Lotus Launches the 2012 Elise Club Racer

Lotus is in a difficult position at the moment, as the British brand was put up for sale by Malaysian parent company Proton not long ago. Until the ownership situation is resolved, Danny Bahar and co. are trying to maintain a 'business-as-usual' state of affairs and they have just launched their 2012 Lotus Elise Club Racer.The racing-spec version of the Elise takes its motivation in the form of a naturally aspirated 1.6-liter 4-cylinder rated at 136hp and 122 lb-ft of torque.Thanks to the usual weight-savings measures normally taken for track version models, the 2012 Elise Club Racer can sprint from 0-60mph in 6 seconds and can reach a top speed of 127mph. Total weight is measured at 1,875lbs, whereas 53lbs has been cut from the already light Elise."The traditional Lotus approach of reduction and purity has lead to one of the most zeitgeist and contemporary sports cars around. For over 15 years the Lotus Elise has become an icon in the sports car market, carving out a niche market with a dedicated following of lightweight fans," said Wolf Zimmermann, Lotus Cars Chief Technical Officer."The new Club Racer will definitely give these people something extra to get their teeth stuck into. This car epitomises everything that's cool about the Elise - it's fast, raw, responsive and a huge amount of fun to drive."As a quick refresher, the 2012 Lotus Elise Club Racer features Eibach springs, Blistein dampers, adjustable anti-roll bar and a 'Sport' setting. The street-legal track-spec sports car is available in six different colors and carries a price-tag of £27,500 (€34,450).