Over a standing quarter mile on dry asphalt the Lotus Esprit S3 is the quicker car,
covering it in 15.16 s at
94.2 mph against the Lotus Elise 1.6’s
15.56 s — a margin of
0.40 s. To 60 mph the Lotus Esprit S3 takes
6.55 s and the Lotus Elise 1.6
6.99 s.
Simulated, not measured — computed from each car’s published kerb mass,
rated power and drivetrain, then fitted to its own published acceleration figures.
Dry asphalt, 20 °C, sea level, 1 ft rollout.
Lotus Elise 1.6Lotus Esprit S3
Watch the run in full — then change the surface, the weather
or the distance and run it again.
Down the strip
Standing start
Lotus Elise 1.6
Lotus Esprit S3
0–60 mph
6.99 s
6.55 s
0–100 mph
—
—
60 ft
2.45 s
2.59 s
1/8 mile
10.01 s
9.92 s
1/4 mile
15.56 s
15.16 s
Trap speed
88.3 mph
94.2 mph
Each car is trimmed to its own published figures —
9/9 for the Lotus Elise 1.6,
7/9 for the Lotus Esprit S3 —
so a heavier car can still be the quicker one if that is what it tests.
Is the Lotus Elise 1.6 or the Lotus Esprit S3 faster?
The Lotus Esprit S3. Over a standing quarter mile it runs 15.16 s to the Lotus Elise 1.6's 15.56 s, a margin of 0.40 s, and it reaches 60 mph in 6.55 s against 6.99 s. These are theoretical times from a physics simulation, not measured runs.
What is the Lotus Elise 1.6 0-60 time?
The Lotus Elise 1.6 reaches 60 mph in 6.99 s, simulated on dry asphalt at 20 °C with a 1 ft rollout. It covers the standing quarter mile in 15.56 s at 88.3 mph.
What is the Lotus Esprit S3 0-60 time?
The Lotus Esprit S3 reaches 60 mph in 6.55 s, simulated on dry asphalt at 20 °C with a 1 ft rollout. It covers the standing quarter mile in 15.16 s at 94.2 mph.
What trap speed does each car run?
The Lotus Elise 1.6 trips the lights at 88.3 mph and the Lotus Esprit S3 at 94.2 mph at the end of the quarter mile. These are theoretical times from a physics simulation, not measured runs.
Are these real measured times?
No. Every time on this page is produced by a physics simulation, not by a stopwatch at a drag strip. Each car is modelled from its published kerb mass, rated power, drivetrain and gearing, then trimmed until it matches its own published acceleration figures — 9 of 9 for the Lotus Elise 1.6 and 7 of 9 for the Lotus Esprit S3. Conditions are identical for both cars: dry asphalt, 20 °C, sea level, 1 ft rollout.
Figures regenerated 2026-10-12. Every number on this page is computed by the simulator at build time, so the page and the app can never disagree.