Think "Elfin" and you're liable to (quite aptly) conjure up images of point-eared fantasy creatures (thank you Mr. Tolkien and Jackson). But to Lotus and Caterham fans, a group as enthusiastic to its realm as hobbit geeks are to theirs, Elfin is another beast entirely. Sprightly though they are, Elfin sportscars offer some of the best power-to-weight ratios on the market. But as we reported previously, the Australian niche automaker is preparing to bust out of the confines of the Super-7 kit-car scene with an entirely new model of its own.
Known internally as the Type 5, the new vehicle is targeted at the likes of the Lotus Elise and Ariel Atom as an open-air track-car. Power will come from the turbocharged four in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline, packaged in a completely new chassis with styling penned by sister company HSV's design studio. Pricing, released along with the design sketch you see above, is pegged at AUS $65,000 (approximately $63k in today's devalued American greenbacks). That's significantly less than a supercharged Elise, but with more power and even less weight, which sources suggest should allow it to hit sixty in a scant 3.7 seconds. We'll be watching closely to bring you the latest once the Elfin Type 5, or whatever Tom Walkinshaw's outfit chooses to call the vehicle, makes its anticipated debut down under sometime next month.
[Source: PressPortal.com.au via World Car Fans]
2010 Nissan Cube breaks cover in Japan
Officially Official: 2010 Ford Mustang!
2010 Ford Mustang revealed early on Ford's own website!
2009 Nissan 370Z rolls out early in So. Cal
VIDEO: 2009 Nissan 370Z revealed early in So. Cal.
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 HUMMER H3T Alpha
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Mercedes Benz C63 AMG
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Hyundai Genesis
In the Autoblog Garage: 2009 Chevrolet Traverse LT
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Cornholio @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:09PM
Needs bigger wheels....
Dave @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:19PM
Those are 13s. Its a really small car. ;)
Rocketboy @ Jul 24th 2008 8:39AM
Interesting offset hubs though. I would think that it would make for a rough ride on a smooth road.
Jason @ Jul 24th 2008 9:02AM
Haha with those wheels it looks like one of those Automoblox!
Ken @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:11PM
Call me crazy, but isn't that the Plymouth Prowler?
chrisdavis @ Jul 23rd 2008 7:54PM
I could see Bjork driving it, but not particularly well.
mr.ed @ Jul 23rd 2008 8:05PM
This would have to be track-only, with limited use and sales, therefor higher price. Add some fenders and legal bumpers, lights, glass, wipers etc. Race on Sunday, sell on Monday.
hidden_hunter @ Jul 23rd 2008 9:28PM
I live in Melbourne and I've seen Elfin's being driven on the road before :O
mr.ed @ Jul 23rd 2008 11:50PM
Maybe your road laws are different from the US. We require lots of testing and inspections to put a vehicle on the road. States have additional laws for lower emissions. Some states have regular inspections to make sure you haven't taken off or modified equipment. Some police are really anal about this, some not. Basically, unless you want to spend lots of time in court and at various agencies, if it isn't compliant, it isn't worth trying to put it on the street.
Sam @ Jul 24th 2008 1:01AM
if anything Australia's road laws are stricter than the US.
Hidden Hunter probably saw the recent Elfin's, just not this one obviously (unless he is referring to an original), which are softer and more of a roadster, and have in fact sold 5 in America i was told.
hidden_hunter @ Jul 24th 2008 9:53AM
Yeah I mean the version that came out a few years ago, in yellow. They're usually at the motorshows here as well and for a car of it's type it's quite well built and has a decent cockpit.
Scott @ Jul 24th 2008 6:21PM
Actually, $63k USD is significantly MORE than an Elise SC. It's a tad more than an Exige S and only a smidge less than an Exige 240.
adrian @ Jul 27th 2008 1:24AM
actually elfin dont make kit cars at all.....
http://www.elfin.com.au/elfin/2008/
they already have a couple of their own models, all made by themselves but and LS engines.
they were around in the 60's and 70's and have recently been revived. they have a very rich motorsport history.