Latest news with #LotusElise
Auto Car
01-08-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Toyota MR2: roof down, mid-engine fun for £3000
Having pared as much steel, aluminium, plastic, rubber, fabric and glass from this car as they felt they could get away with, Toyota's weight-shaving engineers reckoned that any driver of this sylphic machine should try just as hard to minimize the load. To ensure that their mission was honoured, said engineers provided this car with laughably little storage space, unless you were prepared to travel one-up and use the passenger seat and its footwell to stuff in more stuff. Toyota's third generation MR2, which appeared in time for the new century's dawn in 1999, had no boot, and so little room under the bonnet that the desperate could stuff only shoes or a washbag into the spare wheel to supplement the glovebox and a pair of small cubbies behind the front seats. A dirty weekend in this car would be just that. Toyota's weight-saving aims trimmed the MR2's heft to 960kg and usefully reduced its size compared to the previous model, besides providing a neatly folding hood. It wasn't as light as a Lotus Elise which could weigh as much as 210kg less, but it was a lot more affordable, slightly more civilized and almost as much fun. The simplification mission extended to this tiny Toyota's specification, which provided the choice of one engine – a 136bhp 1.8 litre – and initially one five-speed gearbox. Later there would be an automatic, and later still the addition of a sixth speed for both transmissions. That added weight, and so did extra stiffening to the body's nose and tail – not that it was a wobbler in the first place – and an increase in wheel diameter from 15in to 16in, but the revised 2002 MR2 was still a light car for light travellers.
Miami Herald
27-07-2025
- Automotive
- Miami Herald
2008 Tesla Roadster For Sale With Just 1,821 Miles
There's a lot that can be said about Tesla as a company today, but the Tesla Roadster is largely an exception to those criticisms. Based on a Lotus Elise chassis, the automaker's first car was both sleek and impressive, and this 2008 example on Exotic Car Trader with 1,821 miles is a relatively rare sighting of a Tesla Roadster on the open market. The Roadster was an impressive machine when it was released, being the first highway-legal production car to use lithium-ion batteries, with a 53 kWh pack onboard. Charging time varies, but if one uses a 240 V charger on a 90 A circuit breaker, Tesla claimed a recharging rate of 56 miles added per hour. The electric motor produces 248 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, which are sent to the rear wheels through a single-speed transmission. Tesla quoted a 0-60 mph time of around four seconds, which is nothing to scoff at, especially in 2008. Regenerative braking is present, of course, and the Roadster sports both front and rear independent suspension. The EPA gave it a 244-mile range, which isn't great by today's standards but was a good number back then. Uniquely, the body panels are all carbon fiber, keeping the weight down for both performance and range-related reasons. The NHTSA also granted the Roadster a waiver from the advantage two-stage airbag rule, allowing Tesla to use standard airbags instead. While that may seem unheard of in the modern world, similar waivers are given to small-volume automakers like Lotus, Ferrari, and Bugatti. The interior is a relatively sparse, but still attractive, and frankly, a massive step-up from modern Tesla interiors. The tan leather seats match the door panel inserts, while the center console houses a "gear" shifter, controls for the HVAC system, and two buttons for the seat heaters. Above that is a JVC head unit complete with built-in navigation. The cluster is relatively standard, other than the fact that it still has an RPM gauge that goes up to 13,000 RPM. I think more EVs should have rev counters, despite their comparatively useless nature. While modern Teslas are a common sight on today's roads, only 2,450 Roadsters were built in four years, making this one that much more desirable. Tesla sold Roadsters directly to customers online, in 13 showrooms, and over the phone in North America and Europe. Tesla Roadsters aren't a common sight on the road or the second-hand market, so if you've been looking for one, this one on Exotic Car Trader is a must-have. Of course, with such credentials and only 1,821 miles on the odometer, the $225,000 asking price of this one is to be expected. Not only will you be driving one of the first mainstream electric sports cars, but you'll be driving one built on the back of an Elise. Is that something you can really put a price on? Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Auto Blog
27-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
2008 Tesla Roadster For Sale With Just 1,821 Miles
By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. View post: Japanese Car Prices Are About to Go Up in the U.S. The Tesla Roadster is a vastly different machine from today's Teslas There's a lot that can be said about Tesla as a company today, but the Tesla Roadster is largely an exception to those criticisms. Based on a Lotus Elise chassis, the automaker's first car was both sleek and impressive, and this 2008 example on Exotic Car Trader with 1,821 miles is a relatively rare sighting of a Tesla Roadster on the open market. 0:01 / 0:09 2024 Kia EV6 GT-Line review: Is this the EV that will convert you? Watch More The Roadster was an impressive machine when it was released, being the first highway-legal production car to use lithium-ion batteries, with a 53 kWh pack onboard. Charging time varies, but if one uses a 240 V charger on a 90 A circuit breaker, Tesla claimed a recharging rate of 56 miles added per hour. The electric motor produces 248 hp and 200 lb-ft of torque, which are sent to the rear wheels through a single-speed transmission. Tesla quoted a 0-60 mph time of around four seconds, which is nothing to scoff at, especially in 2008. Regenerative braking is present, of course, and the Roadster sports both front and rear independent suspension. The EPA gave it a 244-mile range, which isn't great by today's standards but was a good number back then. 2008 Tesla Roadster — Source: Exotic Car Trader The Roadster had some tricks up its sleeve Uniquely, the body panels are all carbon fiber, keeping the weight down for both performance and range-related reasons. The NHTSA also granted the Roadster a waiver from the advantage two-stage airbag rule, allowing Tesla to use standard airbags instead. While that may seem unheard of in the modern world, similar waivers are given to small-volume automakers like Lotus, Ferrari, and Bugatti. The interior is a relatively sparse, but still attractive, and frankly, a massive step-up from modern Tesla interiors. The tan leather seats match the door panel inserts, while the center console houses a 'gear' shifter, controls for the HVAC system, and two buttons for the seat heaters. Above that is a JVC head unit complete with built-in navigation. The cluster is relatively standard, other than the fact that it still has an RPM gauge that goes up to 13,000 RPM. I think more EVs should have rev counters, despite their comparatively useless nature. While modern Teslas are a common sight on today's roads, only 2,450 Roadsters were built in four years, making this one that much more desirable. Tesla sold Roadsters directly to customers online, in 13 showrooms, and over the phone in North America and Europe. 