In recent news from the "Always Room for Improvement" department...
If you're tired of driving around in a portly Mitsubishi Mirage (2,018 lbs base 2017 5-speed U.S. model), overweight last gen. Metro (~1800-1850 lbs?), or fat-cat 1st generation Insight (1878 lbs), Lotus has your car.
They
managed to shave 90 lbs from an already featherweight 1,849 lb car, and in doing so created a "Sprint" special edition:
Quote:
- the battery, now replaced with a new lightweight lithium-ion pack that sheds around 20 pounds.
- open shifter (1.1 pounds),
- carbon fiber race seats (13 pounds),
- polycarbonate materials for the access panel, roll hoop cover, and engine cover, saving another 13 pounds.
- optional two-piece brake rotors cut another nine pounds,
- new wheel design saves an additional 11 pounds
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Lotus Elise Somehow Sheds 90 Pounds for New Sprint Special Edition - Motor Trend
They only half-followed Chapman's philosophy though, because I don't think most of those mods count as "simplifying" to add lightness.
This news made me feel like such a slacker: it reminded me I've been driving my Firefly for ~11 years with rear factory speakers
that have never even been hooked up. Together they might weigh 3 lbs? Think of the cumulative fuel and performance penalty!