Lotus · Elite · Bar

Lotus Elite bar chart (2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4)

Drivetrain: rear-wheel drive
Body: passenger car
PSI F / R: 32-35 / 32-35
Bar F / R: 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4

bar

2.31 / 2.31

32-35 / 32-35 psi · 231 / 231 kPa

32-35 psi F · 32-35 psi R · 2.2-2.4 / 2.2-2.4 bar · 231/231 kPa

2.3 bar is not 23 psi. On this Elite 2.2-2.4 bar converts to about 32-35 psi. Use the table, not a guess. A 10 °C overnight drop takes roughly 1 psi (0.07 bar) off a closed Lotus tyre.

Bar, PSI and kPa

Bar-led conversions around the Lotus Elite. 2.2-2.4 bar is not “32-35 divided by ten”.

Bar	PSI	kPa
2.07	30	207
2.21	32	221
2.28	33	228
2.31	33.5	231
2.41	35	241
2.48	36	248
2.62	38	262
2.76	40	276
3.03	44	303
3.45	50	345
4.14	60	414

Lotus Elite placard versus sidewall

If the Lotus sticker is painted over, the handbook is next. This website is a map, not a replacement VIN label.

Estimated pressure by tyre size (225/45R17 and others)

If your Lotus Elite no longer wears the OEM diameter, start at the row nearest 225/45R17 or 205/55R16 and confirm with the tyre maker’s load table.

Tyre size	Front PSI	Rear PSI	Front bar	Rear bar	Front kPa	Rear kPa	Note
225/45R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Sport 17-inch
205/55R16	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Typical mid-compact OEM
215/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Plus-size 17-inch
225/40R18	36	36	2.48	2.48	248	248	Low-profile 18-inch
215/55R16	34	35	2.34	2.41	234	241	Slightly wider 16-inch
195/65R15	34	34	2.34	2.34	234	234	Very common compact
225/50R17	35	35	2.41	2.41	241	241	Touring 17-inch
185/65R15	33	33	2.28	2.28	228	228	Small / older car

Load notes

Load moves the rear of a passenger car first. If the factory placard already has a “laden” column, use that instead of these sketches.

Condition	Front (est.)	Rear (est.)
Driver only	34 psi / 2.34 bar	34 psi / 2.34 bar
Full occupancy	35 psi / 2.41 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar
Motorway + luggage	36 psi / 2.48 bar	36 psi / 2.48 bar

How to set the Elite

Measure before the school run, not after the M25.
Write LF / RF / RR / RL. Do not keep Elite numbers in your head.
Add air in short bursts toward 34 psi (2.31 bar) front and 34 psi rear.
If one corner is 4 psi down, hunt for a nail before you blame the weather.
Log date, ambient temperature and the four readings.

Temperature drift

Roughly 1 psi per 5–6 °C. The table uses 34 psi as a 20 °C baseline for this Elite.

Ambient	Gauge (front mid)	Bar	kPa	Note
−5 °C (hard frost)	31 psi	2.14 bar	214 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
0 °C	32 psi	2.21 bar	221 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
8 °C (UK winter morning)	33 psi	2.28 bar	228 kPa	Gauge reads low; do not overfill once warm
20 °C (set cold here)	34 psi	2.34 bar	234 kPa	Baseline
30 °C	36 psi	2.48 bar	248 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre
38 °C (heatwave tarmac)	37 psi	2.55 bar	255 kPa	Do not bleed a hot tyre

Lotus notes

No special Lotus exception: the Elite uses the door-pillar placard. Size estimates on this page only help if you have left the original load index behind.

Spare and inflator kit

A matching full-size spare on the Lotus Elite usually follows the higher axle (often the rear, near 32-35 psi). A space-saver is commonly 60 psi / 4.1 bar — read that tyre’s own sidewall. An inflator kit is not a spare; check the sealant date.

Keep the Lotus Elite on the printed band; use 225/45R17 and 215/50R17 only as a map for non-OEM wheels.

Other Lotus models

Exige 2-Eleven Excel Omega Emira Venturi Esprit Emeya

Questions about this Elite

How often should I check a Elite?

Monthly, before a long trip, and after a 10 °C weather swing. Include a full-size spare.

What PSI if I plus-size toward 215/50R17?

Keep load index at or above OEM. Low-profile sizes usually stay at or slightly above the placard. Use 225/45R17, 205/55R16 and 215/50R17 as a planning band.

Front versus rear on the Lotus Elite?

This row is 32-35 F / 32-35 R. Even when they match, a laden rear can justify a higher number if the sticker prints one.

What is that in bar and kPa for the Elite?

Mid-points are about 2.31 bar (231 kPa) front and 2.31 bar (231 kPa) rear.

Should I bleed pressure after a motorway run?

No. Heat raises the gauge. Set cold only. Bleeding a hot tyre leaves it low the next morning.

Handbook: placard · bar vs PSI · front vs rear · cold inflation