Special Edition Lotus Elise Cup 250
No, it won’t make it to the US, but that doesn’t mean we can’t appreciate its magnificence does it? Fresh on the market and successor to the Cup 220, the 2016 Lotus Elise Cup 250 is faster, lighter and perfectly poised to hold its own against any competition.
Due to quite a few substitutions and changes, two being lighter wheels and a soft top instead of a hard top, the Cup 250 managed to shave 46-lbs off the Cup 220 leaving it at 2053-lbs. You can make it even lighter by purchasing the aerodynamic kit in carbon fiber instead of glass composite, giving you an additional 22-lbs. Fantastic really, because in addition to the decrease in weight we got an extra 26-hp; bringing the Cup 250 up to 243-hp from the 220’s 217-hp. Which puts it quite a bit lower than the 718 Boxster and just ahead of the Audi TT Roadster at 300-hp and 230-hp respectively.
All this power is available from the same 1.8-litre supercharged Toyota motor mated to a 6-speed manual gearbox at 7200 rpm, while the torque remains unchanged at 184 pounds-feet accessible from 3500-5500 rpm. The Cup 250 is capable of a 0 to 60-mph sprint in 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 154-mph.
Along with the standard mid-mounted, transverse, rear wheel drive, the Cup 250 includes and isn’t limited to AP racing twin-piston front calipers and single-piston rear calipers, a track tuned ABS system and your choice of a black or red Alcantara trim with carbon sports seat. Some of the more salient options include a matt black hardtop, air conditioning and a carbon aero-pack, which includes a front splitter, side-floor extensions and a rear wing and rear diffuser.
The base price for the latest addition to the 20-year-old line-up is $66,000 and the current plans are to build only 200 per year.
