<http://schema.org/articleBody>
" LOS ANGELES--Lotus founder Colin Chapman was famously obsessed with trimming weight from his race cars, and his philosophy of eliminating unnecessary poundage also yielded surprisingly fuel-efficient sports cars. The supercharged, non-intercooled Lotus Elise SC produces 29 more horsepower than the naturally aspirated base model (for a total of 218), but the blower&amp;#039;s real benefit is torque--156 lb-ft of it spread broadly across the powerband. That allows the Toyota-sourced 1.8-liter four-cylinder to work less hard, a significant benefit when trying to cull more miles per gallon in real-world driving. Starting at $54,990 (a $7740 premium over the standard version), our Elise SC was sprayed Canyon Red metallic paint ($590) and equipped with a Touring package ($1600), the StarShield nose protector ($995), and the Sport Pack ($2600), which adds lightweight forged-aluminum wheels, more aggressively tuned suspension and sticky Yokohama A07 Advan LTS tires--great for the skidpad, but probably not quite ideal for fuel efficiency. All this added up to $61,900, including the destination charge, far closer to boutique-sports-car territory than the realm of a cost-conscious commuter, but the Elise SC&amp;#039;s spec sheet suggests that the magic of weight reduction translates to win/win gains in performance and efficiency. Tipping the scales at 2006 pounds, the Elise SC&amp;#039;s backbone is an epoxy-bonded, extruded aluminum tub weighing a mere 150 pounds. Entering and leaving the Elise is an ongoing exercise in awkwardness that involves windshield grabbing, leg-twisting, and a strange dance that verges on the Limbo. We even acquired a bruise or two while getting in and out of the car. But gymnastics aside, once inside the snug cabin there&amp;#039;s a satisfying sense that every switch and lever is in its proper place. The anatomically padded ProBax seat backs have a raw fiberglass finish visible through the rear window, but despite their thin profile, these seats are surprisingly ergonomic. Purposeful design extends to the smallest details, including the extruded-aluminum cupholder which slides out from beneath the dash (and happens to be ideally shaped for a BlackBerry). Some surface textures might disappoint the more luxe-conscious (like the instrument binnacle&amp;#039;s plastic), but for strict minimalists it doesn&amp;#039;t get much more stern or satisfying than the Elise. Despite the Touring Package&amp;#039;s carpeting and sound insulation, the cabin is sparse. We barely found a place to stash our sunglasses and cellphone. But the lack of creature comforts not only helps produce a claimed 0-to-60 time of 4.4 seconds, it also yields EPA numbers of 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway (5 g/100m and 3.8 g/100m)--figures we sought to stretch even further. But it was impossible to completely ignore the little Lotus&amp;#039;s superlative skills. We do, after all, have a pulse. So after a fresh fill-up, we succumbed by exploring the car&amp;#039;s focused skill set that&amp;#039;s so naturally suited to the race track. Was the Elise SC more adept at hypermiling or high-tailing it?  style=&amp;quot;background-color:#333; color:#ccc;&amp;quot;&amp;amp;gt; Lotus Elise SC Photo Gallery      + CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE     RELATED STORIES * PLUS: The Case for Gallons per Mile, Not Miles per Gallon  * EARLIER: Used Lotus Elise Is a Steal in the Recession  * PLUS: 10 Quick Fuel-Efficiency Tips to Beat the Gas Crunch  * DRIVE GREEN: PM&amp;#039;s Hypermiling, EV and Alternative-Fuel News  * FOLLOW US: Popular Mechanics is Now on Twitter!  * FRIEND US: Find PM on Facebook   The Drive  Stick the key in the steering column, press the Start/Stop button on the left, and the nonthreatening thrum of the Eaton supercharged engine settles into a steady idle. The exhaust note may not be exotic, but the steering feel is nothing short of world-class. Even at parking-lot speeds, the Elise offers perhaps the most communicative steering we&amp;#039;ve felt from a passenger car. All those go-kart clichs about handling are actually true here, especially when equipped with the Sport Pack. Conversely, suspension travel seems to be measurable in microns; the ride is firm and your body will be easily jostled. The slightest pothole sends shudders through the tiny cabin. We&amp;#039;ve ridden scooters with more compliance. But we weren&amp;#039;t shoehorned into this roadster for a cushy ride: we were in search of mpg. So we plotted a city course and a drive to Castaic Lake, north of Los Angeles. Rather than the hardcore fuel savings route with rolled up windows and air conditioning switched off, we simply drove with restraint--which meant shifting early, avoiding excessive speed and maintaining a constant velocity when possible. Whereas the normally aspirated Elise requires considerable engine revving for reasonable acceleration, the supercharger&amp;#039;s broader torque curve makes it far easier to pilot with a light right foot. We could drive at 30 mph in sixth gear, lugging along at a mere 1200 rpm--not this engine&amp;#039;s happiest speed. But 60 mph translates to 2750 rpm, making the Elise SC feel perfectly content trundling along on the highway. Meanwhile, rubberneckers in minivans, sedans and sport coupes all slowed down to ogle our slow-moving exotic before resuming their supra-legal pace. It took serious discipline to keep from opening up the Elise on the highway (not to mention resisting repeated invitations to, ahem, participate in certain speed contests), but when the tank was finally drained, the refill revealed that 9.374 gallons consumed during 274 miles of driving equated to 29.2 mpg (3.4 g/100m). Not bad. Our high-mileage responsibilities met, we emptied another tank of gas more sybaritically, triggering the whoosh of the supercharger from behind the passenger compartment and even instigating traction control on canyon roads. Throughout 147.6 miles of mostly hooliganistic driving--pedal-pinning accelerating and hard braking--we drew 7.4 gallons of fuel for 20 mpg (5 g/100m). Not quite save-the-planet material, but not bad considering our rather punishing driving style. On another long-distance run (this time from Los Angeles to La Jolla), we coaxed 236 miles out of 7.4 gallons for an impressive average of 31.7 mpg (3.2 g/100m), a figure you would more readily associate with a stubby subcompact than the low-slung Lotus Elise. The Bottom Line  The Lotus Elise SC&amp;#039;s raison d&amp;#039; tre may be far removed from the realm of feather-throttled fuel efficiency, but it easily achieves both supercar performance and subcompact thrift. A car that can deliver more than 30 mpg and sling itself to 60 mph in the low 4-second range is a rare breed. Perhaps the Elise&amp;#039;s only competition for that kind of balanced performance is a new Chevy Corvette. The golden age of horsepower may be waning, but cars like the Lotus Elise prove there&amp;#039;s no reason speed and efficiency can&amp;#039;t happily coexist. Hybrids and alternative-fuel vehicles may lead the charge for next-gen technology, but lightweight construction and efficient design will always be a simple and effective way to dodge the stereotype of gas-guzzling sports cars.  style=&amp;quot;background-color:#333; color:#ccc;&amp;quot;&amp;amp;gt; Lotus Elise SC Photo Gallery      + CLICK PHOTOS TO ENLARGE  RELATED STORIES * PLUS: The Case for Gallons per Mile, Not Miles per Gallon  * EARLIER: Used Lotus Elise Is a Steal in the Recession  * PLUS: 10 Quick Fuel-Efficiency Tips to Beat the Gas Crunch  * DRIVE GREEN: PM&amp;#039;s Hypermiling, EV and Alternative-Fuel News  * FOLLOW US: Popular Mechanics is Now on Twitter!  * FRIEND US: Find PM on Facebook   "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a12586/4324991/>