Lotus unveils updates for 2006
Updates for Elise, Exige include cupholders
     2006 Elise |
Lotus has updated the Elise and Exige for 2006. The 2006 model year (MY06) cars introduce new standard and optional equipment including lighter weight components, airbags, traction control and limited slip differential, enhanced trim, adjustable suspension and a new ProBax driver and passenger seat -- plus cupholders.
A new range of colours has been added, ranging from standard solid shades to metallic and fashionable lifestyle colours. The total number of colours available is now 21, excluding the bespoke custom option.
Details
The Elise and Exige ranges get more options at both ends of the scale: touring and sport. Four equipment packs are now available, two containing touring options -- enhanced trim and more luxury equipment -- and two containing sports options for track and race requirements. Touring and Sport Packs can be combined.
Light emitting diode (LED) rear lights with integrated reflectors are now standard. When compared to conventional filament bulb lights, LED brake lights illuminate 0.2 seconds quicker, equivalent to one Elise length at about 43 mph. The LED rear lights are also 36 per cent lighter at 0.6Kg than the conventional filament bulb lights.
Other changes include a new window seal fitted around the door that reduces the wind-noise into the cabin substantially, and a non-linear tachometer dial with the unit spacing between 3,000rpm and 10,000rpm being greater than the spacing between 0rpm and 3,000rpm.
Central locking is standard across the range.
Lightweight pedal box
The new cars get a new lightweight pedal box with steel pedal arms and extruded aluminium pads. It has an electronic (drive-by-wire) throttle for quicker and smoother, more linear engine response, reduced brake pedal ratio and improved pedal feel for the brake and throttle, according to Hethel. All three pedals have less travel and are better positioned for easier heel and toeing control on downshifts.
Wheels and tyres
Lotus-specific Yokohama Neova AD07 LTS tyres are now fitted to the Elise. These tyres have been extensively tested and developed by Lotus and Yokohama engineers and provide high levels of feedback to the driver, said Lotus. The Lotus Exige gets the ultra-high performance Yokohama Advan A048 LTS tyres.
ProBax Seats as standard
Lotus said it is the first car manufacturer in the world to introduce the ProBax seat. The MY06 Elise and Exige models both have seats specifically adapted and developed by NuBax for Lotus, which are claimed to significantly improve the postural position of the occupant's spine whilst seated. This not only results in an improved level of comfort, said Lotus, but also has significant medical benefits such as maintaining a natural curvature of the spine, and markedly improving the body's blood flow. Increased blood flow has been shown to enhance response times, raise alertness levels and reduce the onset of muscle fatigue. Tests with the new seats have shown an improvement in blood flow of up to 30 per cent over older seats.
Lotus' engineering boss Steve Swiftsaid: "We carried out extensive tests with people of various shapes and sizes in Lotus seats with ProBax technology and the results are extremely good. The seat padding and "cushion" have been specifically designed by NuBax, enabling us to use less foam and remove the pre-existing lumber mechanism. This has helped reduce weight, vital for Lotus of course, and increase the amount of useable space in the cockpit."
The seats are clad in cloth for the base and the sports pack Exige and Elise, and in leather for the Elise with the Touring Pack. The Touring Pack Exige is clad in a lightweight stain resistant suede-effect material.
Touring packs
The Touring Pack includes electric windows, full leather interior for the Elise in a choice of colours (black, cream, biscuit and red) or black suede effect interior with leather highlights for the Exige, full carpet set, high specification DAB Radio and CD/MP3 player, and sound and temperature insulation.
The Super Touring Pack includes the contents of the Touring Pack plus
- Upgraded interior trim with driver and passenger airbags
- High specification leather covered steering wheel
- Front speakers located in the facia top panel
- Engine start button
- Trinket tray stowage unit
- Cup holder
- Leather handbrake sleeve
- Leather handbrake gaiter and gear shift knob
- Embroidered logo premium floor mats.
Sports packs
For both the Elise and the Exige, the Sports Pack includes twin oil coolers and switchable traction control -- see later for a full explanation.
The Elise also gets sports suspension with uprated Bilstein dampers and stiffer Eibach Springs, and ultra-lightweight split-type seven-spoke forged (6J) alloys wheels for use with the Yokohama Neova AD07 LTS tyres.
The Exige with the Sports Pack already has the sports suspension so in addition, is equipped with sports seats and a T45 steel roll-over hoop and harness bar for the aftermarket fitment of four point harnesses for track use only.
The Super Sports Pack includes the contents of the Sports Pack plus:
- Ultra-lightweight forged split-type 7-spoke 6.5J alloy wheels, which Lotus claimed save a huge 1.2Kg of unsprung weight per corner compared to the already lightweight Elise and Exige cast wheels
- Track suspension with Eibach springs and Bilstein one-way adjustable dampers, with a single adjuster for bump and rebound - and adjustable ride height
- Adjustable front anti-roll bar
- Double shear track control arm brace to help cope with the expected kerb abuse during hard track day driving.
In addition, the Elise with the Super Sports Pack has ultra high performance Yokohama Advan A048 LTS tyres and a motorsport specification T45 roll-over hoop which when fitted with a Lotus Sport aftermarket 6-point roll-cage is FIA race approved.
