Post by Admin on Nov 25, 2016 9:24:48 GMT -5
Lotus Says the 2020 Elise Is US-Bound, Will Weigh Less Than 2200 LBS
The all-new Elise will be built to meet US crash standards, but it'll still be a featherweight.
www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/news/a31676/2020-lotus-elise-weight/
By Chris Perkins
Nov 23, 2016
The next-gen Lotus Elise will be U.S.-bound for the first time since 2011, and we couldn't be more excited. There's even better news: Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales promises that the Elise will stay true to the lightweight formula, despite increasingly tough safety standards. And we couldn't be happier.
Note: 2008 Lotus Elise S pictured above.
Speaking to Autocar, Gales confirmed the next Elise will weigh less than 1000 kg (2200 lbs) and will grow in size only slightly. The Elise will use a new bonded and extruded aluminum chassis, and—praise the heavens—will be engineered to meet U.S. crash safety standards right from the start.
All of this is made possible by the success of the Evora 400, which is selling well enough in the U.S. to help Lotus generate a profit for the first time since the turn of the century. The Elise will be the first all-new model from Lotus, but in the meantime, the British automaker will release new variants of current cars, like the Exige Sport 380 and upcoming Evora Roadster.
After the new Elise debuts in 2020, Lotus will soon follow with a new Exige, and in 2022, an all-new Evora.
Given the toughness of American safety standards, building an Elise that weighs just over a ton will be a tall order for Lotus. Recall that the carbon-tubbed Alfa Romeo 4C gained a few hundred pounds in its transition to U.S. spec.
We're just glad that Lotus is committed to remaining true to its DNA. We just hope it can make some money too.
The all-new Elise will be built to meet US crash standards, but it'll still be a featherweight.
www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/future-cars/news/a31676/2020-lotus-elise-weight/
By Chris Perkins
Nov 23, 2016
The next-gen Lotus Elise will be U.S.-bound for the first time since 2011, and we couldn't be more excited. There's even better news: Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales promises that the Elise will stay true to the lightweight formula, despite increasingly tough safety standards. And we couldn't be happier.
Note: 2008 Lotus Elise S pictured above.
Speaking to Autocar, Gales confirmed the next Elise will weigh less than 1000 kg (2200 lbs) and will grow in size only slightly. The Elise will use a new bonded and extruded aluminum chassis, and—praise the heavens—will be engineered to meet U.S. crash safety standards right from the start.
All of this is made possible by the success of the Evora 400, which is selling well enough in the U.S. to help Lotus generate a profit for the first time since the turn of the century. The Elise will be the first all-new model from Lotus, but in the meantime, the British automaker will release new variants of current cars, like the Exige Sport 380 and upcoming Evora Roadster.
After the new Elise debuts in 2020, Lotus will soon follow with a new Exige, and in 2022, an all-new Evora.
Given the toughness of American safety standards, building an Elise that weighs just over a ton will be a tall order for Lotus. Recall that the carbon-tubbed Alfa Romeo 4C gained a few hundred pounds in its transition to U.S. spec.
We're just glad that Lotus is committed to remaining true to its DNA. We just hope it can make some money too.