Pedigree tells, they say, and the
Lotus Elise 111R has a terrific pedigree. Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus Cars, invented the concept of lightweight cars that could literally run rings round the competition with much less power. Not only that, but in the days when Colin Chapman ran the company, Lotus made a string of innovations, including the first monocoque Grand Prix car, the stunning ground effect cars, not to mention the backbone chassis and unique methods of making large glass fiber moldings.
The latest Lotus, the Elise, upgraded for 2006, lives up to its pedigree. It is very light, it handles beautifully, and has a unique frame. Here is a sports car with such fine handling braking and acceleration it is really a tiny supercar.
I spend a lot of time complaining about sports cars and supercars being overweight, so let's start with the weight. The Elise 111R weighs 1,894 lb (860 kg) compared with 2,676 lb for the Toyota Celica which has the same power train, and 2,410 lb for the new Mazda MX-5, which is supposed to have undergone a weight reduction program. In other words, the Elise is 30% lighter than the admittedly bigger Toyota, and 22% lighter than the MX-5.
22% lighter than the MX-5
That's a huge difference, and is the main reason why the Elise can get to 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, compared with about 7.7 seconds for the Mazda. Not only that, but the new, 300 bhp lightweight Jaguar XK takes 5.9 seconds. Weight reduction pays in acceleration, handling and fuel consumption, so when you buy a Lotus Elise 111R you might not get much weight but you get fabulous performance.
Supercar power-to-weight ratio
A power:weight ratio of 220 bhp per ton is where hot supercars begin, with the Porsche 911 Carrera at about this level, and that's what Lotus has achieved with the Elise.
It all starts with the lightweight aluminum frame, with a compact engine mounted midships, in this case mounted across the frame so that a standard production engine can be used – the days of Lotus building its own engines are long gone.
The Elise has a lightweight aluminum frame with glass fiber composite panels. Most manufacturers who use aluminum extrusions use them with castings welded together into a frame. Lotus developed a method of adhesively bonding the extrusions and sheet that make up the frame. The extrusions are also fixed together by Ejot fasteners – these are a cross between screws and rivets which lock the panels together supplementing the adhesive joints.
The frame consists of a pair of deep aluminum sections, joined together by a narrow cross member at the front, and curved out to go round the cockpit and the engine bay. There are a number of stiffening cross members, also extruded, and the power train is carried in a detachable steel sub-frame. The result is a very light and stiff structure, clothed in unstressed body panels.
Double wishbone suspension
The rear suspension links pivot on the rear sub-frame, but at the front the links pivot on the frame . Double wishbone suspension is used front and rear, the bottom link of the rear suspension being adjustable for toe-in. Bilstein dampers, with special settings developed by Lotus are used in conjunction with coil springs all round. Of course, there is rack and pinion steering, and cross-drilled discs with AP front and Brembo rear calipers.
These days wheels and tires and getting huge, so its a surprise to see that the Elise 111R has 175/55R tires on 6.5 x 16 inch wheels at the front, and 225/45 tires on 7.5 x 17 inch rear wheels. The idea is that the cornering power should match the car, not that the tires should make the car look good – actually they do that anyway.
Test drive
So the red Elise was sitting there, hood up, looking great. The classic, simple lines much improved with the Targa top, are just right, and yet different. It was a bright, sunny day so I'd already decided to drive with the hood down. It's not really a hood as the Elise now has a Targa top, with a roll bar built in. The canvas top just fills the gap between the windscreen and rear body. When you remove it you stow it behind the seats. Taking it off is easy, but putting it on again requires a bit of a knack because you fix one side and then roll the other side into position so the plungers lock into holes.
The minute I slipped into the Lotus Elise, it felt right. I adjusted the seat, and my hands fell on the small steering wheel which framed the clear speedometer and rev counter. The gear lever was right to hand, and the bucket seat felt it would hold me in place – it did.
I turned the key to start the engine, and the Toyota 1.8 liter 189 bhp engine burst into life, and burbled behind me.
.The car I was driving surprised me straight away with its rip-snorting acceleration, which felt as if I had a much bigger engine behind me. But this is no ordinary engine; this is the Toyota 2ZZ-GE unit which has variable valve timing with low lift cams for low speed, and and high lift cams giving longer opening at high speeds. It is built by Yamaha and coupled to a six-speed close-ratio gearbox.
This engine pulls well at low speed, and begins to get going at around 4,000 rpm. The real power comes in at about 5,000 rpm - but as they say, it is then a smooth transition all the way up to 8,000 rpm. So you've got plenty of revs to play with, from a very willing engine.
Toyota developed the engine management system to give a real step when the high-lift cams come in at 6,200 rpm, but Lotus developed its own controller to give a much smoother transition. Maximum torque is delivered at 6,800 rpm, but you would not think it was at such a high speed in the Lotus.
I turned into the road, and accelerated through the first two bends in a 50 mph area which is frequently patrolled by police with speed cameras, and nodded to myself. The steering was light and direct, as you expect from a Lotus, and the front fenders showed me where I was heading. And the car seemed easy to place.
