Lotus 2-Eleven s/c (2008) CAR review

The 2-Eleven is the most track-focused road car Lotus has ever built. And we’ve emphasised the ‘road car’ bit because despite the wings and splitters and launch control and racing stripes the Lotus 2-Eleven can be driven to the shops. There is a track-only version that does without lights, a horn, etc. but having driven the 2-Eleven comprehensively on the road we can’t think of any reason why you wouldn’t go for the full SVA-approved version.

Hold your horses. Road? Track? What exactly is the Lotus 2-Eleven?

It’s a lightweight track car. It has no doors, no roof and no concessions to comfort. You can’t drive it on the road without a crash helmet – well you could, if you like the taste of bugs – and you don’t really want to be venturing too far from home if there’s rain in the air. However, when sun is shining and you’re faced with a long ribbon of empty tarmac (road or track) the Lotus 2-Eleven sings.

So what makes the 2-Eleven ‘sing’?

Once again, it’s all about weight – or lack of it. Overall, the 2-Eleven tips the scales at 670kg – around 200kg lighter than the Elise S (itself no chunker) – but packs a whopping 118 more horses from its 252bhp supercharged, four-cylinder 16-valve Toyota engine.  

The 13-piece fibreglass bodywork is constructed with a material called Coremat that is pretty much the strongest nonwoven (i.e. non-carbonfibre) material available. It’s also cheaper and easier to produce – the 2-Eleven’s clothes weigh just 38kg.

Underneath, the Lotus 2-Elven’s underpinnings are a combination of the original high-sill (and therefore stiffer) Elise chassis and the latest rear subframe, accommodating the transverse mid-mounted Toyota engine. The result is a car that can sprint to 60mph in 3.8 seconds, 100mph in 8.9 seconds and reach 150mph.

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