Paris Motor Show: 2013 All-New Lotus Elan

If the £110K Lotus Esprit launched at the Paris Motor Show is too pricey, there is the Lotus Elan, which also goes on sale in 2013 but with a £75K price tag. Positioned against the Porsche 911 and Audi R8, the Elan boasts the same mid-engined, rear-wheel-driven layout as the Esprit, though it will be available as a two-seater or a two-plus-two seater.

The 1295 kg Elan is 200 kg lighter than the 1495 kg Esprit, but is less powerful, drawing motivation from a 4.0-litre version of the Lotus Evora's V6 engine with 450 hp and 465 Nm. Equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the Elan hits 100 km/h from rest in 3.5 seconds, before topping out at 310 km/h. A KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) system will be optional.

AboutSeow Yaohan

Seow Yao Han strives to bring you the latest and the most comprehensive information on cars available in Malaysia. But it's never easy for him to talk and write cars in this part of the world because what you lust after is often not what you drive home. When the euphoria of test-driving that branded, super-expensive sports car dies down, he just goes home in his less-than-glamorous ride.