Lotus Elise Overview

The Lotus Elise is a mid-engine two-seat sports car known for sharp handling, excellent braking and quick acceleration. It achieves this the traditional Lotus way: through lightweight construction rather than outright power. What other sports cars do with 400 horsepower the Elise does with half that. The Elise offers one of the most exhilarating driving experiences you will find. It is also the world's most efficient production supercar. Its small yet powerful engine delivers reasonable fuel economy and commendably low CO2 emissions. Weighing less than 2000 pounds, the Elise used to be the lightest production car offered in the U.S.; now that honor goes by a small margin to the Smart car.

There have been no functional changes to the Elise for 2009. The current Elise was released in the United Kingdom for 2001 and in the United States for 2005.

Agility and speed make the Elise a compelling sports car, but its small size make it less practical than, say, a Corvette or Porsche Boxster. Prospective buyers should be mindful of the Elise's marginal utility, as many who have bought an Elise have subsequently had second thoughts. It's a marvelous car for those seeking fair-weather weekend thrill rides and occasional track time but, for the commute, use the Camry. As a no-compromise sports car, the Lotus Elise is fantastic. Considered as a cute sports car, the Elise is pricey, but viewed as a supercar, it's a bargain.