Lotus Elise 1996–2001 car dimensions: 3726 mm long, 1701 mm wide and 1148 mm high. Unladen weight is 755 kg. Boot space with the seats up is 210 litres.
The cabin is a bare two-seater with exposed aluminium structure, shell seats that are cloth as standard or leather as an option, a small Nardi wheel and Stack instruments with multifunction LCD. Basic slider heater and fan controls provide ventilation and heat, with air conditioning not offered in European markets. Wind-up windows, cloth soft top, leather storage pockets and passenger footrest are fitted. No electronic driver aids of any kind are present.
A small rear boot behind the mid-engine holds soft bags only, with a storage bag supplied as standard. Space is modest and quickly filled by the soft top when stowed.
Trailer towing is not permissible. Maximum payload is 219 kg. This is a pure lightweight sports roadster with no provision for work use or heavy loads.
The cabin is a pure driver-focused space with lots of bare anodised aluminium and basic carpet mats. Form-fitting sports bucket seats hold you firmly. the driver's seat adjusts and sits closer to the centreline while the passenger seat stays fixed rearward. A small contoured Nardi wheel and clear Stack instruments sit ahead with face-level vents for cooling. Soft top is standard and a hard top optional. Entry means stepping over tall sills.
Fuel: urban 9.6 l/100 km, extra-urban 5.7 l/100 km, combined 7.1 l/100 km. 95 RON minimum. tank 36.4-40 litres
Service: first at 1000 miles, then every 9000 miles or annually
Crash test: 30 mph barrier left only a dime-sized dent in the front aluminium structure. car could be driven away
Standard safety: integral roll-over hoop, extruded aluminium side intrusion beams, composite front energy-absorbing crash structure, inertia-reel lap and diagonal seat belts, coded immobiliser
The car runs on 95 RON minimum unleaded. Official figures give urban 9.6 l/100 km, extra-urban 5.7 l/100 km and combined 7.1 l/100 km. The fuel tank holds 36.4 to 40 litres and sits centrally in the rear torque cell.
Servicing starts with a first check at 1000 miles. After that the interval is 9000 miles or once a year, whichever comes first. The aluminium chassis carries an eight-year warranty against perforation.
Safety centres on the bonded aluminium spaceframe that meets required legislation. It includes an integral steel roll-over hoop, extruded side intrusion beams and a replaceable composite front crash structure that managed a 30 mph barrier test with only a small dent. Brakes are non-servo ventilated discs. Inertia-reel seat belts and a coded immobiliser are fitted as standard.
Length 3726 mm, Width 1701 mm, Height 1148 mm, Wheelbase 2300 mm (Elise 1996–2001)
Sources: manufacturer data, Lotus Service Notes Section TDM and Section TDL, The June 1996 Lotus Elise press specification.