Most popular Lotus Elise for sale

For those who don't know, the lotus Elise is like no other car.

This is a pure 'Sport' vehicle; you will not get cruise control, tilted wheel, powered or heated mirrors, powered or heated seats, or a large steering wheel with stereo control buttons.
There is no center arm-rest, or even a cup holder. As a trade off, you will get a car that hugs the road with the best handling and response system of any vehicle of its class - whatever that class maybe!

The Elise's craftsmanship marginalizes all the above luxury features by placing everything where it should be, giving the pilot freedom to just drive... and enjoy.

A 'state of the art' aluminum and fiber glass car is what you will get, no matter what package is included. You will always get AC, and a CD/IPOD stereo. You will also always get powered - and alarmed - doors and windows. The best option that all Elise drivers get is the option of having interchangeable tops; soft and hard. Oh, and not to forget, the Elise will always have a clear bra.

Make no mistake about it; this is no Acura Integra on steroids. This is a $50,000 car that is born ‘Sporty’ from the factory. The sporty options are matched by no other vehicle today, making the price seem reasonable.

All-white aluminum chassis and fiberglass body

A mid-engine 4 cylinder that climbs up to 7800 RPM and 190 horses

Racing body style, racing steering wheel, racing ignition button, racing seats, racing shift knob, racing wheels, and racing suspension

No spare tire –or a jack - included!


Note (1) Interesting ‘minimizing’ details

Unlike in all other cars, the driver side door has only one button; to lower the window or raise it. It doesn’t have another button for the other window because the driver can actually reach the button on other door easily!

Also, the interior light unit has no independent switch, one moves the light unit itself to turn it to On, Auto, or Off.

Functions like light switches, anti skid switch, and central locking are all little push-buttons.


Note (2) Awkward!

The head-light units are complicated and heavy!

The footrest on the passenger side floor is unnecessary; it makes a difference between ‘plenty of legroom’ and ‘barely any’

There is no cargo opening button; one must use the key to open the trunk

I love my 2006 Elise
Ameer Farah

Everyone stepping into a Lotus knows that comfort is not the first priority - performance is. People stop all the time asking about the car; most people think it is a hundred thousand dollar car. No one knows what you got it for. It really turns heads wherever you go. Take this baby on a track to really see what it can do. My favorite part about the Lotus is the 6-speed transmission. You won't find another 6-speed that shifts as short, quick, and seamlessly as this one. Do yourself a favor - buy a Lotus Elise.

This is one of the best cars you can buy if you are an enthusiast who loves to drive. It is not the fastest sports car out there in a straight line, but it is one of the fastest in a corner. But what is also important about the handling is how it is accomplished and how it feels compared to other high performance cars that are able to go around corners at the same rate as this car. The Elise weighs about 2,000 lbs, which is on average over 1,000 lbs less than the other sports cars available.

What is also nice about this car is its reliability and excellent gas mileage. It is a very simple car, and it does not suffer from the same electrical problems that have plagued Lotus cars in the past. It also uses the very reliable engine and transmission from the Toyota Celica GTS sports car. The Celica GTS is not a bad performer with this motor and transmission combo, but it weighs around 3,000 lbs. So you should be able to imagine how this 190 hp motor (Lotus gets 10 more hp out of it) feels in such a light car; it is a rocket!

Now there are concerns from many people about being able to fit in this car and how comfortable or practical it is. Well, I am 6’ 3” tall and weigh about 240 lbs and do not have the slightest problem fitting in this car. It is a bit difficult to get into this car when the roof is on, but just like anything else in life, you will learn to do it and get VERY good at it. And with the top off, it is a breeze to jump in and take off! If you are disabled, then I can understand that this is not the best choice for a sports car, but for the rest of you; if you are complaining about getting in and out of this car then you are just being lazy and you should consider yourself lucky that you are able to complete the task, even though it is difficult.

This is now my 3rd Lotus (I had a 2005 Elise and 2007 Exige S), and I still love it. I also have a 2008 Porsche 997 GT3, which is considered to be one of the best cars in the world regardless of cost. Even with the GT3, which weighs about 3,200 lbs, I find myself yearning for a true sports car that has a mid-engine, 2 seats, a removable roof, rear-wheel drive, a manual transmission, and most important of all: a weight of only 2,000 lbs! My GT3 cannot duplicate the feel that my 2,000 lb Lotus gives me; it is impossible because my GT3 weighs 3,200 lbs.

So if you are a true enthusiast, and you love to drive every day, then this is the car for you. I purchased this excellent condition 2005 Elise with less than 4,000 miles on the clock for $31,000! And if I need utility, I can go out and buy a used pick-up truck for $3,000 for those times that I need some more practicality.

Also, the seats are thin and do not have a lot of padding; however, they are the most comfortable long distance seats I have ever sat in for road trips. I do not get lower back pain in these sets; where as in all other cars I have back problems. For two small people, or you are husband and wife and like to snuggle, then you won’t have any problems on long trips. But the trunk will only hold a couple of duffle bags; but easily enough to hold luggage for a long weekend trip. And one more area is the AC. It does work, but it is not the best. I would have it checked out and recharged before you do any long distance driving.

Other than that; this is a real sports car, and there really is not anything else out there that comes close to such a lightweight, street legal, driving experience.