Lotus Elise
The Lotus Elise is a two-seater sports car which is designed to be light weight, nimble and quick. The Elise is powered by a Toyota-sourced engine, which provides ample power and proven reliability, and has excellent, direct steering, lots of grip and superb handling. Strictly a two-seater, the Elise features a removable roof section, although this can be fiddly to remove. The interior is very pared back, with the emphasis on improving performance through light weight rather than offering every luxury. But the Elise isn’t cheap either, despite its sparse cabin, and many luxury features, like a CD player or air conditioning have to be ordered at extra cost.
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- pros:
- Excellent driving credentials
- Cheap to run
- Impressive performance
- cons:
- Expensive to buy
- Awkward, cramped cabin
- Lack of standard equipment
With its lightweight construction and compact dimensions, the rear-engined Elise delivers unbelievable performance and seriously precise handling. One of the most fun cars you will ever drive, it is cheap to run, too. Powered by a Toyota sourced 1.8-litre engine, reliabilty is not a problem. The Elise is not the most practical car though. A tiny boot and small parcel shelf means there is very little storage space. While the cars low seats and and wide sills mean getting into and out of the Elise is no easy feat. It is not cheap either, starting at £28,000 but running costs are low with even the range topping supercharged model returning better than 30mpg.
