Little Lotus gets big changes inside and out – our level of “want” increases even more.
There’s a saying at the Lotus factory in Hethel, England: Less weight equals more Lotus. That means the diminutive new Elise Sprint is a whole lot of English sports car.
That’s because Lotus engineers put it on a diet. Its lithium-ion battery shaves 20 pounds of weight. The carbon race seats drop another 13. Those lightweight forged alloys take another 11 pounds off. All of those components, along with certain carbon exterior parts and a polycarbonate rear window, help the Elise Sprint weigh 57 pounds less than its previous Sport and Sport 220 cousins. Total weight is only 1,759 pounds. That’s shot down the road or track by one of two engine options: a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with 134 horsepower and 118 lb-ft of torque (Elise Sprint) or a supercharged 1.8-liter I4 with 217 horsepower and 184 lb-ft (Elise Sprint 220). With the base engine, the Sprint can hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds; with forced induction, that time drops to 4.1 seconds.
Lotus’s designers also gave the Elise Sprint a makeover. Exterior changes include new front and rear panels, redesigned tail lights, black wheels with contrasting rims, side stripes, and special badges. The interior, which features an exposed linkage for the shifter, can be dressed up with optional Alcantara accents on the doors, sills, seats, and vent surrounds. Buyers can also order their Elise Sprints with iPod connectivity and Bluetooth functionality.
The Sprint is held to the road by a “fully independent double wishbone suspension and a front anti-roll bar, coupled with Bilstein high-performance gas dampers and Eibach coaxial coil springs front and rear,” as per Lotus.Stopping power comes in the form of AP Racing twin-piston front calipers and Brembo single-piston rear-calipers. Lighter two-piece discs are optional.
Lotus is currently taking orders for the new Elise Sprint. Deliveries will start rolling out in April.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
