Tips And Works

We are amazed and mostly delighted by the way Lotus has played so many tunes on the theme of the Elise. Lightweight cars are the thing today, so it is a surprise to learn that this thoroughly modern British sports car dates back 10 years?although it only came to the U.S. officially for 2005.

Milestones in Elise development were the introductions of the Exige coupe, the 2-Eleven-style 340R, and a redesigned roadster, and the replacement of the original Rover engine with the 1.8-liter Toyota VVTL-i (for the U.S. launch) and supercharging that engine for the Exige S. Along the way, the same chassis, made with bonded aluminum extrusions, has been adapted to create the Opel Speedster for GM, the Lotus Europa S, and the electric Tesla roadster, and it will be further modified for Lotus's Project Eagle, a two-plus-two scheduled to appear by the end of 2008.

Over the years, the Elise has put on weight. Now the 2-Eleven, shown here, goes back to basics. It is the most powerful and lightest Elise: 252 horsepower from an uprated Exige S engine and a curb weight of roughly 1650 pounds (about 400 pounds lighter than an Exige S).

The result is, from a driving point of view, the best Elise to date. Modifications when the supercharger was added altered the variable valve timing and lift so there is no longer a ?step? in power delivery high in the rev range. This one is smooth all through and torquey enough to reduce the number of gearchanges needed on the average circuit.

And although the ride height has been lowered (to just 3.9 inches) and it wears aggressive Yokohama tires, the fastest Elise still feels supple and delivers a reasonably comfortable ride even over damaged pavement.

This is an ultra-quick car (0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, claims Lotus) that is also agile, with so much grip and responses so perfect it makes an average driver look heroic. But only on a track, because in the U.S., the 2-Eleven is not certified for public roads.

That's the point of the 2-Eleven: It was designed specifically for the increasingly popular pastime of track days. Which is why, as well as having no doors, it dispenses with such fripperies as a windshield, heater, or top of any kind. But back home in Britain, track-day addicts like to drive their cars to and from the circuits, so the 2-Eleven is available in two versions: The pure track model is the one that will be exported to America. The other meets British road regulations and has headlights, four- rather than six-point safety harnesses, a smaller, nonadjustable rear wing, and the exhaust catalytic converter that's removed for the track version.

The two types are mechanically identical. Öhlins dampers with adjustments for bump and rebound are standard. The front anti-roll bar is also adjustable; Lotus provides the 2-Eleven owner with a set of instructions for suspension setup. The mighty brakes-from the heavier Exige Cup race car-have an anti-lock system with a subtle action. The 2-Eleven is also the first production model to include the 18-position traction control developed by Lotus Sport; the first position on the rotary control allows some seven degrees of yaw before modulating engine power. Each subsequent position of the knob allows progressively more oversteer until the traction control is turned off completely.

Lotus recognizes that on track days there will be the occasional body-mangling incident, and so the 2-Eleven's outer panels are inexpensive fiberglass that are bolted, rather than bonded, to the chassis. As there are no doors, the 2-Eleven uses the high-silled chassis center section from the original Elise, and it comes with a roll hoop and forward bars that are useful hand-holds when clambering over the high sides. Inside the cockpit, it's essentials only: bare aluminum and no carpet. You'll need a full-face helmet to drive at speed, and the aerodynamics are such that, beyond 80 mph, a taller driver can experience some helmet lift, disconcerting to say the least.

The 2-Eleven takes its name from a famous Lotus sports-racing car of the 1950s, the 11, all of 840 pounds powered by a 75-hp, 1.1-liter Coventry Climax engine. It was a giant killer on the track. The 2-Eleven is twice that weight but has more than triple the power and can embarrass many more powerful and expensive supercars at the right track. In doing so, it will provide the driver with some of the best fun anyone can have on wheels.

VEHICLE TYPE: mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive, 2-passenger, 0-door roadster

BASE PRICE (U.K.): $68,532

ENGINE TYPE: supercharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port fuel injection
Displacement:110 cu in, 1796cc
Power (SAE net):252 bhp @ 8000 rpm
Torque (SAE net): 178 lb-ft @ 7000 rpm

TRANSMISSION: 6-speed manual

DIMENSIONS:
Wheelbase: 90.6 in Length: 150.5-152.4 in Width: 67.3 in Height: 43.8 in
Curb weight: 1650 lb

PERFORMANCE (MFR'S EST):
Zero to 60 mph:3.8 sec
Zero to 100 mph:8.9 sec
Standing ¼-mile:12.2 sec
Top speed (drag limited):150 mph