To celebrate British automakers Lotus’ 70th anniversary, they have created a limited edition racing car that is said to be the most accomplished model in the brand’s history. Baroque Ground finds out all the details
Only 30 Lotus Elise Cup 260 vehicles were manufactured, using a combination of some of the latest car design philosophies from some of Lotus’ high-performance models. Inspiration for these one-of-a-kind vehicles are Lotus’s Exige Cup 380 and its legendary Evora GT430, as well as the competition-only Elise Race 250 which was created exclusively for use on the track.
To celebrate Lotus’ successes in motor sport, the new Elise Cup 260 Sports vehicles feature a laurel wreath decal on their left buttresses and the Union Jack is located on both the rear wing end plates. In addition, new owners of these limited edition Lotus cars will be given the option of finishing the vehicle in iconic Championship Gold to commemorate the brand’s 70th anniversary. This color is available across the whole Lotus range through the Lotus Exclusive programme, from November 2017 onwards.
The new Lotus Elise Cup 260 is not only the lightest Lotus ever built; it also includes nearly all of the lightweight Elise Cup options as standard, including sill covers, the roll hoop cover, front access panel and the engine cover, all of which are created in carbon.
According to CEO of Group Lotus, Jean-Marc Gales, “Our philosophy for producing extraordinary vehicles is world famous, but the new Elise Cup 260 goes beyond what many believed possible from our smallest car.
“It is directly developed from the Elise race cars that are competing in series around the world, giving the ultimate Elise experience on the road. More power, motorsport components and the introduction of aerodynamics unheard of in its class make driving this Elise an unrivalled experience.”
The car commemorates the forthcoming 70th anniversary of when the first car was built by founder Colin Chapman in 1948. Clive Chapman, son of founder Colin Chapman and Director of Classic Team Lotus, stated: “Each and every one of the sports cars produced by Group Lotus today carries the true spirit of Lotus, laid down by my father nearly 70 years ago. I am extremely proud that his legacy and achievements are being acknowledged and celebrated in this iconic version of the Elise.”
Summing up the new Lotus, CEO Jean-Marc Gales said, “With just 30 examples to be built, there’s no doubt that the Elise Cup 260 is a future classic.”