As sexy as Lotus cars look on the outside, and as brilliant as they are to drive, their interior have always been a bit of a Potong Stim…
However, for once, Lotus has done the unimaginable – they just launched four new limited-edition versions of the Elise with a vibrant and distinctive colour palette both on the exterior and interior, in an effort to pay tribute to the company’s pioneering and highly successful racing history.
The the exterior colour combinations are black and gold; red, white and gold; blue, red and silver; and blue and white.
While the famous black and gold is inspired by the livery of the Lotus Type 72D which Emerson Fittipaldi raced to five victories over the course of the 1972 Formula 1 season, the red, white and gold echoes the Type 49B that Graham Hill raced in 1968.
The blue, red and silver on the other hand, is inspired by the Lotus Type 81 of 1980 driven by Nigel Mansell, Elio de Angelis and Mario Andretti, and the fourth new Elise, finished in blue and white, is in tribute to the Lotus Type 18 design from 1960.
Exactly 60 years ago, it was the first Lotus car to achieve a Formula 1 pole position and victory, courtesy of the late Sir Stirling Moss, at the Monaco Grand Prix. Officially called the Elise Classic Heritage Editions, all four offer an enhanced exterior and interior spec over the Elise Sport 220 on which they’re based.
Now, for the best part, each car, on top of the stunning colour combinations and finish, comes with an exclusive numbered ‘build plaque’ on the dashboard referencing the limited production run. Only 100 cars will be made, with the final numbers of each variant dictated by customer demand.
Each car also has as standard a number of features which were previously on the options list. These include DAB digital radio with four speakers, air-conditioning, cruise control, ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels with racing livery finish, two-piece disc brakes and black carpet with floor mats.
The Elise interior colour pack is also now integrated as standard. Elements include the upper door trim and central seat insert finished to match the exterior, with detailing on the door, gear selector surround and dashboard picking out key colours. The only one that’s different is the blue and white car, which has red alcantara seat centres.
Several optional extras are available for each car, including a fibreglass hardtop roof, lightweight lithium-ion battery, as well as titanium lightweight exhaust.
The Lotus Elise is an icon of lightweight performance car design and engineering. Built around its driver-focused interior, it delivers a pure, immersive and exhilarating on-the-road experience with outstanding ride and handling.
According to Lotus, the Lotus Elise Classic Heritage Edition models are on sale now across selected international markets. We don’t know if any came to Malaysia, so let us wait and see if one of these rare cars appear on our roads.
