Not that the Elise really needed it, but Lotus put its breadwinner on a weight-loss programme just before the Geneva show, and the result is this – the Elise Club Racer.
With such models as the Evora and Europa indicative of the Norfolk-based brand’s efforts to keep up with the times – hardcore enthusiasts need not be worried. Even though the Elise is regarded in the automotive arena as one of the lightest sports cars available to the general public, engineers saw fit to strip an extra 24 kg off the car.This was accomplished by shedding the Elise of any sort of noise insulation material and the fitment of a motorsports battery.
The Elise’s DPM (Dynamic Performance Management) also includes a sport setting for those less talented individuals that still want to feel like a driving god at a track day – while the gifted elite will appreciate the ability to turn the system off completely for the ultimate feel and the inclusion of Eibach sport springs Bilstein dampers and an adjustable anti-roll bar.
The new Club Racer will definitely give these people something extra to get their teeth stuck into. This car epitomises everything that’s cool about the Elise – it’s fast, raw, responsive and a huge amount of fun to drive,” says Wolf Zimmermann, chief technical officer for Lotus Cars.