Elise Mk II showcases best of British design

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Aug 20, 2001

The Lotus Elise Mk II has been selected by the Design Council to feature in a major new international exhibition promoting the best of modern British design and innovation

The Lotus Elise Mk II has been selected by the Design Council to showcase British design excellence on a global scale.

Chosen for its innovative design, excellence in vehicle architecture and vibrant styling, the new Elise will feature in a major new international exhibition promoting the best of modern British design and innovation.

As Martin Brown, Communications Director of the Design Council stated: "Although production of the Lotus Elise only began at the end of last year, the vehicle is already regarded as a design icon and has won numerous awards for its technical innovation and handling prowess.

Its remarkable lightweight aluminium chassis systems provide superior ride handling, sharper steering, more powerful brakes, quicker throttle response and greater overall functionality.

Its glamorous styling is both modern and timeless.

The Lotus Elise is a great example of cutting-edge British design and innovation, and we are delighted to be able to showcase it around the world as part of our Great Expectations exhibition." Organised by the Design Council, the Great Expectations exhibition will feature more than 100 products and services either produced by British businesses or developed with strong British creative involvement.

It will be the centrepiece of the 'UKinNY' festival held in New York from 14 to 28 October 2001 and will then tour to other worldwide locations.

Lotus is rightfully proud of the design work that went into the new Elise, which was launched at the British International Motor Show in October 2000.

Taking the core Lotus values, the design team developed a stunning successor to the original Elise.

In creating a car that redefines the industry benchmark and raises the stakes for the competition, Lotus has achieved what many thought impossible - it has improved upon an icon.

The new Elise made history as the first Lotus to be fully designed on computer - and, as ever, the principles of form following function were rigorously applied.

One of the core philosophies for Lotus is the achievement of 'performance through lightweight' - and the company's considerable skill and experience in lightweight technology is evident in many of the vehicles and systems that carry the Lotus badge.

From composite crash structures through to aluminium bonding, Lotus is the lightweight heavyweight.

Yet it is arguably the embodiment of the brand values 'elegant simplicity' and 'technical innovation' that define the new Elise as a true Lotus.

You only have to look at the overall design of the car or any of the individual subcomponent designs such as the brake pedal to experience the sublime minimalism that the car embodies.

That minimalist approach is, of course, also highly sophisticated - and such innovation is almost a byword for Lotus engineering.

From the first F1 monocoque back in 1962, through to more recent innovations like GDI in 1980, Active Suspension in 1982, Active Noise Cancellation in 1985, Cam Profile Switching in 1991 and Advanced Combustion in 2000, Lotus continues to qualify its innovative spirit through the products and systems it designs and develops.

Lotus is very proud to have been chosen from thousands of British companies to take part in the Great Expectations exhibition.

As Russell Carr, Chief Designer, commented: "We are delighted that the Elise has been given this prestigious role in demonstrating the excellence of UK vehicle design.

We have received many accolades and awards from within the automotive industry for our innovative designs, but it is seen as great praise indeed to be recognised by the Design Council and our colleagues in other design disciplines." As further testament to the ongoing success of the new Lotus Elise, Auto Express, Britain's best selling weekly car magazine, announced today that the Elise has won the 'Best Roadster' award in their 2001 New Car Honours.