ELISE PRICES TO RISE
Model values set to climb as Elise production ends on its 25th anniversary
Dealers, specialists and club officials alike are tipping the Lotus Elise S1 as a potentially solid investment now that Lotus has announced that it will replace the car later this year with the new Type 131.
The market is set to benefit in a similar manner to that of the Land Rover Defender, whose already solid residuals strengthened further when production finally ended in 2016. Allon White Sports Cars sales manager, Phil Benfield, told Classic Car Weekly: ‘S1 residuals are already good, with low mileage examples especially so and values holding firm.
‘But it’s the original and unmodified cars that will start to climb in value irrespective of the specific model.’
Hanger 111 Lotus Performance managing director, Greg Lock, said: ‘ Values of used Elises have been increasing anually by around £800 for quite a while now and show no signs of levelling off. The S1 is still the track day choice or backroad burner while the later models make for great touring cars. But they’re all likely set to increase in value.’
Club Lotus said that it was also well aware of the Elise S1’s market value. Chairman, Alan Morgan, said: ‘The original S1 has always been sought-after, with a good, unmolested original example worth £20,000 of anyone’s money. The supercharged version, meanwhile, now commands serious, increasing customer outlay.’
Mark Stone
] allonwhite.co.uk
] hanger111.com
] clublotus.co.uk