The super wide Lotus-based supercar you see in front of you is not much of a Lotus anymore.

After an unfortunate accident on the freeway a couple of years back, Frank Profera decided that instead of totaling the car, he wanted to rebuild it to how he would ultimately want it. From start to finish, the build took 11 months and the outcome is outstanding! Profera started with 160 hp Elise and ended up with a 680 hp street and track monster.

What about the balance and lightness of the car? Profera thought about all of that. He also took note of some wind tunnel testing done in the UK on a Lotus Elise. The front end has three pairs of canards that aid in keeping the vehicle planted at higher speeds, as well as a front splitter. As you can see, the whole body of the car is wedge shaped. Profera took Lotus 211 body panels and started modifying from there. The rear clamshell of the car also has a built-in wing that contributes to keeping the rear end planted under higher speeds.

As far as engine modifications go, Profera is using the factory 1.8-liter 4-cylinder that’s been given quite the rebuild. Wiseco 9:1 compression ratio pistons replace the factory units, Carillo rods, 1-mm larger Ferrea valves, and Piper cams help the engine make all of its power. A Precision ball-bearing 6262 turbo forces air through a 70-mm throttle body at a max of boost pressure of 36 psi. A methanol injection system provides an immediate octane boost supplementing the 91-octane pump fuel in the tank. The Ronin RS 211 carves the canyons and the racetrack with BFGoodrich G-Force R1 S tires, but still struggles to put its massive power down.

While the car’s aero is obviously set up for high-speed situations, driving around town and through canyons is where Profera really enjoys the car. However, we’d love to see it throw down a lap time or two at the track to get a benchmark.