2008 Lotus Elise

The little mid-engine runabout was introduced to the US market for the 2005 model year, after becoming the best-selling Lotus ever in Europe, where it was sold since 1996.

Changes for the 2007 model year involve new headlights and hence a redesigned front end to house them for US law compliance. On the cozy inside, the Alpine head units are replaced with higher-end ones, with the base Elise receiving a 180-watt Alpine AM/FM/CD with four speakers, while the Touring and Premier Pack-equipped Elises get a HD- and satellite-radio ready Alpine CDA-9856 with iPod adapter and four speakers.

Powering the little car is a 1.8 liter inline-four borrowed from the Toyota parts bin, fettled to produce 190 horsepower at 7,800 rpm along with 134 lb-ft at 6,800 rpm. It features Toyota's variable valve timing and lift system. The only transmission is a six-speed close-ratio manual, sending power to the nearby rear wheels.

The car's chassis weighs only approximately 150 lbs, and the whole car just under 2,000 lbs, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that the sports car gets 24 mpg in the EPA's city cycle and 29 mpg on the highway.

Standard fare is better explained from a performance standpoint, as that's what the Elise is all about. Buyers get staggered wheels, with 16-inch front wheels and 17-inch rears, wrapped in soft Yokohama Advan Neova AD07 LTS tires, and Lotus / AP Racing and Brembo caliper squeezing four vented discs with anti-lock control.

There is also a pair of airbags, and even air-conditioning, though buyers have the costly option of deleting it to save about 20 lbs.

Options include a Touring Pack, with niceties such as an insulated soft top, full leather seat and door trim, more sound insulation and carpets and a cargo net.

Opting for this then allows buyers to order one of the following: a Premium pack, which in turn is good for the better stereo, a leather shift knob and handbrake grip, storage tray and divider and a cup holder. The other is a Special Interior combination that is made up of seat and door panel inserts and a leather covered center console in a choice of four colors.

A Sport Pack includes lighter wheels wrapped in even stickier rubber, more aggressive suspension tuning, two oil coolers, and deletes about 20 lbs from the overall weight. The forged wheels are available on their own.

Once that's purchased, a Track Pack becomes available and comprises of adjustable Bilstein shocks with remote reservoirs up front, five-position adjustable front anti-sway bar, a rear control arm brace and fittings in the seat belt support structure to allow for a bolt-in harness bar.

A traction control system with an off switch is another option which needs to be picked before a torque-sensing limited slip differential can be ordered.

Then there is a hardtop, metallic paint which adds 10 color options to the base car's two, lifestyle paint which buys one a choice of eight distinct colors and a Starshield clear protection film to protect the body from chips.