Lotus Elise 2007 review

Passenger car sales have soared, up more than 40% year-to-date in some categories in 2006, according to the latest monthly market bulletin.

It would be nice to think that the commercial success of cars designed for convenience and comfort at the expense of any driving pleasure, indeed any sensation, was a temporary aberration.

That we can't get enough of these gentle, soothing, soccer-style mobiles is an indication that we're self-obsessed, complacent, and essentially disinterested in driving.

We have had reason to clarify this grim fact of modern life more than once in the last week or so; as we neared oblivion at the hands of yet another barger automatically driving the city's shopping vehicle.

There may be some small excuse for the SUV owner (as opposed to the "driver") who didn't see our undersized and diminutive Lotus Elise S.

But the bullish look on the dials of most of those whom we were forced to rebuke suggested that they did not know about the Abrams tank.

Side mirrors are increasingly seen as being useful primarily for reversing parking.

If the biggest caveat to owning a Lotus in the automotive metropolis's Sleepy Hollow is the very real danger of becoming an SUV speed bump, then there's a huge satisfaction in forgoing the prevailing decadence.

Lotus, especially the entry-level ultralight Elise S, remains one of the cleanest and cleanest road cars in general use. If you smell even the slightest bit of gasoline, you owe it to yourself to drive a Lotus at least once.

Even if you are not so disposed, maybe, especially if you are not so disposed, then you should at least stick your head in one. Then you will see that it is possible not only to survive without the many extraneous and distracting amenities that most modern passenger cars are saddled with, but also to truly thrive in ways you probably never imagined.

It's not that Eliza does without subtleties. Unlike the hardcore Exige S, the rear view mirror is useful due to the fact that it has a rear window that you can see out of. There's also a stereo system, dual Probax seats, and even power windows. There is simply no danger of confusing the interior with a Mercedes-Benz SLK. Or even a Mazda MX-5. Unlike them, there is no button to fold the roof, it must be disassembled and removed manually. And, as with the most complete Lotus, you drop over the threshold into what is a cockpit, not a cockpit.

The atmosphere of spartan functionality is softened only by such interior materials for doors and dashboard that do not add weight. You need to be on good terms with your passenger, who, if he or she is tall, will need to watch their knee and elbow so that you can freely manipulate the gear lever.

From the looks of it, Eliza is a desperately cute little thing. Indeed, in shiny alloy cars wrapped in 16-inch Yokohama Advan Neon tires up front and 17-inch rear, it's as cute as any number of buttons.

If Eliza isn't fooling you, you probably hate puppies too. Turn the key, turn the immobilizer off and press the start button and you will notice that not only is there not much noise isolation to mask the engine noise, but the engine is mounted in the middle right behind your head. It looks like it will be a ride that will make your regular everyday vehicle look like a Jason Recliner Rocker.

Remarkably, the engine chosen for this relatively affordable exotic is actually borrowed from something as humble as the Toyota Celica. The 1.8-litre VVT unit develops just 100kW/172Nm, but that's enough to propel the Elise to 100km/h while standing in a Porsche Boxster S in 6.1 seconds. And the last one costs $140,000…

Here's what happens when foreign objects are discarded to achieve the lightest curb weight of any car on Australian roads.

Elisa weighs only 860 kg and suffers from anorexia. However, it's almost a bland daily offer.

The sparse nature of the beast in question was inspired by the combination of Eibach springs and Bilstein telescopic dampers.

The Elise rides at its worst, when the road can challenge it, if not with ease, then with disciplined composure without compromising such important Lotus values as precise body control and completely intuitive handling.

The rigidly mounted rack and pinion steering is, of course, unaided and thus has feedback.

2.8 turns lock-to-lock, it also responds instantly and is directional so that when you work it right, changing direction feels like osmosis. While peak power, as it is, comes at top revs at 6200 rpm, all of the torque comes at 4200 rpm, giving you all the mid-range you need and even allowing you to use fifth gear from time to time.

There is no sixth gear, but you will not feel the need for it.

However, pushing the Elise past 5000 rpm, as God intended, means reaping a whirlwind of hard acceleration and a screeching exhaust sound until the warning light flashes next to the red line.

This overkill translates into a stop pedal that has just the right amount of deceleration built into it before the ABS threshold is breached. The Elise experience is visceral in the sense that the cars we chose as imaginary "rivals" were taken out of thin air. Each of them rewards generously in their own way, but none of them imitates spontaneity and rudeness. Rarely has it been so cool to be so "non-Australian".