17 February 2010 - Lotus Elise under 155 g/km

Lotus have released details of the revised Elise which will be available to order from March. Alongside minor restyling and specification upgrades the new Elise will be available with the latest Toyota sourced 1.6 litre Valvematic engine which replaces the 1.8 litre engine in the entry level S trim.

The new engine produces 134 bhp at a heady 6,800 rpm (7,000 rpm rev limit) and 118 lb.ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. With a kerb weight of just 876 Kg this is enough to hit 62 mph in 6.7 seconds, which is 0.6 seconds longer than the outgoing model. However whilst the S has given a little away in straight line performance the pay off is a marked improvement in fuel consumption.

The previous model achieved an excellent 37.2 mpg on the combined cycle whereas the new 1.6 litre model is expected to manage 46 mpg. This equates to a drop in CO2 emissions from 179 g/km to less than 155 g/km. Final figures will be confirmed in March.

Minor restyling incorporates new headlamps with LED day light running lights (which will become compulsory on new models in 2011), LED indicators, a new front clamshell, rear bumper and a revised engine cover to allow the slightly taller Valvematic engine to fit. The new parts have improved the aerodynamics with a 4% reduction in Cd.

The Elise R and SC retain the 1.8 litre engine, supercharged in the case of the SC, and there are no changes the fuel consumption or performance of these models.