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With its world-renowned combination of flyweight proportions and small, highly-tuned engines, it was only a matter of time before Lotus released a frugal Elise.

Fitted with a 1.6-litre Toyota engine, its average emissions are only 149g/km of CO2 - less than a 1.6-litre Ford Focus, which emits 157g/km.

At a cruise the Lotus Elise can also manage 56.1mpg (extra urban), giving it a possible 500-mile range, even with its small 9.6 gallon fuel tank.

It should be the perfect car for the environmentally aware driver on a budget, who doesn't want to sacrifice performance and driving enjoyment.

The outgoing 1.8-litre Lotus Elise S emits 179g/km, meaning the new model represents a 16 per cent reduction in CO2 output.

But, while there's the same 134bhp on offer as before, the 0-60mph dash now takes 6 seconds - 0.2 seconds longer than the old model.

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