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In pictures. With the Lotus Elise, England reinvents the ideal sports car.

In pictures. With the Lotus Elise, England reinvents the ideal sports car.

  • At the time of Colin Chapman, the company's founder, the accountants were already juggling dangerously with the lack of cash, and the multiple changes of ownership since the boss's death have not changed this situation, between disappointed hopes and a last-chance car. Upon his death in 1982, the brand's founder, Colin Chapman, left the company with a mountain of debt, a few skeletons in the closet, and some dirty stories, the consequences of Chapman's collaboration with a certain John DeLorean. Photo Adobe Stock
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  • Lotus must be saved. In 1986, Lotus Cars was bought by General Motors. It was thought that the English manufacturer was saved, but the American giant did not know what to do with this small brand. On August 27, 1993, Lotus Cars changed shareholders again, with ACBN Holdings becoming the owner for thirty million pounds. Lotus then joined the same group as Bugatti, headed by Romano Artioli. The Lotus range then consisted of the aging Esprit and the Elan M100, which did not convince many people. Artioli set up a team led by engineer Julian Thomson to create a small sports car. The objective was clear: Lotus Cars had to be saved. Photo Lotus
  • Back to BasicsTo succeed, Lotus knows it, it must return to the brand's fundamentals. Intelligent design and the lightest possible car. In collaboration with Hydro Aluminium Automotive Structures, Lotus is committing its troops to a new era of automotive architecture. The engineers will develop a
  • Light is rightThis search for new solutions to combat the slightest gram then meets two objectives. The first being naturally the famous “Light is right” slogan of the founder. The second, always in the same spirit, was to reduce the weight to a minimum to be satisfied with the smallest possible engine, and thus limit the cost. By seeking to minimize the weight rather than maximize the power, Lotus aimed to improve the braking, the road holding and the agility of this future Elise, while reducing the fuel consumption and the carbon dioxide emissions. As a result of this innovative design, the dry weight of the first Elise is only 690 kg. Photo Lotus
  • Rover EngineThe car's original steel subframe will receive a British engine, the Rover K Series engine, in a transverse position. A very classic 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder, four-valve, developing 118 hp. This power, modest in appearance, is obviously to be put in relation to the lightweight of the beast. Thus, the top speed still reaches the 200 km/h mark, while 0 to 100 km/h is dispatched in 5.5 seconds. But it is the road handling that will surprise with a particularly fine independent suspension, composed of upper and lower wishbones, coaxial coil springs and inverted monotube shock absorbers, guaranteeing the new car road holding worthy of its prestigious badge. Photo Lotus
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  • Revolutionary brakesWhen it was unveiled in 1995, the Elise featured another innovation: MMC “Aluminum Matrix Ceramic” brake discs. This material was manufactured by Lanxide in the USA and first tested by Lotus in competition. The recipe was simple: 30% ceramic powder diluted in molten aluminum before pouring it into the mold and then machining it. The advantage was the durability of the discs, which was far superior to conventional brake discs. The disadvantages were a much higher cost and lower heat resistance. From the 1997 model year onwards, the Elise would return to conventional discs. Photo Adobe Stock
  • A Little Girl's Name Barely two years after the project began, the Elise was presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 12, 1995. The car moved under a sheet before being unveiled. The public then saw a little girl at the wheel. Her name was Elisa Artioli and she was the granddaughter of Romano Artioli, CEO of Lotus and Bugatti at the time of the car's launch. A little name that would bring luck to Lotus. The reactions were unanimous. It was called the
  • A measured price By using a maximum of mass-produced parts, while limiting equipment to a minimum, Lotus manages to limit the cost price and therefore the price. At launch, Lotus plans an annual production of 700 cars, at a base price of less than £20,000. The advertising brochure is clear:
  • The last one for ElisaAt the end of 2021, in the middle of December, Lotus announced the end of production of the Elise, Exige and Evora, replaced by a new model: the Emira. The opportunity to deliver the last Lotus Elise to a rather special customer. The lucky one is none other than Elisa Artioli! Still in possession of the model given to her for her fourth birthday, Elisa becomes the owner of her second Lotus Elise. The circle is complete.Photo Adobe Stock

It's 1994, and let's be clear: Lotus is in trouble. The coffers are desperately empty, the English manufacturer has just lost its Formula One team due to lack of funding and results, and in Hethel, a small town in South Norfolk, people are once again worried about the disappearance of the legendary English sports car brand. It must be said that flirting with bankruptcy is part of Lotus's DNA. But a small car will change everything.

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Le Progres

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