What is a Lotus Driving Experience?
Think of the pinnacle of British motorsport and one of the first names, and quite rightly, that springs to mind is Lotus.
From humble beginnings, Lotus cars have competed, and won, in some of the world’s most prestigious motorsport series including Formula 1.
Now it’s your chance to experience the raw power and incredible handling performance that has been transferred from the cream of motorsport to these super lightweight British sports cars.
Indeed, it’s no coincidence that Lotus is consistently among the most popular driving experiences and marques of car for track day hire with TrackDays.co.uk.
In fact, apart from being in a go-kart, there are few cars available to drive that are as close to the ground or that are as aerodynamic, massively amplifying the effect of speed as you sweep around corners and enjoy long straights.
TrackDays.co.uk is particularly proud to offer the Lotus Elise, Exige S and 2-Eleven for your driving pleasure, available as track day car hire options.
But make no mistake, these cars have been engineered using cutting edge racing design, not least near perfect weight distributions and suspension handling characteristics, so handle with care!
Meanwhile, the Elise is also available to book for a shorter driving experience with an instructor by your side who will provide expert hints and tips so you enjoy the maximum performance from this nimble motor which packs a punch well above its weight!
However, why should the adults have all the fun? Well, they don’t as TrackDays.co.uk also has a Lotus junior driving experience which lets children get behind the wheel.
They can also enjoy the infamous Elise, which handles better than many supercars. Just watch their smiles grow larger and larger as their confidence grows and, of course, their time in a Lotus will then give them ultimate playground bragging rights.
Want to enjoy the thrill of a Lotus but can’t drive? No problem as TrackDays.co.uk also has you covered with our Elise passenger ride. Strap in for the ride of your life as a professional instructor leaves you breathless as they unleash the power of this iconic motor.
Booking a Lotus experience or track day car hire is simple. Find the package you want and either buy a voucher or book directly onto an available date depending on your preferred choice.
Where Can I Book to Drive a Lotus in the UK?
Wherever you’re situated in the UK - North, South, East or West - our range of venues and locations at TrackDays is very broad, meaning you can get the chance to take to the wheel of a Lotus at a place that’s closer than you think.
For instance, our Junior Lotus Thrill is available at Elvington Circuit in Yorkshire and Teesside Autodrome in Middlesbrough. The latter venue also hosts a unique driving day package, where you can pair the Elise off against a Ferrari California or 360 model over the course of five laps each.
We’ve also made the process of locating your nearest venue as easy as possible; you can use our special Location tools and filters to the top left of this page, where you can search by your postcode or by your region of the UK which will give all available results matching your criteria.
How to Book a Lotus Driving Experience
There’s two straightforward ways you can book your next Lotus driving day with us here at TrackDays. Our open gift vouchers make fabulous gift ideas whether it’s to celebrate a birthday, Christmas or any other special occasions to surprise a loved one on or treat yourself.
But all our experiences also have live date availability on our regularly updated Events Calendar, with all the latest forthcoming dates direct from our suppliers so you’ve got the most accurate picture of when you can go at a time and date to suit your requirements.
Essential Booking Information for Lotus Experiences
If you are buying an open gift voucher for a Lotus package, please check as some Lotus vouchers and special offers may have a shorter or longer validity period to be used and activated within, which will be clearly stated on the voucher.
If you are booking directly onto a date for a Lotus Experience please note that you are making a booking request and the date and time that you choose will still be subject to availability. We usually confirm bookings within 48 hours but it’s important that you do not make any arrangements in conjunction with your booking request until you have received a final confirmation email. The immediate receipt you get when making a booking request is not the confirmation.
Other important things to consider when purchasing Lotus Experiences is that the driver meets all of the requirements in terms of age, weight, height and driving licence. Each experience will have its own unique requirements so make sure you have read through the important information thoroughly.
If an experience is for junior drivers only, we will usually mention this in the name of the package, but not in all cases. If you place a booking for a Lotus Experience and on the day the driver turns out to not meet the requirements then it is likely they will not get to drive and may have to settle for a passenger ride instead.
In Profile: The Lotus Elise
So what Lotus is the best to drive? In our opinion, the best Lotus to drive is the Lotus Elise. Lotus first produced the Elise in 1996, its name deriving from the granddaughter of their then chairman, Romano Aritoli. A rear wheel drive, mid-engined roadster with better handling you could not hope to find as in the Elise, its engine offering 118 bhp and acceleration from 0 - 60 mph in 5.6 seconds.
Drivers that respond well to their instructor's guidance can expect to reach speeds of up to 120 mph in this car at certain venues. Some venues are limited in regards to the top speed achievable due to the length of the track but you can still enjoy the incredible acceleration, braking, and cornering on the shorter tracks.
Here are some of the other models from Lotus that you can drive:
Lotus Exige S
Lotus 2 Eleven