a far more usable torque curve) than what you''ll find in the Celica GT-S. Braking is handled by AP Racing two-piston calipers up front and Brembo single-piston calipers in back (11.5-inch rotors all around). This all adds up to a car that feels as race-oriented and capable as the Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale or Porsche 911 GT3. When you consider the Elise costs about one-third to one-fourth as much as either of those models, its true value becomes apparent.
|
For more Driving Impressions, Recent Articles and Car Awards from Edmunds'' editors, see Edmunds'' Road Tests page. |
[ UsedNewCars.com ] [ Information Index ] [ Site Map ]
[ LOTUS Information Index ] [ CONVERTIBLE Information Index ]
|
