The Elise's engine contrasts sharply with some of the hefty engines in today's European supercars. The Toyota-made engine replaces the somewhat outdated Rover K-Series that has powered the Elise in Europe. The 1.8-liter, water-cooled, naturally-aspirated engine has an all-aluminum four-cylinder block with dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and an 11.5:1 compression ratio. It is placed in a mid-engine configuration, just behind the driver.
This engine is similar to the one found in the Toyota Celica GT-S, but with an updated intake system and exhaust and an Electronic Control Unit (ECU) tuned specifically for Lotus (Road & Track, August, 2004). It's cranks out 190 horsepower at 7,800 rpm, producing 138 lb-ft of torque at 6,800 rpm. If you've been looking at the Ferraris and Corvettes of the world, those numbers might seem a bit low. Keep in mind that the Lotus isn't meant to be a roaring beast of a car -- it's meant to be incredibly agile.