Comfortable on motorways
Soon, I was turning onto the motorway, and floored the throttle in third. As soon as the revs built up to 4,000 rpm, the power came on strong, building up all the way until I eased off at the cruising speed. This was not particularly well surfaced, but although I could feel each bump through the steering and seat, it was not uncomfortable – the car was just telling me what was going on down there. Which it does well.
At cruising speed the Targa top does an excellent job, so there's no buffeting, but you still feel you're in an open car. Clever stuff.
Later I found some more interesting roads that wind through the flat lands of Norfolk, some open, and some through trees and hedges. I found the first open straight, and gunned the throttle in second and the Elise leapt forward very fast for such a small car, and soon I was shifting into third, and accelerating hard till the next bend appeared.
Direct steering, quick turn-in
It was all unknown, so I braked quite hard, and the car slowed down smoothly without drama, and turned the wheel. On this road it is more a question of thinking yourself around the corners as you need so little lock. Turn in is quick and straightforward; there is no hesitancy, no feeling of lightness; the car just turns in, going exactly where you point it.
Later I found some good open bends where you can drive faster, and I began to get the feel of the car. It's good. Set up to understeer slightly, but the center of gravity is so low and the car so well-balanced that you can drive very fast through curves and bends without being aware of understeer. It does show itself when you try harder, but just enough to remind you that you're cornering fast.
Plenty of feel
Al the time, you are feeling what is happening through the steering, which seems to be geared just right. The bumps are felt as well as the understeer, and you are really in touch with the way in which the tires are moving over the road.
On these roads, third and fourth gears are what you use mostly, with the odd occasion to drop to second to overtake. This Elise will do 40, 65 and 85 mph in the first three ratios, so you've plenty of overtaking power at any legal speed – and higher of course.
My initial impression of the ride was confirmed. It is supple, and soaks up bumps very well. If you accelerate away from a T-junction with a poor surface, you can get a bit of a clonk as a wheel dips down into the hollow in the road surface, but even at these speeds the ride is good for this type of car – better than some hot hatches. Good ride coupled with good handling has always been the hallmark of Lotus, though.
Amazing performer on track
To find out how good the Elise is the limit, I also drove it on the Lotus test track, despite the fact that this is a road car, with Bridgestone Potenza RE040 tires, chosen for their all-round road performance. I hadn't driven on this track for many years, and it has been revised to help in suspension development, but consists of two hairpin bends connected by a variety of much faster curves. You can get up to 130 mph or so on the straights in the Elise, which makes the sharp chicane at the end of one straight – made up of very solid looking tires - look quite intimidating. But just a little flick sees you through.
On the track, the car performs superbly. Flat out down the straight, stand on the brakes before the bend, heel-and-toe to drop into second for the hairpin and wind her round accelerating through. Go a bit faster and you feel the understeer build up , as you power out. Through the faster curves, the car can be set up before the curve, set on line and held there with no effort. The car follows the desired line with ease, as you feel yourself being pressed hard against the side of the seat.
It's only after you've done this for a few laps that you can recall just how well the car goes where pointed, how slick the shifts are, and how easy it is to heel-and-toe as you brake hard while shifting down to enter the corner. And how good the brakes are, although on the road they don't have quite as much feel as some other cars. And most of all how well the car corners, with almost no roll, and extremely fast.
Tail slide at will on hairpins
If you go in fairly slow and accelerate out of a slow bend, the Elise understeers safely and predictably as the speed builds up. If that's not your style you can convert that into a tail slide at will. You either tweak the wheel as you come into the corner or lift off a little, and the car will go sideways. Then pile on the power, and according to how you judge the opposite lock, the car with either straighten up or squirm as you apply opposite lock giving the car full power and further corrections as it slides too far off line. Amazingly controllable.
The same technique, using a sharp tweak of the wheel can be used on faster bends to kill the understeer and get the tail out, but you need a bit of skill to get that right. Not recommended for the road.
All the time, you can feel what is happening at the road, through the steering wheel, though the pedals and through the seat of your pants. Feel, precision, great cornering power, brakes and acceleration to match.
A great sports car – and packs a big punch
Without doubt, the Lotus Elise is a great sports car, which achieves its performance with the combination of the approach of Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus cars: light weight, a low center of gravity, excellent handling, and a good engine.
This is a superbly performing car, that can out-accelerate many bigger cars thanks to a power;weight ratio of 220 bhp per tone, giving a 0-60 mph time of 4.9 seconds, and terrific acceleration whenever you want it. On top of all that that, because the car is so light and has good aerodynamics the fuel consumption can be amazingly good as well. Just brilliant, and tremendous fun. Don't be put off by the small engine. This car packs a much bigger punch than its size would suggest.
But is it practical? If you live in a warm climate, yes. If it rains a lot, as it does in the west of England it is not so practical when the weather is bad. If it starts to rain while you're driving, you're likely to be wet before you get the hood up. Also, the front end can get a bit light if the roads are very wet with a lot of water about. Still, I used to drive a car that didn't even have a hood every day, and the Elise is a god deal more civilised and weather-proof than that was.
