30 years on: museum-grade Lotus Elise S1 for sale
Original down to its tyres, this really is a good-as-new Elise - there's even a Lotus finance offer
Like just about every year of its existence, 2026 looks like being a huge one for Lotus. The plug-in hybrid offering for the Eletre and Emeya can’t come soon enough, given the general lack of demand for pure EVs at their price point. With the 718 Cayman now out of production, and any small Porsche sports car with an engine likely some way off, what a time it could be to really celebrate the manual, supercharged V6 Emira. Imagine a car with a bit more power and attitude that looked like the GT4 racer - surely a good news story for Lotus (that wouldn’t require re-engineering a whole car).
Whatever happens, it’s all a far cry from 30 years ago, because in 1996 the very first Elises were being made. And Lotus couldn’t get them out the door soon enough. Having stunned the crowds at the Frankfurt show in 1995, there really was going to be no stopping the Series 1 Elise all the way into the 21st century. Just imagine seeing something that looked like this at a time when Ford Escorts and Toyota Starlets still existed; at a price that was attainable, too. As has been well documented over the three decades since, the Elise was everything that a small Lotus should have been: beautiful, innovative, affordable and brilliant to drive.
On the face of it, this appears nothing more than another nice example of the S1. We’ve all admired plenty of Calypso Red Elises over the years. But this one isn’t like the rest, because it’s a genuine one-owner-from-new Elise; and since first registration in 1997, it’s covered just 6,642 miles. It has never been modified, upgraded, or altered at all from the factory specification. Somehow, this Elise is still wearing its original Pirelli P Zeros as well; something that a new owner will want to change asafp, but proof of just how gentle this car’s use has been.
The majority of its miles were accrued before digital MOTs, the 2006 test showing 4,869 miles. Maybe it was a retirement gift, a weekend plaything for the summer months. Even the hardiest folk would have to concede the Elise isn’t best suited to inclement weather, so that would make some sense. Over the past 20 years the miles have racked up much more slowly, never more than 250 between MOTs and sometimes just a handful. It’s moved at least, and retained roadworthy status every year, which is certainly preferable to being abandoned. Or laid up for any period, really. It’s just impossible to recall an Elise used so seldom.
As you might guess for a 6,000-mile example that must have been garaged, it’s a glorious example. The paint is as vibrant as ever, the sills are unscuffed, the seats holding up well despite being upholstered as generously as a wallet. It’s a wonderful reminder of just how right the Elise was back then, with the added benefits here of the rare MMC brakes and a sports exhaust.
It’s begging to be driven, basically (at least once those tyres have been swapped). This Elise is always going to be a low-mileage prospect; even if you did a couple of thousand miles every year and sold it at the end of summer 2030, it’d still be on little more than 15k. It’d still be extremely collectable, too. While the Elise was notable for its gorgeous design, it became an icon because of how it drove. And what better time to find out all about it than 30 years since the first one hit the road? This Lotus dealer even has a finance offer to make £29,995 look more manageable…
Certainly not immaculate as it's old and we've have had some fun in it.
Every spring we have the "must get the Elise MOT'd and sorted for the summer" then life gets in the way and then "it's too late now so not a lot of point".
This year maybe.
I bought an S1 new in ‘97 with the MMC brakes. Today’s drivers would be shocked at how bad they were in the rain. None the less, I used it daily in all weathers for two years. Even though I had a perfectly good estate car sitting on the driveway.
Happy days.
I bought an S1 new in 97 with the MMC brakes. Today s drivers would be shocked at how bad they were in the rain. None the less, I used it daily in all weathers for two years. Even though I had a perfectly good estate car sitting on the driveway.
Happy days.
The youngsters today flying around in their modern hot hatches thinking they're driving gods really don't understand how much of the heavy lifting the car's electronics are doing. One really is driving an Elise. Luckily it handles really well and isn't endowed with massive power. But, when it's starts to get out of shape the hedgerow can rush up on you quickly. Thing is whilst it feels like you're really going for it in reality and by modern standards you're probably not actually going that fast so have a chance of salvation.
Just a complete set of bushes, ball joints and tyres is likely to cost 1000-1500 as parts alone depending on how much you need and what you want to go for.
This is a lovely throwback from a different time with cars I reckon.
The youngsters today flying around in their modern hot hatches thinking they're driving gods really don't understand how much of the heavy lifting the car's electronics are doing. One really is driving an Elise. Luckily it handles really well and isn't endowed with massive power. But, when it's starts to get out of shape the hedgerow can rush up on you quickly. Thing is whilst it feels like you're really going for it in reality and by modern standards you're probably not actually going that fast so have a chance of salvation.
It is still an itch that I’d like to scratch Just a complete set of bushes, ball joints and tyres is likely to cost 1000-1500 as parts alone depending on how much you need and what you want to go for.
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