2015 LOTUS ELISE HEADS TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS PHOTO-OP

2015 LOTUS ELISE HEADS TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS PHOTO-OP

2015 LOTUS ELISE HEADS TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS PHOTO-OP 2015 LOTUS ELISE HEADS TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS PHOTO-OP 2015 LOTUS ELISE HEADS TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS PHOTO-OP 2015 LOTUS ELISE HEADS TO HOLLYWOOD HILLS PHOTO-OP

Lotus has started to release a series of images of its upcoming and all-new lineup that were shot while the burgeoning automaker was in town for the Los Angeles Auto Show earlier this year.

It’s hard to turn down the opportunity to gawk at high-resolution images of exotic sports cars, especially when the vehicle is over four years from coming to a street near you. Luckily, Lotus brought a camera (or two) and a photographer to Southern California so that we could all enjoy their new lineup.

Although we only have images for the 2015 Elise today, we will be sure to bring more images of the rest of the lineup as Lotus releases them.

The facts

The automaker’s third-generation Elise set to debut in 2015 promises to be an eco-friendly sportster that entirely reinvents the original concept.

Among the biggest news is a new 2.0-liter mild hybrid powertrain, which will feature stop/start technology and around 315 horsepower. Lotus chose to eschew a full-on hybrid powertrain in order to keep the weight low, although the Elise will apparently grow a bit to just over 2,400 lbs. Still, the powerful engine mated to a six-speed manual transmission (or optional dual clutch transmission) will help the Elise scoot to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds or less.

The rear-wheel-drive Elise now features a hardtop configuration instead of a removable roof, perhaps in a nod to increased rigidity as much as usability (the removable soft top has never been one of the Elise’s strong suits). Lotus says the new car will also be easier to get in and out of.

“The Elise you can buy now is still a fantastic car, make no mistake, Lotus remain very proud of it, but this is a natural progression for us moving forward,” Lotus CEO Dany Bahar said in a statement. “The Elise 2015 will also be class-leading in terms of performance and efficiency but it will do more than that it will take the Elise model to the forefront of its class across the board.”

Lotus intends to put the car on the road by the spring of 2015, assuming all goes as planned.