Enter the Lotus Elise. The Elise is a real supercar, though a tiny one and it screams “look at me” as loud as any Lamborghini Gallardo. It costs the same as the Boxter, is a perfect track car, and built by a company founded by Colin Chapman. Lotus was the car driven to victory by Stirling Moss and driven under water by James Bond. Not only will it turn heads, it will spawn all sorts of questions from your neighbors, who will think you’ve either hit the lottery or become a pornographer. Plus, think how good it will look parked next to your bosses boring silver Accord.
The Elise has but one mission in life, and that’s to make you believe it’s a street legal Formula One car, and it does it quite well. The base model is equipped with a 1.8 liter engine making 189 horses. That may not sound like much, but this car weighs only 1900 pounds, so expect a 0-60 time of less than 6 seconds and the best handling you’ve ever experienced. If that isn’t enough for you, boost the power to 218 horses by opting for the supercharged version.
Inside, the car is all business, with most surfaces finished in bare aluminum, a look that’s a cross between NASCAR and I.M. Pei. For a little more money you can opt for a leather interior which will make things a little cushier inside. Plus it comes with niceties like airbags, a/c and a decent stereo. The true heart of the Elise is its construction, built on an aluminum extrusion chassis and with a composite body shell. Think of all the times that will work its way into a conversation.
Plus you can get it in Isotope Green or Chrome Orange and no one will laugh. You can even get a hardtop for the targa to make it look identical to its big brother, the Exige. Though it’s no Bugatti Veyron, this little car is about as close as you can get to an affordable supercar, one test drive will prove it. So, if you’re in the market for something expensive, but only have enough for a BMW 3-Series, you can still buy the car of your dreams at Lotus.