London International Motor Show: One of the successes of Lotus Cars in more recent years has been the introduction in 2004 of the Toyota powered Elise 111R.
Prior to this the Elise model, which had sustained the company through some difficult times, had only been available with various versions of the Rover K-Series engine and the introduction of a Toyota powered version attracted a whole new range of customers.
Now, Lotus has introduced a new entry-level Elise, to be known as the Elise S, also with Toyota power. They have installed a high technology 1.8 litre 136 PS variable Valve Timing Toyota power unit into the new Elise S providing a 0-100 km/h time of just 6.3 seconds and a top speed - law permitting - of 205 km/h.
This may not be the fastest Elise yet but as our test drive demonstrated, this car provides all of the performance one can reasonably use in everyday motoring. Maximum power output is 136 PS and maximum torque is reached at 4,200 rpm.
Irish cost of the Elise S is €46,995. Our tip is to stick with the base version and enjoy a return to pure sports driving.