lotus elise s

2011 Lotus Elise Officially Rated 46.7 mpg, 149 g/km CO2

2011 Lotus Elise – Click above for high-res image gallery

For those that want a fast, great handling sports car that also has great fuel efficiency, the 2011 Lotus Elise S should be at the top of the consideration list. Heading into the new model year, Lotus has refreshed its evergreen roadster with a new slicker face and a new 1.6-liter inline-four base engine.

The new styling draws on the looks of the recently launched Lotus Evora and cuts aerodynamic drag by four percent compared to the 2010 model. The 1.6-liter produces the same 136 horsepower as the outgoing 1.8-liter. While 136 hp may not sound like much, in a car that only weighs 1,931 pounds it produces serious performance. The new Elise sprints from 0-60 mph in just 6.0 seconds.

Thanks to the efficient engine and light weight, the Elise S is officially rated at 46.7 miles per gallon (U.S.) on the EU test cycle and emits just 149 grams / kilometer of CO2.

Gallery: 2011 Lotus Elise