Elise And Exige 2006 Model Year

Mark H · December 6, 2005

Elise and Exige 2006 Model Year

Significant improvements made across the whole range

The new 2006 model year of the Lotus Elise and Lotus Exige ranges introduces new standard

and optional equipment including lighter weight components, airbags, traction control and

limited slip differential, enhanced trim, adjustable suspension and a new ProBax driver and

passenger seat. A new range of colours has been added, ranging from standard solid shades

to metallic and fashionable lifestyle colours. The total number of colours available is now 21,

excluding the bespoke custom option.

“The Elise has been a huge success, and we are keen to open up more options to the

customer, to offer them the choice of making their Elise more track or touring focussed, as well

as even more individual to themselves” said Trevor Houghton-Berry, Lotus Cars Head of

Commercial Operations.

The improvements for 2006 Model Year

The Elise and Exige ranges have been improved with more options at both ends of the user

scales. Four equipment packs are now available, two containing touring options and two

containing sports options.

The Lotus customer can now order a car that satisfies either their demands for enhanced trim

and more luxury equipment with the Touring Packs or their track and race requirements with

the Sport Packs. Touring and Sport Packs can be combined too.

Light Emitting Diode (LED) rear lights with integrated reflectors are now standard. When

compared to conventional filament bulb lights, the LED brake lights illuminate 0.2 seconds

(two-tenths of a second) quicker, which is equivalent to one Elise length at approximately 70

km/h (approximately 43 mph). The LED rear lights are also 36% lighter (around 0.6 kg total)

than the conventional filament bulb lights.

Other changes include a new window seal fitted around the door that reduces the wind-noise

into the cabin substantially, and a non linear tachometer / rev-counter dial with the unit spacing

between 3000 rpm and 10,000 rpm being greater than the spacing between 0 rpm and 3000

rpm.

For security, central locking is standard across the range.

The new light weight pedal box

A new light weight pedal box with steel pedal arms and extruded aluminium pads is introduced

on the 2006 Model Year Elise and Exige. This new unit has an electronic (drive-by-wire)

throttle for quicker and smoother, more linear engine response, reduced brake pedal ratio and

improved pedal feel for the brake and throttle. All three pedals have less travel and are better

positioned for easier “heel and toe” brake and throttle control on downshifts.

Wheels and tyres

Lotus specific Yokohama Neova AD07 LTS tyres are now fitted to the Elise. These tyres have

been extensively tested and developed by Lotus and Yokohama engineers and provide high

levels of feed back to the driver. The Lotus Exige has the ultra high performance Yokohama

Advan A048 LTS tyres.

ProBax Seats - Standard across the range

Lotus is the first car manufacturer in the world to introduce the “ProBax™” seat. The 2006

Model Year Elise and Exige models both have seats designed by Lotus and specifically

adapted and developed by NuBax, helping to significantly improve the postural position of the

occupant’s spine whilst seated. This not only results in an improved level of comfort, but also

has significant medical benefits - maintaining a natural curvature of the spine, and markedly

improving the body’s blood flow. Increased blood flow has been shown to enhance response

times, raise alertness levels and reduce the onset of muscle fatigue. Tests on Lotus seats, with

the new ProBax™ technology, have shown an improvement in blood flow of up to thirty per

cent over the pre-2006 Model Year Lotus seat.

Steve Swift, Head of Vehicle Engineering at Lotus, commented, “We carried out extensive

tests with people of various shapes and sizes in Lotus seats with ProBax technology and the

results are extremely good. The seat padding and “cushion” have been specifically designed

by NuBax, enabling us to remove the pre-existing lumbar mechanism. This has helped reduce

weight, vital for Lotus of course, and increase the amount of useable space in the cockpit.”

The seats are clad in cloth for the base and the sports pack Exige and Elise, and in leather for

the Elise with the Touring Pack. The Touring Pack Exige is clad in a lightweight stain resistant

suede-effect material.

Touring Packs

The Touring Pack includes electric windows, full leather interior for the Elise in a choice of

colours (Black, Cream, Biscuit and Red) or Black suede effect interior with leather highlights

for the Exige, full carpet set, high specification DAB Radio and CD/MP3 player, and sound and

temperature insulation.

