The Lotus Elise is finally coming to the USA with a 1.8 Toyota engine at 190hp, 6 speed, and 150lb chassis integrated into the cockpit. Awesome, here's a link with more info from Carpoint.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article....e&pos=EditLead

Available in orange. So hot!!

 

Want to touch the hiney.

 

i like the power to weight ratio

0.20 bhp/kg
or 1 hp per 10.1 lbs
better than the current usdm sti
1 horse. per 10.9 lbs

 

friggin awsome

 

Wait a second here. You are comparing an AWD 4-door sedan that sells for $30k to a tiny, totally impractical RWD with a fiberglass body that retails for $40k?

Someone needs to explain the difference between apples and oranges, clearly.

 

Lotus's are sweet. This is going to be a sweet car. The only sad part is the death of the Espirt for the newcomming Elise.

Nick

 

Its not a hp mongerer but its got to be one of the lightest road cars. Lotus has a great philosophy that "weight is the enemy." WHen you reduce weight you increase tire life and dont have to polute so much to make good hp. Very efficient way of doing things.

 

I think the owner or CEO of Lotus was once asked,
"How do you make a car go faster"

He replied
"Add more lightness"

(quote taken from memory)

 

i see the weight of your argument. however, even though the cars are clearly different... they are both clearly made with one major goal in mind- performance. even though i drive an sti every single day... i would aslo love to drive an elise also. the same with apples and oranges...although different they have one taste in common- sweetness!

just a lighter side of discussion

 

The Sti and Elise are both dedicated sports cars, therefore I definitely think they can be compared to each other, regardless of price. Actually, the price is relatively close for automobiles.

I sat in the Elise a few months ago at British Motors of S.F., it's a very small and snug car with air bladders in the seats to add more cushioning (this may have been changed for the final US version). You have to swing your legs in like in an S2000, but the feel of the car is miles away from that Honda. No carpet, no roof, no problem cause it feels every bit like a race car and that is GOOOD! Plus the candy colors are just sweet.

 

I'm sorry, but I have to disagree -- if the STI was made with only performance in mind, it would NOT be AWD (extra differentials = drag on HP), it would not be a five-seater, it wouldn't have the weight shifted forward over the rear wheels to accomodate a trunk, it wouldn't have the upright stance and high cab-height that it does (which induces serious drag) and it wouldn't come from the factory with 3 catalytic convertors and an ECU fuel cut at 145. Unlike the Elise, Subaru made a LOT of concessions for daily drivability, practicality, safety and usefulness.

The fact that the STI has all that and can STILL scare an Elise driver in the 0-60 time makes it pretty clear which is the superior car for the money, in my thinking. Then again, I'm not the type who would blow 40k on a car that can barely hold my *** and a bag of groceries, no matter how fast it goes.

Besides, if 0-60 time is the only factor, there are a LOT of cars out there that can compete with the STI right from the factory -- the Elise will have to get in line behind the Acuras, Hondas, Mazdas, Lexus, Infinitis, BMWs, Mercedes, Fords... Having a 5-second 0-60 time isn't as special as it used to be.

 

Ask yourself this: if you build a car out of aluminum and air, and that car hits a wall at 60 MPH, where do you think the majority of impact force will be distributed?

To the lump of mass behind the steering wheel.