2001 Lotus

(Please contact me for a link to high resolution images)

*Great investment - steadily increasing in value*

The waffle…

I never thought I’d do it. We all say that of course when we have something special in the garage. But we all have to move on eventually....

This car has provided me with some very special experiences over the last few years. Every drive in a Sport 160 is an event – period. The noise, drama and rarity of these things guarantees that. But this particular car has been by far the best of the 3 Elise S1’s I’ve owned since 2000 – perhaps it’s the looks, with the raised spoiler and more purposeful stance on the Victory alloys, or the characteristically lumpy tickover which never fails to raise the hairs on the back of my neck. The truth is I don’t know what it is – it’s just……better.

As the last of the factory-produced special editions, the Sport 160 seems to have somewhat of a cult following, and now I finally know why after my 3 year+ tenure.

I’ve owned the car since March 2014, having purchased it from Murray Lotus in Edinburgh. At the time, I was told that as a Lotus main agent they don’t normally sell Elise S1’s – but this particular example was such a pristine yet well sorted and usable example that they thought they would “give it a go”. It didn’t hang around long...

A year later, having attended various Lotus meets and shows, the car won a concours trophy, presented by Clive Chapman, in the ‘Best in Show’ category at the Cholmondeley Pageant of Power – despite the presence of some very, very fine exponents of the Lotus marque. It was the first ever gathering of examples of every road-going Lotus type number since the 1949 ‘Mk II’, right through to the latest Evora and Exige S, organised by the Historic Lotus Register.

Ah – so it’s a garage queen that never gets used and driven properly? No. In dry weather my country lane commute means the car is used and enjoyed weekly (though it is SORNed through the winter months). It rides and drives beautifully, and is ready to be enjoyed.

The serious bit…

45,000 miles from new. Always garaged and in pristine condition cosmetically, particularly considering its age and mileage. Due to their rarity, Sport 160's are steadily appreciating in value and you can use and enjoy this car, knowing that the value is increasing every year significantly more than the cost of running it. A Certificate of Conformity is present so it is ready to be exported if required.

The car is standard cosmetically, inside and out, apart from the fitment of black leather factory-trimmed Probax seats – I also have original Sport 160 seats and matching steering wheel centre (available by separate negotiation), though the seats do require refurbishing. It had a new soft top fitted before my ownership too, so that is in excellent order.

It has a full and complete service history from Day 1 (with no gaps) stamped in both the original Sport 160 and supplement service books. Every service invoice and MOT certificate are present in a very thick binder together with lots of other paperwork, plus the Cobra Alarm certificate, CoC, the original handbook and wallet, Sport 160 Supplement and both keys. I even have the original piece of card that shows how the hood is fitted, and the unused alarm stickers for the windows!

Over the years it has had a lot of money lavished on it by a couple of scrupulous previous owners to keep it in tip-top condition, and during my ownership it has benefited from the following in the last year, on top of the usual annual servicing, all done on schedule:

NSF Wheel bearing replaced, Anti roll bar drop links replaced

Nylatron Gear Linkage Bush kit

Janspeed Flexi Link Pipe replaced & new V-clamp, 4 new rubber exhaust mounts

Oil cooler pipes & joints replaced (full silicon hoses from Pirtek)

Mechanically it has benefited from a handful of sensible (and often essential) improvements, whilst still retaining the essence of what makes the Sport 160 what it is:

Janspeed Roadsport Stainless Exhaust

Alloy radiator

Goodrich Braided brake hoses

Emerald ECU (the original EFI ECU developed a fault which could not be fixed)

Nitron NTR Shocks & Eibach 350/450 springs

Freshly serviced in June (‘B’ service), at 44,229 miles. The car is ready to be cherished and enjoyed.

More information, including hi-resolution images and full history details available on request.