Lotus Elise Sport & Sport 220 arrive to replace the Elise & Elise S

Lotus are replacing the Elise and Elise S with new models – the Sport and Sport 220 – from December 2015, which cost less and weigh less too.

The Lotus Elise Sport (and its more powerful sibling, the Elise Sport 220) have been revealed as Lotus brings the Sport name back in to play to replace the Elise and Elise S with the new models that actually cost less – and weigh less.

Despite the lower price for the new Elise models, they’re actually getting more equipment than before, including a Sport mode for less electronic interference and sharper throttle, and there’s even the option of a tartan interior (to remind you of the 1970s Esprit – the last Lotus with a ‘Sport’ badge).

There’s even a drop in weight to go with the drop in price – the Sport costs £29,900 (down £1,000) and the Sport 220 £36,500 (down £700) – of 10kg (every little helps on a car as light as the Elise), and you can shave another 5kg if you fork out for the lightweight forged alloys.

But the drop in weight isn’t enough to change the Elise’s performance, so the Sport gets to 62mph in 6.5 seconds thanks to its 134bhjp 1.6 litre, and the Sport 220 in 4.2 seconds from its 217bhp 1,8 litre.

The Lotus Elise Sport and Sport 220 go on sale in Lotus’s UK dealers next month (December 2015).