It's been a long time coming, but the Lotus Elise has finally gone under the knife and gotten a new nose inspired by its 2+2 sibling. Available in both standard (189 horsepower) and SC (218 hp) guise, the 2011 Elise also benefits from a new engine cover, improved aerodynamics and LED daytime running lights and indicators.

It's not a huge makeover, but depending on who's looking, it's a subtle improvement over its predecessor, lending a bit more familial cohesion to Lotus' entry level model – something that's going to be more important when the next-generation Esprit finally hits the roads in two years time. Sales of the facelifted Elise are set to begin later this summer and you can get all the details about the updates in the press release below the fold.