Wednesday 18th May 2016

Lotus Elise Cup 250: Time For Tea?

Skip the arty nonsense and get straight to the driving!

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Lotus has been pushing hard with the 'less is more' line on its latest crop of cars; its recent run of publicity films have followed the same mantra with plenty of flat out driving and engine noise to focus attention on the car.

This latest promo for the Elise Cup 250 Matt so enjoyed recently does suffer from a bit of arty nonsense at the start but it's thankfully out of the way quickly so we can appreciate a sense of why the Elise put such a big grin on our man's face. Whatever you think of the aero addenda the Elise has sprouted there's no doubt it looks good bouncing over kerbs and flinging up dust from big bites of apex on the Hethel test track. And, yes, we've been a little fixated on lightweight British sports cars already this week. One more can't do any harm!

Video here

 

[Leggy]

Blimey looks half professional. Bit more car and less arty bits would have been even better. Think it look great though, the aero parts seem to look the part.

Edited by Leggy on Tuesday 17th May 18:21

[Porsche911R]

I like it.

Sit down every one :-)

Ok it's a bit expensive if you want the carbon bits and a roof !!!

But with the big discounts expected , yes I like it.

[Speed_Demon]

I'd buy ine if I had the funds and in that spec too. Sadly I do not.

[Undirection]

God Lotus are flogging the Elise to death aren't they? TVR will have a new sports car before them and they are starting from scratch. Whatever happened to Lotus? All that 4x4 talk, they think they are Porsche but they're no more Porsche than Caterham really. Shame really.

[CABC]

Undirection said:

God Lotus are flogging the Elise to death aren't they? TVR will have a new sports car before them and they are starting from scratch. Whatever happened to Lotus? All that 4x4 talk, they think they are Porsche but they're no more Porsche than Caterham really. Shame really.

The real problem for Lotus is that they're in a tight niche currently, serving those who want a pure driving experience with *some* road ability. 20 years after the first S1 and nobody competes in that niche, the Elise is still the winner. Most people now demand far more comfort, toys and a 'premium' badge. Lotus do need something in the premium and/or suv segment to earn some cash. One thing i do not want is for Lotus to get flabbly!

[Impasse]

CABC said:

The real problem for Lotus is that they're in a tight niche currently, serving those who want a pure driving experience with *some* road ability. 20 years after the first S1 and nobody competes in that niche, the Elise is still the winner. Most people now demand far more comfort, toys and a 'premium' badge. Lotus do need something in the premium and/or suv segment to earn some cash. One thing i do not want is for Lotus to get flabbly!

If only they made a competent and fast mid-engined four seater with a/c, an auto option and sat nav.

[Undirection]

Impasse said:

CABC said:

The real problem for Lotus is that they're in a tight niche currently, serving those who want a pure driving experience with *some* road ability. 20 years after the first S1 and nobody competes in that niche, the Elise is still the winner. Most people now demand far more comfort, toys and a 'premium' badge. Lotus do need something in the premium and/or suv segment to earn some cash. One thing I do not want is for Lotus to get flabbly!

If only they made a competent and fast mid-engined four seater with a/c, an auto option and sat nav.

Indeed it is but are they planning on remaining there? I don't seem them as having anything like the skill or production abilities to compete with anything outside the Elise market. The Evora was nice, a bit half baked and is slowly descending into obscurity. I saw a 4C the other day it looks so much like 'today's' Elise that I couldn't help wondering if they had been 'out-Elised'.

[CTE]

All you armchair aficionado`s ought to get out there and try driving the things...you`ll find the Elise out Elise's the 4C by some margin and the Evora is a brilliant machine...its only downside is an amateur infotainment system, but it works well enough, and the automatic is not as sharp as the latest crop from ZF an the like...but it is still loads of fun and the car is one of the best real world drivers cars on the planet (especially when you compare £ for £)!
Agree it is a small audience...but on a world wide basis it is still a relatively large number of vehicles.