Lotus Elise S

What is it?

In its 16th year of production and still going strong, the Lotus Elise now richly deserves recognition as one of Britain’s all-time sporting greats. But its reputation hasn’t been delivered on exquisite handling alone; giant-killing performance has, for most of the car’s life, also been a big part of the mystique. And since the 2011 model year revision and the demise of Elise R and SC, it’s been a missing part.

But not now that Hethel’s released its new ‘S’ version of its junior two-seater. Using a Toyota 1.8-litre ‘2ZR-FE’ engine force-fed by a Magnuson supercharger, the new Elise S develops 217bhp at 6800rpm – the same maximum power figure as the fizzy old ‘SC’. But it also produces much more torque than the last fast Elise: 184lb ft at 4600rpm, up from 156lb ft at 5000rpm. And this from a car that still weighs plenty less than a tonne, even with fluids on board.

What’s it like?

The transformation of the basic ‘Series III’ Elise’s performance is pronounced. While the 1.6-litre car takes almost 19 seconds to get 100mph from a standing start, the Elise S does it in little more than 11 seconds. 62mph comes up in 4.6; and while that’s almost a second sooner than it does in Porsche’s more powerful, more expensive new Boxster, it’s also quicker than the ‘991’ 911 Carrera we road-tester earlier this year. Welcome back, David: you have been missed.

This latest Elise seems to want for nothing in terms of accelerative pace. We discovered as much in a first test of the car conducted at Lotus’ own circuit at Hethel. No road driving was possible, so observations about the car’s road ride will have to wait. But we can report that extra power and grip hasn’t blunted the Elise’s dynamic responses in the slightest.

That engine catches in undramatic fashion when you thumb the starter button. There’s a little supercharger whine when you flick the dainty right-hand pedal, but none of the evil crackle-and-pop audio fireworks that the old ‘SC’ supplied. So it’s perhaps a less characterful engine we’re dealing with this time around, and reaches a generous but much less frantic peak power output than the old car did, as it screamed away at 8000rpm.

Pin the accelerator from lower crank speeds, however, and you’ll soon appreciate the extra torque. The new engine not only hits its loftier torque peak 400rpm earlier than the old one, it also produces much more twist throughout the entirety of the usable rev range. Flat out at 3000rpm, for example – where the 1.6-litre Elise is producing 111lb ft and the old 1.8-litre SC 125lb ft – the new Elise S surfs forward on a swell of 166lb ft.

Which means that, in any of its first four gears, the car will tear out of corners and down straights with a ferocity that’s really only been known to Lotus’ Exige and 2-Eleven owners until now. Fully extend the car and you’ll be beyond 100mph, with the wind whistling just above and around your head, before there’s any noticeable let-up in your rate of acceleration. On the road or on a trackday, hot hatches and most sports coupes would be easy meat.

And still, even endowed with that speed, it’s not the impression of the Elise S’ outright performance that stays with you. Sixteen years after Artioli’s grand-daughter donated her name, it’s the same perfect poise with which this car glides around a corner that sets it apart.