Lotus Elise returning to the U.S. by 2020

Aug 4, 2015, 1:51am ET

The next generation of the Elise will be developed with the North American market in mind.

Lotus has announced that the next generation of the Elise will be developed with the North American market in mind.

Introduced on our shores in 2004, the street-legal version of the current Elise was dropped four years ago because it no longer complied with safety regulations, and the EPA opted not to renew Lotus' temporary exemption. Customers can still buy an Elise new but they can only drive it on a track so sales are dismal at best.

Although Lotus faced similar issues with the bigger Evora, it was granted permission to start selling it again next year because it thoroughly re-engineered the car. The company considered making similar modifications to the Elise but it decided not to because they would make the two-seater noticeably heavier and more expensive.

"We'd need smart airbags, plus side airbags and to change the whole front crash structure. It would add 220 pounds," said company boss Jean-Marc Gales in an interview with trade journal Automotive News.

The bad news for Lotus enthusiasts is that the British car maker hasn't even started to develop the next Elise. The company is currently allocating the bulk of its resources to its first-ever SUV, and a brand new fully-compliant Elise isn't expected to land until 2020.

Note: Lotus Elise S Cup pictured