The fact Elise is so small and trim so muted makes it most visible and striking in lighter colors. Of course, color selection and visibility is a matter of individual preference. Owners seeking to stand out and be seen will go lighter. Owners preferring stealth will go darker. Keep in mind that as a small car often traveling at high speed, there may be a safety advantage associated with lighter/brighter colors and being more easily seen in traffic. Elise offers one of the most broad and aggressive exterior color palettes in the industry, with a total of 20 hues available. Non-metallic Ardent Red and British Racing Green are standard at no extra cost. Seven metallic colors, six Lifestyle colors, three Limited colors and two Exclusive colors are available at extra cost.
Placed in a competitive context, Elise looks like a smaller Ferrari F430. Much smaller. Beyond F430, it does not really resemble any other mass production vehicle on the road. Not just from the standpoint of exterior appearance but in literally every other aspect, Elise (and its Exige S companion) is in a class by itself.
We like the optional Star Shield, a clear plastic film used to protect the paint on the nose of the car. It's impressively strong yet virtually invisible. Next Page