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By
JOHN CRAWFORD
28 April 2008
Let’s get this straight, up front. The Lotus Elise SC is no
heavyweight sports car. What it can do is compete with the
heavyweights on its own terms to deliver exhilarating performance,
nimble handling and lots of chassis integrity.
In fact after just a couple of minutes in the cockpit it is an
initial impression of engineering and manufacturing integrity
which conditions you to the personality and performance of the
Elise SC. You think, "This car was made by people who know
their stuff."
On the road, the newly-supercharged 2.0-litre engine delivers
power and torque which is perfectly matched to the gear ratios to
produce a great driving experience. However, this exhilaration
comes at a price.
The least expensive Lotus Elise S comes in at $69,990; and the
Elise SC is priced at $104,990 – which is a big premium
($35,000) for a supercharger and more performance. Granted, the
Elise SC is some $30,000 cheaper than its next nearest competitor
(in terms of performance); but the Elise SC package has to be
viewed in the context of "do you get what you pay for?"
On the road, the Elise SC answers this question emphatically.
The 162kW powerplant is basically common to all current Lotus
models, and is based on the Toyota 2ZZ VVTL-i twin-cam, 16-valve
engine. In this installation it is fitted with a Lotus-designed,
non-intercooled Magnusson M45 Roots-type supercharger.
Matched to a six-speed gearbox, the Elise SC does 0-100km/h in
just 4.6 seconds, but that’s only half the story. On the road
the combination of a beautifully precise, progressive throttle
action and the flatter torque curve produced by supercharging
gives very flexible performance. Power flows in a
beautifully-linear stream.
However, the Elise SC has a dual personality, revealed when you
put it on a racetrack. In this environment you value the premium
for its performance benefits, and in a few laps the real appeal of
the supercharged Lotus is obvious. This car is a lot of fun on the
circuit and the integrity of ‘Design by Lotus’ is stamped all
over its response and its handling.
When assessing the Lotus Elise SC in the marketplace there are
virtually no competitors. The closest (in purely performance
terms) are the Porsche Boxster S, Porsche Cayman S and BMW Z4M.
Where these cars do score over the Lotus is in interior comfort
and equipment levels. Even Lotus admits you can buy more practical
and luxurious sports cars, with the caveat that they don’t go
and handle like a Lotus.
Right on that one! Although the interior of the Lotus may
appear spartan, it’s entirely in keeping with the car’s
sporting credentials. With the Elise SC you’re paying for
performance. And it delivers.
The cars at launch were fitted with several additional
packages, which in themselves were pretty pricey. The touring pack
is $8000 and includes full leather interior trim, carpet set and
auxiliary driving lights. The Sports pack is $7000 and includes
Bilstein dampers and Eibach springs, switchable traction control,
twin oil coolers, ultra light road wheels and Probax sports seats.
But, as in life, if you pay peanuts, you get monkeys. This
Lotus Elise SC is an impressive car and its Lotus heritage is
evident in every aspect of the car, from its performance and
handling, through to design and aesthetics, plus the quality of
the finish.
The Lotus Elise SC embodies all the elements of Lotus founder
Colin Chapman’s criteria for success – performance through
light weight; innovation; great ride and handling and fun to
drive. In addition there’s that great badge, which includes a
big dose of motorsport heritage – that alone is worth having in
your garage.
© Copyright
Marque Publishing Company
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