Lotus Elise 220 Cup Arrives in Malaysia

KUALA LUMPUR: News from Lotus Cars Malaysia's (LCM) flagship showroom in PJ reveals that the company has unveiled its highly awaited road legal version of the track car, Elise Cup R, by the name of Elise 220 Cup. Hype around this model grew in the past few weeks after bookings were opened in April 2015.

The 220 Cup is priced at a starting price of RM316,127, extending up to RM345,127, which includes the optional Performance Induction Kit and ultra-lightweight forged wheels with semi-slick Yokohama A048 tyres. As a result, the newest member in the company's portfolio sits above the Elise S Club Racer, Sport and Touring.

Lotus claims that the 220 Cup is three seconds faster in comparison to the standard Elise S around the Hethel teat track, though it is powered by the same mid-mounted, supercharged 1.8 litre VVT-i 4 Cylinder engine that develops 217 BHP @ 6,800 rpm and 250 Nm of torque @ 4,600 rpm. All this power goes to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual gearbox which propels the 952 kg-Elise 220 Cup from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.6 seconds.

The Elise 220 Cup is characterized by its revolutionary aerodynamic capabilities that are aided by a new front splitter, lateral bargeboards, a large rear spoiler, and a massive rear diffuser, those work in unison to provide exceptional grip levels even during hard cornering. The suspension components include Bilstein dampers and Eibach coaxial coil springs, while the Braking department is handled by two-pot front calipers from AP Racing and Brembo rear calipers.

In addition to the 220 Cup, Lotus has also started selling the Exige S Automatic at RM432,919 for the coupe guise and RM435,919 for the Roadster. The 3.5 litre supercharged V6 engine mated to a 6-speed auto-box in the Exige S develops 345 hp @ 7,000 rpm and 400 Nm of torque and rises up to 100k/h in 3.9 seconds.