Ask any of your car geek friends to describe the Lotus Elise, and they'll tell you it's a sports car for purists, a racecar for the streets, the closest thing to a Formula car they've ever dreamt about driving. And as cliché and annoying as they'll sound, they'll be right on all counts. A two-seat roadster, the 2007 Lotus Elise is like no other two-seat roadster in the $40,000-$50,000 price range. For one thing, it's smaller, and with a sub-2,000-pound curb weight, it's anywhere from 1,000-2,000 pounds lighter than any conceivable competitor. Should you decide to buy an Elise, you won't waste time deciding which color leather upholstery best matches the paint or whether or not to get a navigation system. Instead, it will come down to how much you value air-conditioning (deleting it saves 22 pounds) and how firm you can stand the suspension calibrations. In short, this isn't a car for those seeking luxury amenities or commuting comfort. It's a highly focused performance car for people who just want to drive.
The Elise has been on sale in Europe since 1996, but European demand for the vehicle, along with stringent U.S. crash standards, kept it from coming here until the 2005 model year. Fitting all the federally mandated safety equipment added weight, of course, as did the installation of antilock brakes and a CD player -- basic amenities that Lotus knew even the most dedicated sports car fans in this country would be loath to do without. But don't look for stability control or power steering on this car. Lotus was willing to bend its "weight is the enemy" philosophy to suit American tastes, but the company refused to break it.
With minimal weight to push around, there's not a huge need for power. So even though the Elise has just a 1.8-liter, 190-horsepower four-cylinder engine, Lotus says it will sprint from zero to 60 mph in under 5 seconds. The real story about the Elise, though, is handling. Body roll is negligible, grip is exceptional and every subtle turn of the steering wheel has an immediate effect on the roadster's heading and attitude. This is a car that demands your undivided attention every second you're behind the wheel, but the reward is that it involves you in the process so directly you'd swear your fingers were touching asphalt.
There's no doubt the 2007 Lotus Elise is a special car. For the money, you're not going to find a more thrilling open-top driving experience in a new production car. Just be aware that this is a no-frills, racetrack-oriented machine. Even the Honda S2000, a car we've previously noted as being quite minimalist, seems rather posh in comparison. Those wanting a roadster that provides more day-to-day functionality than the Elise while still providing plenty of driving excitement will want to check out Porsche's Boxster or the aforementioned S2000.