Standalone options
Lotus Traction Control and Limited Slip Differential: a switchable Lotus Traction Control System (LTC) is available for the first time on the Elise and Exige for 2006. The LTC works through the engine management system to reduce power when required to maintain traction.
Unlike many traction control systems, LTC has been tuned to complement the skills of the driver without taking over. The Lotus LTC is active above 5mph and operates much more quickly than many brake-based systems.
The system can be deactivated with an illuminated button which is located adjacent to the gear lever. A Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) is also available for tight and twisty driving (such as in auto tests). The LSD is only available if LTC has been specified and is not available by itself.
Air-conditioning: available as a cost option (standard in some markets); it weighs 15Kg
Body-coloured hard top: for the Elise for seasonal use.
New colours
A new range of colours has been added including a vivid aspen white, non-metallic British Racing Green, Chilli Red, high metallic Solar Yellow and Autumn Gold. The total number of colours now available is 21, excluding the bespoke custom colours.
Engine and engineering design
With a VVTL-i engine producing a maximum power output of 189bhp and 133.5lb-ft of torque, the Elise 111R sprints to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds and 100 mph in 13 seconds before reaching a certified top speed of 150mph.
The Lotus Exige has similar straight line performance before reaching a top speed of 147 mph - slightly slower than the Elise due to the drag induced by higher levels of aerodynamic downforce, giving phenomenal cornering power, with around 42Kg of downforce at 100mph - the equivalent of the weight of a new-born rhinoceros!
Environmental concerns means the engine is fully Euro IV emissions compliant, and the Elise returns 32.1 mpg on the combined cycle, and 208 g/km of CO2 emissions.
Both new cars now get an oil cooler.
Prices
- Elise: £27,995 (unchanged)
- Exige: £29,995 (unchanged)
- Metallic paint: £595
- Lifestyle paint: £1,010
- Air conditioning: £1,295
- LSD: £995
- LTC: £395
- Touring Pack: £1,995
- Super Touring Pack: £1,995
- Sports Pack: £1,495
- Super Sports Pack: £2,495
The MY06 cars are on sale now.
The press release said:
...higher levels of aerodynamic downforce, giving phenomenal cornering power, with around 42Kg of downforce at 100mph - the equivalent of the weight of a new-born rhinoceros!
So how significant is that really? To me, 42Kg of downforce in a ~900Kg car gets you an extra 0.047 lateral-g over an aero-neutral car (or would an Elise be generating lift at those speeds?), and I'm not sure you'd be able to feel that difference.
Other than that, it all sounds good (and much more significant than the last round of "Special" Editions).
I am not sure that the increase of driving assistance will please the hard core driver but being able to personalise his car is good.
What surprises me the most are the performances of the exige. I suspect these will be better than the elise. I do not want to be rude with exige owner but if you put exige tyres, wheels and geo settings on a 111R, don't you end up with a very quick car both for cornering and for higher speed. Or am I wrong and the cornering at mid range speed come from the rear spoiler and as long as the elise do not have it, exige remains the most sporty one. ??
I said this also because on the Lotus cup europe, the 111R are ahead of the exiges. But I do not know how many cars are standard from Lotus...?
I would like to say well done to those in charge for, as has already been mentioned, seperating the 'Sport' and 'Touring' versions more distinctly.
It all sounds like a great tsep forward and I do hope it carries on in a similar manner.
My only quibble is with the LTC - will 'off' really mean OFF?
I also thought the supercharger was supposed to be available soon. Can anyone who knows shed more light on this for me?
Combover
I'll agree that it does annoy somewhat having LHD pictures, especially as they're flippin' made here. Ho hum.
The cup holder does seem to be a tongue-in-cheek feature - the cup might stay in place, but when you're cornering at 60 I don't suppose the coffee will actually stay in the cup.
But I'm sure the Americans will think is great. Hopefully the Brits that actually use their cars instead of posing in them will get the joke though
One question I have though - er what exactly is 'lifestyle paint'!?
Stephen White said:
Well, all the new features are great, but they haven't addressed the one enormous, glaring problem - the HIDEOUS STYLING of the Series Two body! Ghod, the thing's still awful... The series One car was a pastiche of Lotus 'DNA', but for all of theat, it was very well done. As an American, waiting for years for the Elise, to finally have them available should be heavenly, but what do we get? 500 lbs. heavier than the series One car, and a look that would be right at home in a Japanese 'manga' comic-book - Puhleeze, Lotus; please, please... Fix it!
I think you are in a very small minority with that POV. Very Small
Looks like the author has taken a few top tips from the writers of Channels 5's "BIG STUFF" when it comes to describing weights and measures to the layman.
Next they'll be telling us that there's enough fiberglass strand in the chassis and body work to "stretch around the Earth....TWICE!"
gooby said:Not really. I absolutly prefer the S1 to the S2, and given the number of S1 owners that didn't 'trade up' (just look at the number of S1 owners on something like SELOC) not everyone agrees the S2 is the better looking car.
I think you are in a very small minority with that POV. Very Small
J
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