1996 Lotus Elise Type 49 Wheels & Rims: Bolt Pattern, Offset & Sizes
Fitting Lotus Elise Type 49 wheels? This page gives the 1996 Lotus Elise Type 49 bolt pattern (4x95.25), centre bore, factory rim size and the offset range for aftermarket and forged Lotus Elise Type 49 rims: the same spec sheet ANKUSI uses when machining forged wheels for this car.
Quick answer: The 1996 Lotus Elise Type 49 uses a 4x95.25 bolt pattern with a 56.6 mm centre bore and M12x1.5 lug bolts. For aftermarket wheels, 15x6.5J ET5 front / 16x8J ET10 rear sits flush.
Forged wheels for the 1996 Lotus Elise Type 49 — drilled 4x95.25 with a 56.6 mm centre bore, built to the offset you choose. From $220 per wheel, made to order in 20–25 days.
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Lotus Elise Type 49 (1996): 4x95.25 bolt pattern, 56.6mm center bore, OE F 15x5.5J ET11 / R 16x7J ET14. Forged wheel fitment specs from ANKUSI.
Bolt Pattern4x95.25
Wheel Bolt/NutM12x1.5 Bolt
Center Bore56.6mm
Wheel Load Rating650–750 kg/wheel (Standard Passenger Car segment reference)
Year1996
CategoryRoadster
✓ Data check: the bolt pattern and center bore on this page match an independent fitment reference. Last reviewed September 18, 2026. How we verify
Wheel Size & Offset at a Glance
| Configuration | Wheel Size & Offset |
|---|---|
| Flush Fitment | F 15x6.5J ET5 / R 16x8J ET10 |
Forged Wheel Designs for the Lotus Elise Type 49
Every design below is forged to order, so it can be machined to the Lotus Elise Type 49's 4x95.25 bolt pattern and 56.6 mm center bore, with the width and offset calculated for your setup.
BBS LM-Style Gunmetal Mesh Polished Deep Lip Forged Wheels
Deep Dish · Gunmetal
Rotiform-Style Gloss White 6-Spoke Forged Wheels
Monoblock · Gloss White
BBS-Style Gold Mesh Polished Lip 2-Piece Forged Wheels
2-Piece · Gold
BBS-Style Gold Mesh Polished Lip Forged Wheels
Monoblock · Gold
Bronze Gold Cross-Spoke Forged Wheels
Monoblock · Bronze Gold
OZ Racing-Style Gloss White 15-Spoke Forged Wheels
Monoblock · Gloss White
Rays-Style Gunmetal Mesh Polished Deep Lip Forged Wheels
Deep Dish · Gunmetal
How to Read Wheel Offset & Measurements
Use these two references before ordering: the left diagram shows where each spec (PCD, center bore, offset, width and diameter) is measured on the wheel; the right diagram shows how positive, zero and negative offset shift the wheel face relative to the hub centerline.
ANKUSI Engineering Expert Advice
Convertibles lose some of the structural rigidity a fixed roof provides, which means the suspension and wheels end up doing more of the work to keep the chassis composed. A forged wheel keeps unsprung mass down without sacrificing the strength margin the factory built in — useful on a platform that's already managing extra flex.
The Lotus Elise Type 49 ships from the factory on a 4x95.25 bolt pattern with a 56.6mm center bore and a F 15x5.5J ET11 / R 16x7J ET14 wheel. Our flush reference for the Lotus Elise Type 49 is F 15x6.5J ET5 / R 16x8J ET10.; our maximum aggressive reference is F 16x7J ET0 / R 17x8.5J ET5. — beyond that, expect clearance issues against the fender liner without further modification.
Lotus Elise Type 49 OE Wheel Specs
The Lotus Elise Type 49 ships from the factory on 4x95.25 bolt pattern wheels with a 56.6mm center bore. The stock wheel size is F 15x5.5J ET11 / R 16x7J ET14, offering a balanced ride that suits most owners without any rubbing or clearance concerns.
Why the factory spec works for most owners:
- Balances ride comfort with steering response and highway efficiency.
- Wide tire and wheel availability at the factory diameter keeps replacement costs low.
- Lower unsprung weight than larger aftermarket wheels helps ride quality and acceleration.
- Guaranteed clearance against brake calipers and suspension components.
ANKUSI builds these wheels — we are the forging factory, not a reseller. For the Lotus Elise Type 49 (1996) we drill the 4x95.25 pattern and cut the centre bore to 56.6mm on our own CNC line, so the wheel hub-centres on the car with no spacer rings, in whatever diameter, width and offset you specify.
