Lotus Elise S3
2010-present
THE ELISE HAS been core to Lotus since it saved the company in 1996. The thirdgeneration S3 arrived in 2010, essentially a very lightly facelifted S2 (produced from 2000) with even the chassis settings unaltered. Notable differences were more generic headlights and a new 1.6-litre naturally aspirated engine. With 134bhp it’s quick enough if you’re willing to work it hard, but our test car gets the 1.8-litre supercharged unit. It stirs a far ruder 217bhp into the equation, with the shriek of supercharger whine injecting extra drama too. It’s the one we’d buy.
Whatever the engine, the Elise zings with communication and handles with instinctive purity – thank unassisted steering, a lizard-low centre of gravity and a modest 900kg for that. Perhaps most impressive is how the suspension delivers both a firm and focused fizz without brittleness.
It’s almost easier to go arse-first into a postbox than it is to land in the Elise’s pared-back cabin, but it’s actually highly comfortable once you’re in, especially the seats, which cup you firmly and yet still feel comfortable after a two-hour stint. Rolling back the soft-top makes entry and exit easier too – as well as unlocking an extra dimension to the Elise’s sensory experience.
The Elise has a large number of subvariants, including the Club Racer and Sprint, but ultimately it comes down to naturally aspirated or supercharged models. Today, most S3s tend to hover around the mid £20k to mid £30k mark – the car we’re driving is a 2013 model up for £30,995 at Bell & Colvill with 16k miles. We wouldn’t expect it to depreciate, unless you plan to use it much more regularly than most owners. And because the Elise is light, it’s easy on its (affordable) tyres and brakes, and can turn in 45mpg as a 1.6 too. For such an irrational purchase, it’s unusually sensible.
Other Lotuses might be more powerful, but it’s the Elise that distils the Chapman DNA to its purest essence. Nothing else here strikes a finer balance for the road.