Lotus reveals lighter and faster Elise Cup 250
The top-flight road-going Elise boasts 240bhp and a 0-60mph time of 3.9 seconds
Lotus has pulled the covers off its latest hardcore, lightweight sports car – the Elise Cup 250.
The new model crowns the recently updated Elise range. It is powered by an all-alloy 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine that develops 240bhp, allowing the pint-sized car to sprint from 0-60mph in just 3.9 seconds before hitting its 154mph top speed.
Thanks to a strict weight-saving regime, the Elise Cup 250 has a dry weight of just 884kg, which can be reduced even further to 860kg with all lightweight options specified.
Helping to keep the Elise’s weight down are a lithium-ion battery, a polycarbonate rear window, ultra-lightweight alloy wheels and carbon race seats. Optional weight-saving features include two-piece brake discs and a titanium exhaust system.
As far as aesthetic changes are concerned, the Elise Cup 250 gains a reworked front bumper with wider radiator apertures, as well as a new mesh pattern grille. The back-end of the car has also been redesigned, now housing two light clusters instead of four as well as a large rear wing.
Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said: “The Elise Cup 250 is the latest edition in an exciting period for the company which has seen us launch a number of very special new cars across our entire range.
“The power and aerodynamic prowess of the new Elise Cup 250 has taken the fight beyond the reach of lesser rivals and, at just 860kg, it shows that we are ahead of the curve in delivering lightweight, intelligently engineered sports cars.”
The Lotus Elise Cup 250 is on sale now, with prices starting at £47,400.
