Launched at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Elise was the first ‘affordable’ sports car Lotus had built since production of the Series 4 Seven ended in 1973. At 50% cheaper than the Elan S2 and a third of the price of an Esprit, it would become Lotus’ best-selling sports car ever.Styled by Julian Thomson, engineered by his best friend Richard Rackham and named after the granddaughter of Lotus (and Bugatti) chairman Romano Artioli.The Elise pioneered epoxy-bonded anodised aluminium extrusions as a means of constructing a road car chassis.A simple, high-sided tub with transverse torque boxes at both ends, it is exceptionally stiff – on a par with steel saloon bodies – and exceptionally light, at just 68kg without the body and rollbar, keeping the weight of the whole car to less than 750kg and making it a phenomenal performer without needing outrageous power.Steel is used only for the rollbar, galvanised rear subframe and bonded-in suspension mounts.The Rover K-series engine and gearbox were lifted unchanged from the MGF and various Rovers, but it was somehow happier in the Elise than in any of its original hosts.With double overhead cams, 16 valves and all-aluminium construction making it very light, it was more like a race-car engine than a road-car one, and, like the Triumph Stag engine in the ’70s, needed more monitoring and maintenance than lesser power units.
MARTIN BLACKWOOD, ARCHIVAL ASSISTANT - The assistant rummages through the small drawer in the break room. "Would you gentlemen care for some tea? We have, err, black or green. Just those two flavors, then."
KIM KITSURAGI - "I'll take some black tea," the lieutenant says, attempting to get more comfortable in the stiff plastic chair.
MARTIN BLACKWOOD, ARCHIVAL ASSISTANT - "And for you?" he asks, turning to you.
ELECTROCHEMISTRY [Challenging: Success] - C'mon, only babies drink tea. Tell him you want the good stuff -- the hard stuff. Spirits or nothing, baby!
ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] - If you ask for alcohol on a case, the lieutenant won't say anything about it. But he also won't say anything to you for a long while after.
DRAMA [Heroic: Success] - M'lord, something is afoot! He hasn't even told anyone we're here yet. Perhaps he is trying to stall our investigation?
1. - "Green."
2. - "Black."
3. - "Whiskey, on the rocks."
4. - [Authority - Medium 10] "Can you just get us the Head Archivist so we can be on our way?"
TMA Disco Elysium Portraits
Jonathan Sims (S1) | Jonathan Sims (S4) | Martin Blackwood (S1) | Martin Blackwood (S4)