The Lotus Elise Sprint 220 Is A Sub-800kg Lightweight With An Incredible Gear Shifter

The latest product of Lotus' relentless tweaking campaign is the Elise Sprint 220, which uses carbonfibre to drop the dry weight to under 800kg
The Lotus Elise Sprint 220 Is A Sub-800kg Lightweight With An Incredible Gear Shifter

We’re still a few years off the all-new Elise arriving, so for the time being, Lotus is sticking to what it’s been doing for the last few years: relentless tweaking. Every model in its range has been nipped, tucked and fettled to produce a seemingly endless supply of ‘new’ models, and the latest in camp Elise is this: the Sprint.

It’s available with either a naturally-aspirated 1.6-litre engine or a supercharged 1.8, and it’s all about Lotus’ favourite thing: shedding weight. In all, 41kg has been lost, dropping the weight of the already lithe Elise to 798kg (dry).

The Lotus Elise Sprint 220 Is A Sub-800kg Lightweight With An Incredible Gear Shifter

To do that, Lotus has added a lithium-ion battery to save 9kg, carbonfibre seats for a 6kg reduction, 5kg lost thanks to new forged wheels, and finally a carbon access panel, roll hoop cover, engine cover and a polycarbonate rear windscreen adding up to 6kg.

Keen maths enthusiasts will point out that adds to 26kg and not 41kg, but every car in the Elise range is now 10kg lighter. This is thanks to a lighter front clamshell and various other bodywork improvements. Add in optional two piece brake discs and the same gorgeous exposed gear shifter first seen in the Exige (below) and you have your 41kg.

The Lotus Elise Sprint 220 Is A Sub-800kg Lightweight With An Incredible Gear Shifter

All this does come at quite a cost, though. The base 1.6-litre Sprint is £37,300 (0-60mph in 5.9sec), while the full-fat Sprint 220 with its 1.8-litre supercharged engine (0-60mph in 4.1sec) is £44,300. That’s £5000 more than the standard ‘Sport’ models in each case. So you’re probably still better off with the Sport, but if you’re obsessed with weight loss and like the look of that shifter, you’ll be pleased to know the Sprint is available to order now.

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Comments

Anonymous

I wonder how much all that Alcantara weighs.

03/17/2017 - 12:00 |
16 | 0
FLixy Madfox

I don’t know why but this lotus reminds me of a lady bug….

03/17/2017 - 12:05 |
110 | 6

The Lotus Elise 220.Has more power and less weight than aaaaaaaaa GT86

03/17/2017 - 12:38 |
34 | 4
KENMERI

Car Throttle loves to show me stuff I can’t afford….but damn!Dat exposed gear shifter tho…

03/17/2017 - 12:09 |
62 | 2

If you get aroused by that you should check, if you don’t have already, the one from the Huayra. Just another thing you, no, we can’t afford.

03/17/2017 - 13:25 |
8 | 0
Alex Hasbrouck

Instructions unclear, finger is stuck in shifter

03/17/2017 - 12:11 |
24 | 0
Benjamin F

Thank you car throttle staff for showing me another car that I want but can’t afford

03/17/2017 - 12:20 |
2 | 0
OctyVRS

they do all this and then some one gets in it that adds like 60 to 100 kg then of course if you get the other half they will have the hand bag that weighs like 9000 tons and is endless all their hard work is un done :P

03/17/2017 - 12:38 |
2 | 16

I hope it isn’t being sold to Americans. The weight of the car would double…

03/17/2017 - 13:47 |
2 | 2
Anonymous

Where has the wing gone tho? Why they replaced it with spoiler?

03/17/2017 - 12:46 |
4 | 0
Dat muscle guy (Sam Stone)(Camaro Squad)(Die augen leader)(E

That’d be good gluten free people

03/17/2017 - 13:19 |
2 | 0
DL🏁

Thay gear shifter is not the safest of ideas. At least for me, because I would be looking at it every time I shift gears, and not so much focusing on the road

03/17/2017 - 13:40 |
10 | 0
Anonymous

How much want? All of it…

03/17/2017 - 13:46 |
0 | 0