Something tells us it won't be squirreled away in a garage…
After more than a quarter century and 35,124 units, production of the Lotus Elise is coming to an end. However, in a fitting twist, the last example is going to a good home, with the nameplate's namesake, Elisa Artioli, taking the keys.
Elisa Artioli is the granddaughter of Romano Artioli, the latter of whom served as chairman at Lotus way back when the Elise was first launched. Romano named the new sports car after his granddaughter, who was only a baby at the time.
Fast forward to today, and Elisa Artioli has purchased the last example built, a Sport 240 Final Edition model finished in Championship Gold.
"I might be biased but the Elise is my dream car," Elisa writes on social media. "I once promised myself I was going to buy one as soon as I could afford it. When I have heard that it was going out of production I have asked to have the last one to close the circle."
Elisa nicknamed her new ride "Sunshine." Interestingly, the new Sport 240 Final Edition is her second Lotus Elise, as her garage already houses a 1997 Series 1 finished in silver, nicknamed "Eli."
Indeed, Elisa has a very genuine passion for driving, with her social media feeds filled with karting and track days. Elisa also works for Delightful Driving, a group that organizes performance driving events and road tours throughout Europe.
Something tells us the final Lotus Elise produced will live a full life on the road. Specs include a supercharged 1.8-liter four-cylinder, which is upgraded from the Sport 220 model to produce 240 horsepower at 7,200 rpm and 180 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm, sending the little sports car to 60 mph in 4.1 seconds. A six-speed manual provides the cog swaps.
As expected, the Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition is quite lightweight, tipping the scales at a mere 2,033 pounds. Further weight savings were offered with optional extras like carbon fiber sill covers, a carbon engine cover, a polycarbonate rear window, and a lithium-ion battery, all of which, taken together, drop the weight down to 1,980 pounds.
The corners roll with lightweight 10-spoke alloys, staggered at 16 inches in front and 17 inches in back, wrapped in Yokohama Advan Sport tires. Finally, the interior features a new steering wheel design, new seat trim, a digital TFT instrument cluster, and the requisite plaques.
Stick around for more lightweight sports car good stuff right here on Tuner Fan.
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