Monza was not a standalone Lotus nameplate sold to customers; it was the internal project code used for the second-generation Elise. Lotus introduced that new Elise in October 2000, and official Lotus materials describe the Series 2 car as being on sale from 2001. In other words, Monza identifies the development program behind a production model rather than a separate marketed vehicle line.
The Monza-coded Elise marked a significant step forward from the original 1995 Elise. Lotus kept the lightweight, driver-focused philosophy that defined the first car, but reworked the body, chassis, suspension and powertrain packaging to meet newer regulations and to broaden the car’s appeal. The result was still very much an Elise at heart, but with a more modern exterior and a more mature road-car feel. Lotus later continued to evolve the same platform through further updates, including the major 2004 changeover and later model-year revisions.
For enthusiasts, Monza matters because it represents the transition from the original Elise to the Series 2 era, when Lotus refined its lightweight sports-car formula for the 21st century. It is best understood as a project designation tied to the Elise’s second generation, not as a separate badge or a distinct production range.