2021 marks the give up of an generation for Lotus Cars. As the commercial enterprise actions toward an interesting destiny as mentioned in current announcements, time is being referred to as on manufacturing of the long-lasting Elise and the genre-growing Exige, after 25 and 21 years respectively.
In honour of those mythical fashions, Lotus has introduced more than a few 5 new Final Edition automobiles that have better energy, extra widespread specification and - in authentic Lotus fashion - mild weight.
These automobiles are the final variations of the Elise and Exige, and mark the top of technical improvement to show off greater than many years of engineering excellence. To be constructed in restricted numbers, every is a becoming tribute to overall performance automobiles that are, nearly uniquely, legends of their personal lifetime.Five new variants - Elise and 3 Exige - were created and Lotus is looking ahead to excessive call for from international markets as clients rush to shop for a slice of history. They are to be had with precise paint colorations, new outdoors decals, new wheel finishes, new trim and Final Edition badging.
The upgrades retain below the skin, a reality meditated in new names which monitor better energy outputs on 3 of the 5 - the Elise Sport 240, Elise Cup 250, Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430.
The Elise is a genuinely iconic Lotus, with 2021 serving because the twenty fifth and very last yr of manufacturing. These new Final Edition automobiles are a becoming tribute, and the exclusivity and rarity will no question make certain excessive call for and assure destiny traditional status. They preserve all of the center values and functions which have made the Elise such an iconic automobile - a small, mild and agile -seater powered via way of means of a supercharged and chargecooled 1.8-litre, four-cylinder mid-established engine.
As widespread, each Final Edition automobiles acquire the maximum enormous listing of indoors and outdoors functions ever. The largest alternate is the all-new TFT virtual dashboard with the selection of screens, one with a traditional set of dials and the opposite a race automobile-fashion with virtual velocity read-out and an engine velocity bar.
The steerage wheel is of a brand new layout and clad in leather-based and alcantara. It functions a flat base to create higher leg clearance for taller drivers and to resource ingress and egress. Every automobile comes with a Final Edition construct plaque, plus new seat trim and sew patterns.
A new choice of colors has been delivered for each the Elise Sport 240 and the Elise Cup 250, reminiscent of a number of the long-lasting shade schemes from the Elise and Lotus' past. These consist of Azure Blue, the shade used withinside the first manufacturing automobile pics for media in 1996; Black, the logo shade of the motorsport department whilst the agency ran the a success Autobytel Lotus Elise Championship race series; and Racing Green, an homage to the shade of the authentic automobile unveiled on the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition
The Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition profits a further 23bhp from a revised calibration and so replaces the Sport 220. Delivering 240bhp and 244Nm of torque, the engine has been tuned to offer lovely real-global overall performance and class-main efficiency. The 0-60mph dash is finished in 4.1 seconds way to a energy-to-weight ratio of 260bhp in step with tonne. CO2 emissions of 177 g/km are extraordinarily low for the overall performance on provide.
The automobile comes with 10-spoke Anthracite light-weight solid alloy wheels as widespread (6J x 16" the front and 8J x 17" rear). They're 0.5kg lighter than the wheels at the Elise Sport 220 and shod with Yokohama V105 tyres (195/50 R16 the front and 225/forty five R17 rear).
Further weight financial savings may be accomplished with an intensive variety of non-compulsory carbon fibre panels, which include sill covers and engine cover, lithium-ion battery plus a light-weight polycarbonate rear window. With all of the light-weight alternatives chosen, the mass of the Elise Sport 240 reduces similarly from 922kg to 898kg.
Lotus Elise Cup 250 Final Edition
Key to the Lotus Elise Cup 250's overall performance are its aerodynamics and downforce related to its energy and mild weight. With aerodynamically optimised additives inclusive of the the front splitter, rear wing, rear diffuser and facet ground extension, this Final Edition automobile produces 66kg of downforce at 100mph and 155kg of downforce at is most velocity of 154mph.
The automobile is shod in new 10-spoke Diamond Cut ultra-light-weight M Sport solid wheels (7J x 16" the front and 8J x 17" rear) with Yokohama A052 tyres (195/50 R16 the front and 225/forty five R17 rear). The enormous listing of widespread device consists of Bilstein recreation dampers and adjustable anti-roll bars, to assist maximise the aerodynamic downforce to be had and increase grip at the same time as keeping the mythical Elise dealing with. Also outfitted as widespread is a light-weight lithium-ion battery and polycarbonate rear window.
Other light-weight carbon fibre alternatives, as at the Elise Sport 240 Final Edition, are to be had lowering the mass to an unladen weight of simply 931kg.
The Lotus Exige Final Edition variety in detail
The Exige variety is well known in its very last yr of manufacturing with 3 new fashions - the Exige Sport 390, Exige Sport 420 and Exige Cup 430.
Like the Elise, new device for this very last yr of manufacturing consists of precise paint choices, new decals and new wheel finishes. All variations of the Exige additionally include the TFT virtual dashboard, Final Edition construct plaque, new steerage wheel, plus new seat trim and sew patterns.
