When Lotus puts 'Cup' on a production model, it's likely to be a fairly focused kind of sports car. Such is the case with the
Elise S Cup
, the roadgoing version of the
Cup R
racer launched last year.
Really is this with numberplates
Carrying a very similar aero package to the racer with a jutting front splitter, the winglets, barge boards and rear wing/diffuser arrangement it certainly looks purposeful. It isn't for show either, the bodywork tweaks generating 66kg of downforce at 100mph (compared to 5kg for the Elise S) and 125kg at the 140mph top speed (8kg for the S). Note also the fixed roof. So it's a track focused Elise with a roof that isn't an Exige; understand? The result of the tweaks is that the Cup is three seconds faster around Hethel than the standard supercharged car.
That the Comfort Pack in an Elise Cup includes sound insulation and a passenger footrest says a lot; a standard Lotus is spartan and the Cup is one stage further still. A competition-spec roll cage is standard, as are wiring harness changes that mean a fire extinguisher and and kill switch can be retrofitted if you do actually want to make a race car. They're on the options list with airbag delete, FIA-approved seats and a lightweight battery. Quite serious then.
There isn't yet a RRP for the Elise S Cup, with Lotus only announcing it will cost 'around £43,500 including VAT' but excluding on the road cost. That would make it around (as we're being approximate still) £8K more than a Cup Racer Elise S. Interestingly, a Caterham Seven R500 is £43,055, perhaps less sophisticated in its pursuit of speed but no less thrilling. Could make an interesting comparison... Lotus has said the Elise Cup 'will be available for purchase through the dealer network', implying an on-sale date is due very soon.