[GoM100Go]

So I was watching this video on YouTube, FRS (GT86, BRZ) vs Genesis Coupe vs Lotus Elise - Pacific Coast Highway Road Trip Review - YouTube and one of the guys comments that the Elise was only available in 2005 and that the only year it was sold new in the USA... I commented that he was wrong because indeed there has been Elise available since, even updated regularly. I confirmed with my dealership they are available. He responded to my comment with the below quote... Who is telling this guy this stuff, please inform this guy...



"EverydayDriver
While the Elise is available in other markets, and is still being revised, it is no longer available as a new car in the US. We'd love it to be different, but that information came to us straight from Lotus USA. Hopefully we'll have it back as a street car, but it required a lot of short-term safety exemptions to be in the US the first time. We'd love to have it here... Thanks for watching!"

 

[RelativePants]

The Elise has not been sold new in the US since 2011.

 

[Chouch]

one of the guys comments that the Elise was only available in 2005 and that the only year it was sold new in the USA...

I watched the video and they didn't say that.

Early in the video, they do mention they have a 2005 Elise for the test. They also mention that in 2005 when brought in US, Lotus had to fit an airbag to make it compliant, and that later the dual airbag was what caused the death of the car in NA (US and Canada)
But they don't say it was only sold in 2005.

The dual airbag requirement also came at the same point Toyota stopped production of the 2ZZ engine.

Elise was sold from 2005 to 2011, at which point Lotus stopped the Elise and Exige, leaving only the Evora on the market.

 

[GoM100Go]

That's the correction, it just makes it sound to people that it's the only year it was new in the USA, I was directed to that video at a carmeat that someone was telling people that 05 was the only official year of the Elise to the USA, claiming that video was proof. I was just clarifying that indeed from 05-10,11 they were officially sold new in the USA. That's the only clarification.

 

[sturgeongeneral]

Yes 05 to 2011 in the us market but still available overseas including the 6 cylinder Exige.