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My first reaction is that very few items for "serious use" are included in the basic spec for the price. (I calculate about £44K.)  The body kit of course (inc hard-top) but I would like to know how much of that "3 seconds faster" (than say an S CR) is given by the considerable downforce helping around fast bends and how much by an improved Cd improving higher speed acceleration.  The change in say 60-120 mph time might tell a story. I would not want to guess at shorter, the same, or longer. Downforce does not come for free.

 

So for road use, except for those that like a fancy appearance, the desirability is questionable.

 

For "proper use" on the track, of course it is the model to choose, but several of the options are then surely near essential: the lighter forged wheels, the TRD intake and sports exhaust, the tow eyes, 4 point harness and bar and light weight battery at least. Not to mention the seats, extinguisher etc.  So over/well-over £50K then.

 

But the basic configuration/price is clever: It includes all the things that cannot readily be added to a CR!  That is really annoying!

Picking up on my observation re Cd, the drag coefficient, I've looked up a few numbers.  (Of course the actual head-on frontal area of a car is the base for the ratio. For the same Cd, the larger car will have more actual drag. But the Cd shows the aerodynamic "slippiness" of the shape.)

 

To put them in context, Cd of a Formula 1 car is typically in the range 0.7 to 1.1. The Caterham 7 is 0.7, Citroen 2CV 0.51, Range Rover Classic 0.45 and the Alpha 4C 0.35. Down at the slippier end, the Audi A4 is 0.29 with many cars achieving 0.25. (Specialist and concepts go much lower.)

 

For the Lotus models:

Elite (1958)          0.29 

Europa (1966)     0.29

Evora                   0.33

Elise S                 0.41    **

Exige S                0.43

Elise S CUP         0.45   **

 

Excepting the Evora, the current models are not impressive in this respect.  But most significant is that the figures for the Elise S and the Cup version show the effect of the body kit in giving all that downforce: 0.45 instead of 0.41.   So assuming the same frontal area - there is little in it anyway - the Cup has almost 10% more drag.

 

F1 cars accept lots of drag because the benefit of the downforce outweighs the reduction in top speed. (DRS is very effective!)  In quoting the 3 seconds improvement on the track, Lotus have exploited the same optimisation.  The question of which is better for road use remains open, but my suspicion is emerging. A 60-120 mph straight line comparison awaited.  (The gear ratios may differ - I'm not sure what the "sports ratio" means - so a direct comparison may be less clear in practice. If they have perhaps 5th or 6th in common a test could use just that gear.)  

Edited September 7, 201410 yr by mdavies

Interesting analysis. Let's hope there really is some useful downforce, the body kit looks more style over substance to me but at least there's some evidence of it actually doing something, hopefully enough to be able to feel on a track.

 

I still think the Cup cars should always come with a bit more power if they want the Cup brand to become like an RS badge. I know it's not very 'Lotus' but a bit more power would clearly establish the Cup cars as the ultimate performance variant. They used to do with the Cup 255 and Cup 260 Exiges. I think the Elise Cup should have a few more ponies as standard. 

Interesting analysis. Let's hope there really is some useful downforce, the body kit looks more style over substance to me but at least there's some evidence of it actually doing something, hopefully enough to be able to feel on a track.

 

 

Certainly is!  Compare with the Elise S:

 

Elise S Cup                              Elise S

@ 100 mph (160 km/h) 66 kg      5 kg

@ 124 mph (200 km/h) 104 kg    7 kg

@ 140 mph (225 km/h) 125 kg    8 kg

 

And I agree re the need to give it a power boost - hot cakes wouldn't be in it then!

 

I await details but I wonder whether the "sport ratios" - if that is meaningful - are rather shorter to counteract the drag factor.  Obviously would hit the fuel consumption for road use, but who cares for that model.

Edited September 8, 201410 yr by mdavies

Is the 3 seconds a lap reduction not due mostly to the stickier tyres? It also seems to have different suspension.

The ones I saw the other day at the factory were a lot lower than a CR

They're Advan Neova tyres which Elise's have been wearing for a long time. 

Are they AD07 or AD08s though?

048s are an option as well as all the harness and seats etc so was the car times with these maybe?

I doubt that aero alone would know 3 seconds off around a short track like hethel. Half of the track as a massive straight too which would cos the car time compared to the regular less drag car

How long is Hethel?  it does seem like a very impressive improvement.

 

I agree with Jonny and Mel, this car should have more power (apparently Komo-tec may do an upgrade to around the 250BHP mark which would be OK) and most of the items that you'd want for track driving are options, which probably means spending the thick end of £50k on it, which is a lot when a V6 S would only cost you a couple of K more?

 

Looks lovely though and should be relatively cheap to maintain even for heavy track day use

Looks the nuts

 

Looks great in that colour..

 

Wheels are nice. Optional cup wheels?

wheels look like team dynamics pro race

 

wonder why they fitted spot lights to it when its mean to be the stripped out version?

 

does look good though. i like the matte black access panel

It does look really lovely!  Where was that photo taken?

Lotus Hedge End.

First review I've seen of this car

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lotus/elise/90004/lotus-elise-s-cup-review

Looking forward to trying it.

Thanks for sharing 

Looks really nice, would love to exchange my MX-5 race car for one of these in a few years time.

And another very positive review here:

http://www.topgear.com/uk/car-news/first-drive-lotus-elsie-s-cup

Another one here: so far, so good.

http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Drives/Search-Results/First-drives/Lotus-Elise-S-Cup-2015-review/

And again!

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/lotus/elise/first-drives/2015-lotus-elise-s-cup-review

Sounds like Lotus have built an absolute winner!

Elise roofs aren't bonded in so it will be removable. Not sure if it'll just clip out like an Elise or you'll need to unbolt it like an Exige but I'd hazard a guess at the first option. 

Elise roofs aren't bonded in so it will be removable. Not sure if it'll just clip out like an Elise or you'll need to unbolt it like an Exige but I'd hazard a guess at the first option. 

 

Assume it will be a normal hardtop but more importantly does it come with a soft top?

The hardtop is a mandatory option as the car has a wing and it's there to make the aero work, a soft top isn't an option at purchase.

 

That said, once it's yours, you can remove the hardtop and fit a soft top if you so wish, it is possible. 

 

/Knowledgeable source

Was that off by heart Buddsy?

Can't see this link anywhere for the PistonHeads review:

 

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=31480

 

I want a yellow one!

Autocar mag are running a feature on this next week.