Even though the Elise S has a relatively


unsophisticated cabin, it does have supportive, sculpted sports seats and functional, easy to operate, controls. Te highlights are a standard lightweight aluminium passenger footrest, a black leather gear lever gaiter, a polished aluminium gear knob and handbrake sleeve, and an engine start push button. Te shirt-button sized, leather-clad steering wheel is a delight to grasp – and it instils confidence with razor-sharp, direction-finding, precision. In fact, if you think your car steers well, you need to try an Elise, because the level of feel, accuracy and weighting is matchless. Te Lotus hangs on to the bends effortlessly and not many cars can supply the out of the ordinary balance that Lotus weaves into the Elise’s DNA. Te S’s engine is the perfect accomplice to that inborn stability - and the brakes erase momentum as quickly as speed is achieved in the first place. Only the slightly stubborn, stiff, gear shift action disappoints. Very few cars in this sector will match the thrill


you get from driving – or even being a passenger in the new Elise S. An obvious competitor - the Japanese made Mazda MX-5 is miles cheaper and more refined, but it has nothing on the performance and image of the Lotus.


62 waterfrontmagazines.co.uk


PROS ‘N’ CONS


• Fast √ • Sexy √ •


Road-holding √


• Steering precision √ •


Gear shift actionX


FAST FACTS


• Max speed: 145 mph •


0-62 mph: 4.6 secs


• Combined mpg: 37.5 • • •


Engine: 1798 cc 4 cylinder 16 valve supercharged petrol Max.power (bhp): 217 at 6800 rpm Max.torque (lb/ft): 184 at 4600 rpm


• CO2: 175 g/km • Price: £37,150 on the road


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68