2008 Lotus Elise Range Enhanced With 217 Hp Supercharged Elise SC

Lotus is gearing up its Elise range for the 2008 Model year with the introduction of the most powerful production Elise to date, the 217 Hp / 220 PS Elise SC. Branded by a new rear spoiler and unique alloy wheel design, the Elise SC is equipped a supercharged version of the Elise’s 1.8-litre 2-ZZ VVTL-i Toyota derived engine. The Lotus-designed, Magnuson-produced supercharger uses an Eaton rotor pack (an M45 unit), and it’s married to the intake manifold plenum as part of a single-piece casting.

According to the Brits, the 903 kg (1987 lbs) Elise goes from standstill to 60 mph in 4.4 secs / 0-100 km/h in 4.6 secs, to 100 mph / 160 km/h in 10.7 secs and off to a top speed of 150 mph / 240 km/h. Not that it matters but the Elise SC features an estimated combined fuel consumption figure of 9.1 lt/ 100 km (31.0 mpg UK or 25.8 mpg US). -Continued after the jump

Along with the introduction of the Elise SC, Lotus also carried on a few minor enchantments to the whole Elise range. These include the standardization of driver and passenger airbags on all models, the newly designed instrument pack that features a high-definition LCD message panel displaying a scrolling text message with vehicle systems information and a completely new alarm/immobiliser system.

Furthermore,because airbags are now standard across the Elise range, the number of trim option packages has been cut from four down to two. Sales of the Elise SC and the 2008 Elise models will start in Europe towards the end of October.