Lotus – fuel efficient performance cars
June 12, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
In a further effort to rev up sales of Lotus cars around the world (and Australia), the little British company has decided, when it Rome…do as the Romans do. So Lotus is promoting its Green and environmentally friendly credentials.
Next thing you know, Porsche will start talking about diesels and hybrids, wait, that has already happened! Although, Lotus has a point here, the rest of the world is trying to make light cars that have excellent power/weight ratio, but Lotus’ entire philosophy has always been performance through light weight!
Although the sports car market is generally not too worried about fuel economy, with fuel prices climbing on a daily basis, buying a Lotus is starting to make more sense.
To begin with, the chassis of a typical Lotus, say Elise or Exige, is made using extruded and bonded aluminium which comes to a total weight of only 68kg. This is then followed throughout the body with lightweight components and body panels.
The company says you don’t need to lose sleep over your performance car’s environmental impact if you chose a Lotus. In essence, you can have your (low-fat) cake and eat it.
The Lotus Elise uses a Toyota sourced 1.8-litre four-cylinder engine with only 100kW but it manages to compete (and generally beat) its similarly priced competitors. Did we mention it’s also better for the environment?
The Elise S boasts a friendly CO2 output figure of just 196g/km (must less than most normal cars, let alone performance cars), and goes from 0-100km/h in 6.1 seconds through its five-speed gearbox.
| MODEL | L/100km | 0-100km/h | CO2 output | Price |
| Mazda MX-5 | 8.5 | 7.8 | 208g/km | $42,870 |
| Lotus Elise S | 8.3 | 6.1 | 196g/km | $69,990 |
| Nissan 350Z Roadster | 11.7 | 5.7 | 280g/km | $73,990 |
| BMW Z4 2.5 | 8.4 | 6.5 | 216g/km | $78,200 |
| Mercedes-Benz SLK200K | 9.2 | 7.9 | 220g/km | $89,990 |
| Lotus Elise SC | 8.5 | 4.6 | 202g/km | $104,990 |
| Porsche Boxster 2.7 | 13.8 | 6.1 | 222g/km | $109,300 |
From the table above you can see just about the only other car that competes with those figures is the Nissan 350Z, but it’s slower, puts out more pollution and costs more too.
Admittedly you can fit your shopping into the Z. Nonetheless Lotus is quick to point out their cars also have some luxuries such as remote locking, power windows, air-conditioning, dual airbags, ABS and more.
If you want a little more performance, you can go for the new 2008 Lotus Elise SC, which gives that little 1.8-litre engine a supercharger. Power increases by a remarkable 63 per cent, yet fuel economy only goes up by 0.2l/100km! Oh did we say it can go from 0-100km/h in just 4.6 seconds?
| MODEL | L/100km | 0-100km/h | CO2 output | Price |
| Porsche Cayman S | 11.6 | 5.4 | 254g/km | $149,000 |
| Lotus Exige S PP | 9.1 | 4.1 | 216g/km | $149,990 |
| Aston Martin V8 Vantage | 14.0 | 4.9 | 358g/km | $269,000 |
| Lamborghini Gallardo | 17.0 | 4.2 | 400g/km | $414,993 |
| Ferrari F430 | 15.6 | 3.7 | 345g/km | $416,850 |
Going even further, there is always the Lotus Exige S PP, the fastest car in the Lotus Cars Australia range. The Exige has 179kW of power, which might not seem like a lot, but remember, it weighs all of 935kg, puts out only 216g/km and competes successfully in the supercar class thanks to its power/weight ratio.
The CarAdvice garage will soon be blessed with a Lotus Elise and Exige so expect a full video and review of our experience.
Print it: 
Lotus and Toyota…mmm Lotus have the Elise/Exige with a celica/corolla motor and claim they are green..Why arent they buying the Prius motor and stuffing it into an Elise. Now that’d be truly green…
I await the backlash.
Or you could buy a BMW 135i, be blessed with bucketloads of torque, smoothness, quietness, have decent build quality, go from 0-100 in around 5 seconds, handle very well, brake brilliantly, and be cossetted in luxury all at the same time.
Plus it’s only $71K, and the fuel consumption is reasonable too. 9.6L/100km, but the CO2 is only 229gm/km.
I know what I’d do.
Karl, I think that 135i experience has changed your life!
Yes Karl, but I can assure you with absolute clarity, that the 135i, as nice good as it is, doesn’t do corners like an Lotus
I love these little bangers :)
Would make an awesome club-day slasher ;)
Wish I could afford one though :(
Anthony, I can assure you the Lotus does not do “seating in comfort” anything like the 135i either!
Having been in both cars at various points (exige ss PP and 135i manual), there would have be some extremely swaying arguments to stop me from spending less then half on a car that is extremely competent as a perforance vehicle.
While Lotus may chase its age old target of performance through low weight, it comprimises real world use.
the toyota sourced 2zz-ge engine makes 141kw not 100kw
No two-seater can ever be touted as environmentally efficient because two is the maximum number of people it can transport. Even if most 4/5 seaters don’t use all of their seating capacity most of the time, at least it is there.
Dan, that is incorrect, the 1.8-litre in the Elise S makes 100kW:
http://www.lotuscars.com.au/elise_s_tech.html
as if anyone would buy a lotus to save the environment. just stick to the 135i or 350z. they should just remain budget price chassis tuners to major car companies.
I think the new Elfin 4cyl. will be able to throw its hat in the ring.
The question is that it may be a bit basic for everyday needs?
Will be light so its carbon footprint and performance will be more than satisfactory.
NOT another Type7 clone [we hope!]
Cheers
F-0
do you have any links or info on the elfin 4 banger?
MITCH -
Not yet, not much is known other than it will be “around $60k” which is still more than a MX5, but none the less it will be a more focused track vehicle then most.
Cheers
F-0