Sixty mph in 4.8 seconds. A quarter-mile time of 13.6 seconds at 102 mph. Braking from 70 mph to a stop in 162 feet. On paper, it looks like this test subject is a mildly interesting performance car with an above-average ability to go and a somewhat ordinary ability to stop.

On pavement? Oh, on pavement the whole script flips. It isn't until you whirl the wheel of the car to which those numbers are attached that you realize what an incredible machine you're piloting. It amazes like a Dwyane Wade drive to the hole; nothing should be able to move the way it does. It is, in short, breathtaking.

The car we are referring to, of course, is the Lotus Elise.

A Quick Interlude

If you think the Lotus Elise is cute or bitchin' and you have perhaps otherwise never heard of it before, you should probably back away slowly. This car is not for the casual user or fainthearted. The ride is harsh by daily-driver standards, there are no cup holders-well, there is one included in the optional Touring Pack, but we've never seen it; the Lotus guys tell us it looks like a jock strap. There's almost no trunk space, and the whole car vibrates and buzzes at cruising speeds. If you want something that's small, zippy, decent to look at, has a top that goes down, and is actually sort of useful on a day-to-day basis, allow us to point you in the direction of the Mazda MX-5 Miata.

For Pricing, Specs, and Reviews of the Lotus Elise, click here for our buyer's guide.

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