Lotus Elise (S1)
One we found for sale 1998 Elise, 82,000 miles, £11,995
Lotus has won BBDC four times, which means the Norfolk-based firm is the third most successful car maker in the history of the contest. The second of those victories came in 1996 when the original Elise was still box fresh and busy winning admirers across the globe.
When Autocar’s Andrew Frankel got back behind the wheel of an S1
Elise in 2016 to celebrate its 20th anniversary, he became smitten all over again. “The car is so supple, so good at shrugging off the challenge of crests, cambers and surface changes, that it makes you want to drive until the tank has run dry,” he said, before going on to conclude that “history will place it among the finest sports cars this or any other country has ever produced.”
These cars are rare and desirable
enough today that they will hold their value, or perhaps even creep up over time. You will find cars for sale at £12,000 or so and you’ll soon realise that for the same outlay you could bag a later, more modern-looking Elise S2. However, those looking for the purest and most unfiltered driving experience should disregard the newer model and stick to the S1.
The all-aluminium K-series engine has a reputation for blowing head
gaskets like they’re made of Shredded Wheat, but the latest gaskets should be much more durable. The Elise is about nothing if not the purity of its steering and the brilliance of its chassis, which is why wheel geometry should be checked every two or three years and suspension bushes replaced every five or six. You needn’t worry about rust, of course, although it’s worth being aware that damaged body panels can be pricey to replace.