[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/sports-performance-and-prestige-cars\/new-featherweight-lotus-elise-sprint\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/sports-performance-and-prestige-cars\/new-featherweight-lotus-elise-sprint\/","headline":"The New Featherweight Lotus Elise Sprint","name":"The New Featherweight Lotus Elise Sprint","description":"The new version of the Elise, Lotus\u2019s hugely successful perennial 2-seater, is one of the lightest the company has yet produced. It\u2019s always been a fairly light and compact sportscar, but the new model will weigh in at 41kg less than the current Elise Sport, at just 798kg minus any liquids. Lightweight carbon fibre seats and engine cover, plus a lighter Lithium-Ion battery, polycarbonate rear window and lighter alloys are the catalysts in the seemingly never-ending Lotus weight shaving exercise […]","datePublished":"2017-03-24","dateModified":"2017-03-28","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/#Person","name":"Isabelle Lawrence","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/author\/isabelle-lawrence\/","identifier":30,"description":"Max Wheeler is a leading motoring journalist and classic car specialist at Smart Motoring, renowned for his sharp insight and infectious passion for all things automotive. With years of experience covering motoring news, supercars, and the enduring legacy of classic cars, Max brings stories to life with style and authority. Whether it\u2019s the roar of a Lamborghini, the elegance of an Aston Martin DB5, or the cultural impact of vintage motoring icons, he delivers expert commentary that inspires enthusiasts and collectors alike. Dedicated to celebrating the heritage and future of driving, Max Wheeler is your trusted voice for classic car news and beyond.","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8d331506e3c530b5ec4930c30a01ed8cc29b0537227573ae5da98f559e681401?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Smart Motoring","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/smart-motoring_news_logo_g-e1765846726493.webp","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Lotus-Elise-Sprint-feature.jpg","url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/03\/Lotus-Elise-Sprint-feature.jpg","height":520,"width":1200},"url":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/sports-performance-and-prestige-cars\/new-featherweight-lotus-elise-sprint\/","about":["Sports, Performance & Prestige Cars"],"wordCount":362,"keywords":["lotus","Lotus Elise","Lotus Elise 250 Cup","Lotus Elise Sprint","Sportcar"],"articleBody":"The new version of the Elise, Lotus\u2019s hugely successful perennial 2-seater, is one of the lightest the company has yet produced. It\u2019s always been a fairly light and compact sportscar, but the new model will weigh in at 41kg less than the current Elise Sport, at just 798kg minus any liquids.Lightweight carbon fibre seats and engine cover, plus a lighter Lithium-Ion battery, polycarbonate rear window and lighter alloys are the catalysts in the seemingly never-ending Lotus weight shaving exercise this time round. You can\u2019t argue with Lotus sticking to their guns though, power to weight ratio is certainly something they understand well.PowerUnsurprisingly, the Sprint has pretty impressive figures, with the 1.8 supercharged version capable of 0-60mph in 4.1 seconds and offering 217bhp. If that\u2019s a fraction too exciting for you, the 134bhp 1.6-litre version is slightly tamer with a 0-60mph of 5.9 seconds. The 1.8 also gets a new exhaust, which Lotus claim makes it the \u2018best sounding 4-cylinder car\u2019 around.Apart from new bumpers, the Sprint will feature black matt trim, new wheels plus optional striping and Alcantara trim. The interesting thing with the Sprint is that the new Elise features are more or less split 50\/50 between the interior and the exterior.Don\u2019t worry if you\u2019re aiming for one of the standard Elise models though, as the Sprint Elise is essentially a vehicle to promote many of these upgrades throughout the Elise range. The upgrades will include new rear lights, open gated manual gearbox, new bumpers all round and a new Exige-like centre console \u2013 Bluetooth is optional. Lotus say that aerodynamics will also be improved and a new version of the range-topping Elise 250 Cup is due in May with a price tag of \u00a347,400 and shaving 23kg from the current version\u2019s weight.There have been lighter Elise models of course; the 340R prototype was a mere 500kg, while the (very) limited edition 340 production models that were produced weighed in at just 701kg in 2000. The impressively low weight and powerful Sprint is very much now though, and will cost from \u00a337,300 all the way up to \u00a344,300 for the 1.8-litre version. It goes on sale next month."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Latest News","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/\/cars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Sports Performance And Prestige Cars","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/\/cars\/\/sports-performance-and-prestige-cars\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"The New Featherweight Lotus Elise Sprint","item":"https:\/\/smart-motoring.com\/latest-news\/cars\/sports-performance-and-prestige-cars\/new-featherweight-lotus-elise-sprint\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]