Filed under: MPG, Lotus, Lightweight
Efficiency. Getting more from less. Since 1948, that’s what Lotus has been about. Of course, for decades, the sports car maker’s primary goal was to squeeze more performance from less car and lighter engines, but these moves generally had the side benefits of reducing fuel consumption. The refreshed 2011 Lotus Elise is no different.
The sub-2,000 pound Elise has always managed to provide startling acceleration and handling with relatively low power engines. For the new year, Lotus has given the Elise a cleaner and somewhat less aggressive looking nose with more of a resemblance to the larger Evora. The new front shape also cuts the car’s drag by four percent.
In the engine compartment out back, the base Elise now gets a new smaller 1.6-liter inline-four to replace the current 1.8. The Toyota-sourced engine has dual variable valve timing and maintains the same 134 horsepower output as before while cutting CO2 emissions by 13 percent to 155 g/km and improving mileage to a combined 38.3 miles per gallon (U.S.) on the EU test cycle. The base Elise weighs just 1,931 pounds, allowing it accelerate to 60 miles per hour in six seconds with that modest powerplant. The updated Elise debuts next month at the Geneva Motor Show. Unfortunately, low volumes and high certification costs mean that the U.S. and Canada won’t get the new 1.6 Elise. However, even the 1.8-liter modes are still relatively efficient with the most powerful 218 hp Elise SC being rated at 20/26 mpg by the EPA.
Gallery: 2011 Lotus Elise
[Source: Lotus]
Continue reading 2011 Lotus Elise is lowest CO2 high performance sports car
2011 Lotus Elise is lowest CO2 high performance sports car originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Wed, 17 Feb 2010 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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