2005 Lotus Elise - Road Test

That's when you begin to appreciate the Elise on so many other levels. The details are amazing. The more we looked, the more we found. Look underneath the Elise. It's flat. There's a car-length undertray with NACA ducts for engine cooling, and under the tail there's a diffuser, which is where the exhaust exits. While you're down there, you can appreciate those spectacular forged wheels that come with the Sport Pack. There's a lot to arouse the car guy in this small package. Very small. Its diminuitive stature, however, belies an otherwise massive road presence. Drive it on the freeway and you stare squarely at the center cap of every tractor trailer on the road. Suddenly, Camrys look like Suburbans.

The canvas top is another brilliant piece of engineering simplicity. It removes in seconds, and even at more than 100 mph, wind isn't a problem in the cockpit. Re-installing the roof, which stores in the small trunk behind the engine, also takes just seconds. Getting in and out of the car with the roof installed, however, takes longer, a bit of contortion and some practice.

Once you're in, you can't help but smile. The seats, which have virtually no padding, are shaped and sized perfectly unless you weigh more than 250 pounds. Of course if you do, you probably can't get in the car anyway. The steering wheel, although airbag equipped, looks like it came off a TonyKart, and the air conditioning will freeze you out. Even the audio system, despite its too-tiny buttons, sounds good enough.

Do what you have to. Beg, borrow, mortgage the house. If you're serious about driving, this is the car you want. And if you have any balls, you'll order it in chrome orange.