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The New Elise in USA

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dptom

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I attended the Goodwood Festival of Speed last month and met with the Lotus folks. They advised that they had scrapped plans to bring the new Elise into the USA. I have a few questions.....

1. Does this sound correct? The information was from a person working the corporate booth.

2. Is it possible to obtain an Elise as a component car (kit car)? In essence, can I purchase one without the engine and fit something else under the bonet?

Are there any resources in the US that I should check?

thanks
 
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bhooper

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i don't have any answers for you but...

i did stalk one this afternoon.

at first i thought it was a mod'd yellow mr2 spyder coming at me, then it passed me and i had to follow it.

WoW! what a work of art. i followed it for about a mile, and decided to turn off. a very nice car. i wish they would import one. i would buy it!
 
Sherlock

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There was a company out in San Francisco that was federalizing for street use in the States such cars as the Lotus Elise, Renault Sport Spiders, and I think some other cars too.

I don't know if they are still doing it, heck I don't even remember the company name (although I was on their website once). I imagine you would have to have deep pockets to buy one though by the time this company gets it into your hands.

I'll keep dreaming...

Sherlock
 
B

bhooper

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actually, i think i stumbled across a link for a company in Washington that is selling them for $65g's apiece... that's alot of jack for a car that's supposed to be affordable.

mid $30's would be nice.
 
aeronca65t

aeronca65t

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We discussed U.S. Elises here a while ago (including some that have been "sneaked" in). Follow this thread:
https://www.britishcarforum.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=3&t=000021


Sun International does the U.S.-legal Elise engine conversions (with a Honda VTEC). Here's the page:
https://www.sunspeed.com/pr_els01.html

Here's an Elise I saw (here in NJ), about a year ago….
elisedelplt.jpg
 
78Z

78Z

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so if the Elise isn't coming to NA and the Esprit is retiring then Lotus is exiting the NA market?
 
aeronca65t

aeronca65t

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Last year at "TVR Woodwork" an Elise showed up with "historic vehicle" license plates (the '01 picture is above, on this thread) . Wouldn't you know it….this year a different Elise shows up with "Repair/Towing" license plates! Here it is. (I've thoughtfully erased the plates numbers……I approve of this type of skullduggery!)


elise02.jpg


elisefall02.jpg
 
Sherlock

Sherlock

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However, of interest is that this is the new re-designed Elise. So it is a fairly new model.

Sherlock
 
aeronca65t

aeronca65t

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Yeah...I forgot to mention that the car was said to be a brand new Elise. Looks a bit sleeker than the older car in the '01 picture (and a lot sleeker than the MGAs, the Minis, and my Spridget in the last photo......the car in the left/center backround is a Canadian V-6 TVR, another non-certified car).
 
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74LotusJPS

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It's possibly to get an Elise in the states now from Lotus USA. Though the catch is it's supposed to be used for track use only. There are a hand full of people around that have still managed to register them as "special interest vehicles". A friend of mine has an Elise 190R that he uses "mostly" for the track. I've gone out with him a few times on the track and I must say the handling is beyond belief.

check out his web site: www.dpcars.net
 
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