Which is better Elise or Elan?
Not a fair question. It depends entirely on what sort of sports car you want. Lotus over-engineered the Elan, which is great for those who bought one, but not for a small car company trying to run a profitable business! The Elise was designed to be a much cheaper and simpler car to manufacture. It is of course a great car to drive in good conditions. Where the Elan scores is in the depth of its ability and safety. It is a car you can feel secure in all weather conditions, its ride is supple and the driving environment is comfortable. Forget the hype, drive both models and see which suits you best.
