New, lighter Lotus Elise Cup 250 revealed
Hottest Cup 250 version of the Lotus Elise gets new weight saving tweaks and aerodynamics for 2017
Lotus has revealed a new Elise Cup 250 for 2017, lighter than before and with fresh aerodynamic tweaks. It’s the flagship version of Lotus’ smallest sports car, and sits right at the top of the recently revised range.
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The Elise was already a very light car, but the new Cup 250 is even lighter. Lotus has slashed the dry weight by 14kg to 884kg thanks to an intensive diet of lightweight materials such as carbon-fibre, titanium and aluminium. It benefits from the weight savings accumulated across with Elise range with the latest model, including a new Lithium-Ion battery, new carbon fibre racing seats, lightweight alloy wheels and a new polycarbonate rear screen.
884kg isn’t as light as things get though – fitted with optional weight saving parts, the Cup 250 drops to a flyweight 860kg. Weight savings are made inside and out with optional carbon-fibre body parts and interior components. A lightweight titanium exhaust system is a £4,000 option, while lighter, two-piece performance brake discs are available too.
Alongside the slight design revisions of the 2017 Elise – such as the new front apron with larger vents and new rear fascia with just two taillights – the Cup 250 gets revised aerodynamics. There’s a new rear wing, a revised front splitter, plus new bargeboards and a rear diffuser. According to Lotus, these new aero elements can produce up to 125kg of downforce at 140mph.
The weight saving tricks and new aero parts are mated to minor changes under the skin. The Cup 250 gets revised Bilstein dampers too.
Under the bonnet, things remain the same as before. The Elise Cup 250 uses a 1.8-litre supercharged four-cylinder engine producing 243bhp and 250Nm of torque. Drive is sent to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual gearbox, and 0-62mph is dispatched in a claimed 4.3 seconds while top speed is clocked at 154mph. The new Lotus Elise Cup 250 is on sale now, priced from £47,400.
What do you make of the new Lotus Elise Cup 250? Let us know in the comments!
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