2011 Lotus Elise revealed ahead of Geneva debut

Lotus has decided to give the Elise a facelift and this is the final product. Lets go over the key changes in regards to the design. The most significant change is the new headlight design which is part of a revised front fascia. The headlights are now combined with LED daytime running lights and LED direction indicators.

Over at the rear, the vents which were placed at the side of the outer taillights in the previous version have been removed. The rear bumper has been restyled and there is also a new engine cover.

The Elise’s aerodynamics efficiency has been improved as well, by 4%. There are also new alloy wheels. The company also revealed that it has increased the Elise’s warranty period from 2 years to 3 years and 36,000 miles.

All three engines offered with the Elise now output lesser emissions. The 136 PS 1.6 liter outputs 155 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometer followed by the 192 PS 1.8 liter with 196 grams and lastly the 220 PS supercharged 1.8 liter with 199 grams. The above mentioned 1.6 liter powerplant is a new entry-level unit and it features Valvematic and Dual VVT-I technologies.

Other upgrades include a new 6-speed close ratio gearbox and the availability of cruise control which is part of the Touring Pack. Potential buyers will also be able to open the rear boot from the interior instead of making do with a separate key.

You can check out more images after the jump together with a detailed press release with more technical details on the new Elise.