Lotus Elise S Cup (2015) – the track Elise switches to road

The Lotus Elise S Cup: new track-inspired Elise, but be warned: it costs £43,500

By Tim Pollard

First Official Pictures

05 September 2014 14:02

Lotus has announced a new roadgoing Elise S Cup – one of the hardest, purest Elise models yet.

There is a snag in taking the Lotus Elise S Cup R from race track to road, however: the price. The S Cup road version will cost around £43,500, making it one of the most expensive Elises to date.

This model uses the 1.8-litre twin-cam VVT-i Toyota engine breathed on through an Eaton supercharger to develop 217bhp at 6800rpm and 184lb ft at 4600rpm.

Driving through a six-speed manual (what else on a Lotus Elise?), it’s enough for 140mph flat-out and 0-60mph in 4.2 seconds.

As befits what Lotus calls ‘the most track-focused of the Elise range,’ the S Cup comes with a string of motorsport-derived aerodynamic add-ons. Like competition-spec front splitter and winglets, barge boards, rear diffuser and large wing, depicted with Union flag Britishness attached in this solitary first official picture.

You bet. Lotus claims the fixed wing creates 125kg of downforce at 100mph. A bit like having a seriously heavy passenger onboard, then. Combined with Yokohama Advan Neova sports tyres, this Elise should be highly sticky.

Result? Around the Hethel test track in Norfolk, the Elise S Cup is three seconds faster than a regular Elise S.

A rollover hoop is fitted as standard and the wiring harness is primed to accept track-day niceties such as fire extinguishers and the like.

Earlier this week, Lotus Cars appointed Miguel Fragoso as engineering director. He was previously CEO of Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire and has worked for GM in the UK, Europe and Japan.

By Tim Pollard