Converting these ET figures to backspacing? Use the wheel offset and backspacing calculator.
The figures on this page are part of our open wheel fitment dataset — 10,093 vehicles, free to download, CC BY 4.0.
Offset and Backspacing: Factory Wheel vs Options
Backspacing ≈ width/2 + ET/25.4 + 0.5 in. "Inward" means closer to the suspension; "outward" means closer to the fender lip.
| Setup | Size | ET | Backspacing | Inward vs OE | Outward vs OE |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Factory (OE) | 15x5.5J | ET11 | 3.68 in (94 mm) | — | — |
| Flush | 15x6.5J | ET5 | 3.95 in (100 mm) | +7 mm | +19 mm |
| Maximum | 16x7J | ET0 | 4.00 in (102 mm) | +8 mm | +30 mm |
Vehicles With the Same Hub as the Lotus Elise Type 49 (4x95.25, 56.6 mm Bore)
In our database, 5 other vehicle entries from 2 makes use exactly the same 4x95.25 bolt pattern and 56.6 mm center bore. Factory wheels from these cars bolt on and center on the hub without rings; offset and width still have to be checked.
4x95.25 is used by 0.1% of the vehicle pages in our English fitment guide (7 of 6,503); 85.7% of those also use a 56.6 mm center bore.
Hub-Centric Rings for a 56.6 mm Center Bore
A wheel with a center bore larger than 56.6 mm needs a hub-centric ring. The most common combinations:
| Wheel bore | Ring size |
|---|---|
| 57.1 mm | 57.1 → 56.6 mm |
| 60.1 mm | 60.1 → 56.6 mm |
| 63.4 mm | 63.4 → 56.6 mm |
| 64.1 mm | 64.1 → 56.6 mm |
| 73.1 mm | 73.1 → 56.6 mm |
ANKUSI forged wheels are bored to exactly 56.6 mm for this vehicle, so no ring is needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
What bolt pattern (PCD) does the Lotus Elise Type 49 use?
The 1996 Lotus Elise Type 49 uses a 4x95.25 bolt pattern.
How many lug bolts does the Lotus Elise Type 49 use?
The Lotus Elise Type 49 uses a 4-lug bolt pattern (4x95.25), so you need a 4-lug forged wheel to bolt straight on.
What is the center bore size on the Lotus Elise Type 49?
The Lotus Elise Type 49's center bore is 56.6mm. If an aftermarket wheel has a larger center bore than this, hub-centric rings are recommended so the wheel centers on the hub itself rather than relying on the lug bolts alone.
What does a flush wheel fitment look like on the Lotus Elise Type 49?
For a flush look with minimal to no rubbing, we recommend F 15x6.5J ET5 / R 16x8J ET10 as a starting point on a stock or mildly lowered Lotus Elise Type 49.
Do I need wheel spacers for my Lotus Elise Type 49?
No. ANKUSI forges each wheel to your exact target offset, including the flush or max specs above, so you get the correct fitment without stacking spacers. Spacers are typically only used to push out an existing OE-offset wheel without replacing it, which isn't necessary when you're ordering a custom-offset forged wheel.
How do I calculate wheel backspacing for my Lotus Elise Type 49?
Backspacing (in inches) = wheel width (in) ÷ 2 + offset (mm) ÷ 25.4 + 0.5 (flange allowance). For example, the flush spec above works out to roughly 3.95" backspacing up front and 4.89" in the rear.
What's the difference between wheel offset and backspacing?
Offset is the distance in millimeters from the wheel's true centerline to its mounting face (positive offset pulls the wheel in, negative pushes it out). Backspacing is the distance in inches from the mounting face to the back edge of the wheel barrel. They describe the same fitment from two different reference points, which is why ANKUSI lists both above — some shops and tuning guides quote offset, others quote backspacing.
Can I run staggered wheels (different sizes front and rear) on my Lotus Elise Type 49?
Yes — the Lotus Elise Type 49's factory and our recommended flush/max fitments already use staggered sizing (different width front and rear), and ANKUSI can forge matching staggered sets to your target offsets.
Sources and Last Update
Data checked against: avtoreference.com.
This record is part of the open ANKUSI Wheel Fitment Dataset (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23241521, CC BY 4.0).
Other cars on the same factory size: 15x5.5 wheels · 15 inch wheels.
Compiled by the ANKUSI Wheels engineering team, an IATF 16949 and ISO 9001 certified forged wheel factory in Guangzhou.