All fashions are powered via way of means of a three.5-litre supercharged V6 with a baffled sump, established in a light-weight and inflexible chassis that offers interesting acceleration and immediately response. Pure unassisted steerage gives extremely good remarks and vibrant communique in any respect speeds. The Exige advantages from a bespoke model of Lotus' pioneering bonded aluminium chassis, a completely unique rear subframe and solid aluminium double wishbone suspension on the rear.
Like the Elise Final Edition variety, the Exige is likewise to be had in a choice of recent colorations representing sizable automobiles in its history. These consist of Metallic White, from the revealing of the V6 Exige on the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2011, and Metallic Orange, which turned into used on the primary press fleet automobile in 2000 and the and the Exige GT3 idea from the Geneva Motor Show 2007.
Lotus Exige Sport 390 Final Edition
The new Lotus Exige Sport 390 replaces the outgoing Exige Sport 350. The energy boom of 47bhp comes from a revised calibration related to the Edelbrock supercharger with chargecooling, to provide 397bhp and 420Nm. Linked to a mild weight of 1,138kg, the Exige Sport 390 hastens to 60mph in only three.7 seconds earlier than achieving a pinnacle velocity of 172mph.
The superior aerodynamics are cautiously balanced, producing 70kg of downforce on the rear and 45kg up the front for a complete of 115kg at pinnacle velocity. To placed this energy directly to the street, the Exige Sport 390 has 10-spoke silver light-weight solid alloy wheels (7.5J x 17" the front and 10J x 18" rear) and Michelin PS4 tyres (205/forty five ZR17 the front and 265/35 ZR18 rear).
Lotus Exige Sport 420 Final Edition
The Lotus Exige Sport 420 Final Edition profits a further 10bhp and replaces the outgoing Sport 410. It is the quickest Exige to be had, topping out at 180mph, with 0-60mph finished in three.three seconds. With its mild weight of 1,110kg and 420bhp (giving a energy to weight of 378bhp in step with tonne) and 427Nm from the supercharged and chargecooled V6 engine, coupled with a flat torque curve and most energy to be had to most revs, the Exige is seemed because the maximum whole riding automobile of its class.
The listing of widespread device is impressive. Front and rear Eibach anti-roll bars are adjustable and the 3-manner adjustable Nitron dampers permit for extraordinary excessive and coffee velocity compression settings. The automobile rides on 10-spoke Anthracite light-weight solid alloy wheels (7.5J x 17" the front, 10J x 18" rear) with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (215/forty five ZR17 the front and 285/30 ZR18 rear). Stopping energy comes from AP Racing brakes with solid, four-piston calipers and -piece J-hook brake discs. With a better thermal ability and progressed chew, those discs provide progressed particles clearance and decreased vibration for greater steady pedal sense and extra, fade-unfastened overall performance.
Lotus Exige Cup 430 Final Edition
The Cup 430 stays the variety-topping Exige. Already mythical in its brief lifetime, it's far seemed as being one of the global's fastest real-global sports activities automobile. It isn't always simply desirable to its driver's favored avenue, however additionally at domestic on a hard circuit.
Chargecooled for a steady 430bhp and able to producing 171kg of downforce, that is the street and song automobile to rule them all. The radical aero package deal isn't always for show; the Exige Cup 430 generates as a great deal downforce at 100mph because the Exige Sport 390 does at 170mph. Weighing simply 1,110kg the energy-to-weight ratio hits a magnificent 387bhp in step with tonne. With 440Nm of torque from 2,600rpm, 0-60mph is finished in three.2 seconds at the manner to a pinnacle velocity of 174mph. Downforce is balanced in any respect speeds, with the automobile producing 76kg on the the front and a similarly 95kg on the rear, giving a complete of 171kg.
Everything approximately the Exige Cup 430 is centered upon overall performance whether or not it's riding on the street or song.
Every automobile comes with motorsport-grade carbon fibre panels consist of the the front splitter, the front get right of entry to panel, roof, diffuser surround, enlarged air-consumption facet pods, one-piece tailgate and race-derived rear wing. In addition to revised steerage arm geometry to boom bump steer, dealing with traits may be altered thru the Nitron 3-manner adjustable dampers (excessive and coffee velocity compression plus rebound adjustment) and Eibach adjustable the front and rear anti-roll bars, each as widespread. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres (215/forty five ZR17 the front and 285/30 ZR18 rear) are suited to ultra-light-weight 10 spoke diamond reduce light-weight solid alloy wheels (7.5J x 17" the front, 10J x 18" rear).
Braking comes thru solid, four-piston AP Racing brake calipers and better thermal ability -piece J-hook brake discs the front and rear. The machine is designed to provide progressed chew and decreased vibration, turning in steady pedal sense and fade-unfastened preventing energy lap after lap.
With a excessive-go with the drift titanium exhaust machine as widespread, the Cup 430 appears like no different supercar at velocity. Motorsport-derived variable traction manage related at once to the ECU allows maximise traction on nook go out via way of means of dealing with the massive surge of torque. It's managed thru a six-function rotary transfer placed at the steerage column. Only energetic with the ESP balance manage switched off, the 5 pre-set traction tiers are displayed at the tool cluster.
When manufacturing of the Lotus Elise, Exige and Evora result in overdue 2021, the very last mixed manufacturing general could be withinside the area of 55,000 automobiles. Together they account for greater than 1/2 of of Lotus' general avenue automobile manufacturing for the reason that first Lotus in 1948.