At a time when it is not that unusual to see family sedans topping 300 horsepower (the average horsepower for cars/light trucks in the US is about 210hp), it's contradictory to hear so much talk about fuel consumption and gas prices. Where do we think this added "umph" is coming from, anyway?
Adding insult to Greenpeace injury, the horsepower wars have been nearly matched by the much less glamorous weight race for some time now, with the average vehicle approaching Super Sized dimensions not seen since the disco era. The average car now tips the scales at a hefty 3,868 lbs., or 15,472 Quarter Pounders.
Next to this we have the electro race, with cars becoming so complex in their technical execution that even the engineers who build them don't know how to operate them. I just happened upon a newsletter that published one excerpt concerning the average price of a gallon of gas, which has cozied up to three dollars (remember when that was news?), right next to another stating that most auto manufacturers are finally making electric windows standard equipment on all vehicles.
While windows might not be the most complicated item out there, it is very apparent that we have long since passed the point of diminishing returns when it comes to gadgetry. Obsolescence these days is no longer defined by the waning utility of a specific feature or system, but rather the existence of a mechanic or technician who either knows how to fix them or where to procure their necessary parts.
There has always been an appreciation for hot rods and less complicated cars, those that the average Joe is convinced he can work on in the garage over the weekend. For every new SAT-NAV, massaging seat, and pneumatic air suspension, there is a new group of nostalgists dreaming of cars with little more than four wheels, two seats, consistent carburetion, and brakes.
Where an overtly luxurious vehicle might have once been considered a living room on wheels, even a modest family sedan now throws in a high-tech office as well. So to peruse the features of a Lotus Elise brochure provided more than passing curiosity and encouragement. I saw it right between aluminum trim and leather trimmed steering wheel: "Manual Window Winders," proudly listed in the specs section of the company website (electric windows can be had as part of the Touring Package).
Now, having to crank anything on a vehicle can mean only one of three things. Either this is truly a collectible from the early part of last century, requiring a manual start; it's the cheapest piece of junk still passable for motorized transportation on North American roads; or it's a vehicle that was built simply and purposely for the sake of driving.
The Lotus Elise/Exige has a bit of a bug-like appearance, not just due to its diminutive size but its overall rounded profile, requiring a bit more time to grow on some people. It looks almost as if the engineers started with an open wheel concept and then decided to cover things up a bit. Even with the full RTM Composite Fiberglass bodywork, the main tub of the cockpit seems to somehow almost hang in the middle of the four wheels like the body of long-legged spider. Like creature comforts, however, styling was designed to come in a distant third to drive and handling.
The philosophy behind this car is something I am sure many will appreciate. With simplicity spliced directly into the car's very DNA, the Weight Watchers-inspired marketing comes right out and states that "obesity is the enemy." Richard Simmons couldn’t have been any more succinct. The ads and videos also say that it's not about the horsepower, but really the power-to-weight ratio that deserves mention.
Also prominently displayed in the car's spec section is the Toyota-supplied, 1.8-liter, 4-Cylinder DOHC engine with 4 vales per pot, Variable Valve Timing and Lift-Intelligence. Now, in terms of pure dimension, 1.8 liters is definitely considered entry level or even junior varsity in our "no replacement for displacement" society. The modest horsepower rating of 190 will even make the guys at Kia blush.
Once you contort yourself into the 150 lbs. aluminum space frame (or look a couple lines further down the spec sheet at the performance section) do you start to fully… get it. At 1984 lbs. the Lotus Elise weighs 700 pounds less than British Brethren Mini Cooper and 500 pounds less than a Mazda Miata but packs roughly 20 more horsepower all while delivering a very respectable 29mpg highway.
The Lotus will sprint to 60 mph in 4.7 seconds, which is on par with all but the highest tier of sports cars and reaches a top speed of 150, or twice the average US legal limit (even the 500 hp BMW M5 is limited to 155 mph in the US). But even here, the numbers don't do this car justice.
The handling of the Lotus has been described by some automotive journalists as "telepathic" and being more representative of a Go-Kart than road car. To say this car carves turns is like saying ex-Goldman Sachs CEO turned Treasury Secretary Hank Paulsen, "does finance." This car attacks corners like Jared the Subway Guy attacks his daily turkey and cheese, while the combination of Bilstein Gas Dampers, Eibach Springs and Brembo brakes provide the most visceral feel this side of bungee-jumping.
The Lotus is so successful and narrow-minded in its task that many amenities are deemed superfluous and left out of the equation altogether. One Lotus veteran and engineering consultant went so far as to say "You don't just sit in a Lotus, you wear it." And people are taking notice. I have seen several profiles from enthusiasts in different automotive forums listing an Elise or Exige in their stables, right along a Carrera or Modena.
Lotus as a company has made a living of wringing out the 4-banger. It took many years, and they had to be dragged kicking and screaming before they finally offered the Esprit with the 8-cylinder. It is really no wonder that they have quickly returned to their roots to provide what might be even more accurately considered the ultimate driving experience. That it's being accomplished in a minimalist fashion and without the aid of a V10 is quite cool indeed.
If there is one fault with the Elise, it has got to be the price, which comes in around $45 to $50k. We have proven however, that as an automotive society, we are quite happy and very willing to pay more for more, even if it means getting less. With this mean little car, Lotus may have redefined the insect sports category. If the VW is a Beetle, the Mini a Lady Bug, and the tuned Civic a gnat, then the Elise/Exige is a mosquito packing both West Nile and Malaria.
God save the Queen.
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