2008 Tesla Roadster 2008 Tesla Roadster Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. Final thoughts Tesla Roadsters aren't a common sight on the road or the second-hand market, so if you've been looking for one, this one on Exotic Car Trader is a must-have. Of course, with such credentials and only 1,821 miles on the odometer, the $225,000 asking price of this one is to be expected. Not only will you be driving one of the first mainstream electric sports cars, but you'll be driving one built on the back of an Elise. Is that something you can really put a price on? About the Author Gabriel Ionica View Profile
Auto Car
12-07-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Car
Smart Roadster: spice up summer with a £1500 gem
The pauses didn't help, nor not knowing quite when they'd come. And there was more than one kind of pause to be experienced aboard a Smart Roadster. The most obvious, and persistent, was the between-gears interruption generated by the automated manual transmission. The Roadster's gearbox was not an especially speedy shuffler of clustered cogs and its six gears meant that, unless cruising, you'd experience perpetual ascents and descents of its generous ratio set. And if you left the 'box to think about its own shifting, you'd find that you were never quite ready for the moment when it chose to cut the power supply from the mid-mounted triple, even with familiarity. There were dynamic hesitations too. This was an exceptionally light, mid-engined sports car that ought to have changed direction like a dragonfly. Spear a bend, and in the first instant you'd think it was going to do just that, the front wheels eagerly steering a new trajectory. But then the Smart's athleticism would start to evaporate. You couldn't call it understeer, but if you were expecting Lotus Elise balletics, well, you'd have to buy the real thing. There was more, besides – the Roadster's traction control dropping the curtain on any on-the-limit expeditions before they really started. It looked like a sports car, and an exciting one at that, but the Roadster's cornerus interruptus methods protected its occupants from almost all kinds of on-the-road excitements. Still, after Mercedes' adventures with toppling A-Classes and Smart Fortwos accelerating hard enough to land flat on their backs, you could understand the caution. In plenty of other ways, though, the Roadster was the result of some admirably brave decisions. The bold Smart project wobbled for more than stability reasons, the two-seat city car falling massively short of sales expectations following its (delayed) 1998 debut, but that didn't stop the Roadster project going ahead. Indeed, this dinky little device promised to deal with Smart's mild glamour deficit. It was also admirably true to the Fortwo's construction concept. There was the so-called Tridion safety cell, this the pressed steel inner tub that provided a structure from which to hang the suspension, powertrain and a colourful collection of composite body panels. The engine was the same lively 698cc turbo triple that powered the Fortwo, its 80bhp impressive for one so small, and less burdened than it might have been with only 815kg to shove along. The Roadster benefited from Smart's appealingly distinct cabin furnishing schemes too, chunks of its dashboard sheathed with non-reflective cloth. Much of it was grey, but there were multiple shades of the stuff and you could give the interior ambience a cheerfully spectacular lift by specifying orange cloth. And like the Fortwo's, the Roadster's instrument pods were so shapely that you wanted to pick them up.
The Irish Sun
03-07-2025
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Iconic car brand to ‘cut 400 jobs' despite saying it has ‘no plans' to end production in UK
AN iconic sports car manufacturer is reportedly considering axing 400 jobs after saying it had no plans to end production in the UK. The 4 Fears have been raised that the factory could close altogether Credit: Getty 4 Up to 30 per cent of the factory's workforce could lose their jobs Credit: Getty Lotus has reportedly become the latest The move comes after the brand held emergency talks and fellow motor manufacturer Nissan said it would be A report in the Daily Mail claims that the sports car specialist is considering cutting 30 per cent of jobs at its plant in Hethel, Norfolk. Of the 1,300 staff at the site up to 390 could now be facing down the prospect of losing their job. Read more in Motors A decision on the Recent reports that the brand was considering Majority owned by Chinese carmaker Geely, Lotus adamantly rejected the claims, saying in a statement: "The UK is the heart of the Lotus brand—home to our "It is also our largest commercial market in Europe. Most read in Motors "Lotus Cars is continuing normal operations, and there are no plans to close the factory. "We are actively exploring strategic options to enhance efficiency and ensure global The modern classic Lotus Elise "We have invested significantly in R&D and operations in the UK, over the past six years. " The reports of imminent closure however sparked The meeting on Sunday, June29, reportedly saw the group discuss possible support measures. 4 The Norfolk Lotus factory has been open since the 1960s Credit: Reuters 4 Concerns have been raised over American imposed tariffs Credit: Alamy Fears were raised that the brand would fall victim to These were reportedly not addressed by the news that the tariffs would be reduced from 27.5 per cent to 10 per cent. Despite the emergency meeting, the offer of government support and the reduction in tariffs, the brand is still said to be set to cut a huge number of jobs. The Sun has approached Lotus' history Lotus - founded by engineer Colin Chapman in 1948 - began production at Hethel in 1966. It has shifted hands multiple times over the years in various bids to stave off financial instability. Geely bought a majority stake in 2017, before investing £3 billion in UK production, but later switched much of its focus to a plant in Wuhan, China. The manufacturer announced 270 job cuts in the UK in April and said last week sales for the first three months of 2025 had fallen 42%, racking up a net loss of $183 million (£134 million).