The Super Touring Pack includes the contents of the Touring Pack plus an upgraded interior

trim with driver and passenger airbags, high specification leather covered steering wheel, front

speakers located in the facia top panel, engine start button, trinket tray stowage unit, cup

holder, leather handbrake sleeve, leather handbrake gaiter and gear shift knob and

embroidered logo premium floor mats.

Sports Packs

For both the Elise and the Exige, the Sports Pack includes twin oil coolers and switchable

Lotus Traction Control (LTC) - see later for a full explanation of LTC.

In addition the Elise has sports suspension (uprated Bilstein dampers and stiffer Eibach

Springs) and ultra light weight split-type 7-spoke forged (6J on the front) alloys wheels for use

with the Yokohama Neova AD07 LTS tyres.

The Exige with the Sports Pack already has the sports suspension so in addition, is equipped

with sports seats and a T45 steel roll-over hoop and harness bar for the aftermarket fitment of

four point harnesses for track use only.

The Super Sports Pack includes the contents of the Sports Pack plus ultra lightweight forged

split-type 7-spoke (6.5J front) alloy wheels (saving a massive 1.2 kg of unsprung weight per

corner – compared to the already lightweight Elise and Exige cast wheels), track suspension

with Eibach springs and Bilstein one-way adjustable dampers – with a single adjuster for bump

and rebound – and adjustable ride height), adjustable front anti-roll bar, double shear track

control arm brace to help cope with the expected kerb abuse during hard track day driving.

In addition the Elise with the Super Sports Pack has ultra high performance Yokohama Advan

A048 LTS tyres and a motorsport specification T45 roll-over hoop which when fitted with a

Lotus Sport aftermarket 6-point roll-cage is FIA race approved.

Stand alone options

Lotus Traction Control and Limited Slip Differential

A switchable Lotus Traction Control System (LTC) is available for the first time on the Elise

and Exige for 2006. The LTC works through the engine management system to reduce power

when required to maintain traction. Unlike many traction control systems, LTC has been tuned

to complement the skills of the driver without taking over. The Lotus LTC is active above 5 mph

(8 km/h) and operates much more quickly than many brake based systems. The system can

be deactivated with an illuminated button which is located adjacent to the gear lever. A Torsentype

limited slip differential (LSD) is also available for tight and twisty driving (such as in auto

tests). The LSD is only available if LTC has been specified and is not available by itself.

Air-conditioning

Air-conditioning is available as a cost option (standard in some markets) and weighs in at a

featherweight 15 kg (~33 lbs).

Body Coloured Hard Top

A hard top is available for the Elise for seasonal use.

The New Range of Colours

A new range of colours has been added, ranging from standard solid shades to metallic and

fashionable lifestyle colours. New colours include a vivid aspen white, non metallic British

Racing Green, a hot Chilli Red, a high metallic Solar Yellow and a harmonious Autumn Gold.

The total number of colours now available is 21, excluding the bespoke custom colours.

Engine and Engineering Design

With a VVTL-i engine (Variable Valve Timing and Lift - Intelligent) producing a maximum power

output of 192 PS (189 hp or 141kW) and 181Nm (133.5 lbft or 18.5 kgm) of torque, the Elise

111R sprints to 100km/h in 5.2 seconds (60 mph in 4.9 seconds) and 160km/h (100 mph) in

13.0 seconds before reaching a certified top speed of 241km/h (150 mph).

The Lotus Exige has similar straight line performance to 100 km/h (60 mph), reaches 160 km/h

(100 mph) in 13.2 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 237 km/h (147 mph) – slightly

slower than the Elise due to the higher levels of aerodynamic downforce, giving phenomenal

cornering power, with around 42 kg of downforce at 160 km/h – the equivalent of the weight of

a new-born rhinoceros!

This performance is achieved without compromise to environmental considerations with the

fully Euro IV Emissions Compliant engine helping the Elise to return 8.8 litres/100km (32.1

mpg) on the combined cycle, as well as the very low figure of 208 g/km of CO2 emissions.

The 2006 Model Year cars are on sale from November 2005.