LOTUSELISE SERIES 1 (1996-2001)
As crisp as ever today, the stonkingly good Elise was right at the front of the modern classic craze. And they’re still a good buy today, but beware the wrong ’uns out there
You might find that the words ‘Honestly, it’s a sensible investment’ aren’t quite enough to restore marital harmony should an Elise arrive on your driveway, but you’ll have a credible argument.
The futuristic new model took Colin Capman’s ethos into whole new realms of lightness and, some felt, restored an element of purity that the marque had been struggling to retain. These days the Series 1’s increasing rarity and significance for the company have kept demand and values strong. Many have been thrashed, crashed or exported, but there are still good Elises out there.
About £15k was once the ceiling for well-kept, low-mileage examples, yet it’s a fairly common price tag for a decent Elise these days. Anything over £20k will need to be a limited edition in excellent condition, but you’ll need to treat a car like that with kid gloves if you want it to return all your cash when you come to re-sell. No track days, then…
As always, the best examples attract the lion’s share of any appreciation. In the case of the Elise, that means finding one with a ruthless service history – especially relating to the K- Series engine – that’s free from damage.
Modifications are popular (some have Honda engine swaps) but original factory specification is increasingly sought-after, so keeping the car as standard and reliable as possible is generally the best way to ensure that you get your cash back when you sell it on.
That said, most owners find parting with their Elise extremely difficult…