4 LOTUS ELISE S1

FOUR OF US HAVE AN ELISE in our Perfect 10, and had the choice of model not been split between different generations, the original Hethel icon would have shared pole position in our garage.

The appeal of the Elise remains as strong today as it did in 1996 when it catapulted Lotus back onto the front pages for all the right reasons. Lithe, light, simple and brilliantly effective, it was the result of what happens when a crack team of engineers are given full backing to develop the most important car in your marque’s history.

It has never mattered that the original produced a rather lowly 118bhp from its K-series engine (insert head gasket joke here) because its aluminium chassis was so expertly engineered and everything from its damping control to the quality of its steering was developed to such a high level that it immediately became the benchmark for ride and handling.

Dickie Meaden describes it as nothing less than the most memorable, special and revolutionary performance car to be launched during his (long) career as a road tester. David Vivian admires the depth and quality of the engineering that went into a chassis that barely changed during the model’s quarter-of-a-century lifespan.

It was, and remains, a pivotal driver’s car. One that is appreciated by old hands but has the magic to enthuse, excite and impress young bloods who think power and performance is the key to a great driver’s car, where the reality is that doing more with much less is far more satisfying.