1998 Lotus Elise

Only 28,000 miles from new
Well specified with metallic paint and leather trim
Extensive service history
Alpine stereo with remote control

The Elise stands alongside the legendary Elan as a high-water mark in the history of Lotus road cars, and the early Series 1 is renowned as being the purest of all.

This particular Elise was sold new via Peter Smith Sports Cars in October 1998 to an owner in Burton upon Trent. Its impressive specification included factory options such as metallic paint, a leather interior rather than the standard cloth, driving lamps, an alarm system, a radio fitting kit and a body-coloured hardtop.

The original service book is still part of the Elise’s history file and shows that it received its Pre-Delivery Inspection on 30 October 1998. It returned to Peter Smith Sports Cars for its first service in December 1998, then again in October 1999 for its second, by which time it had covered 7832 miles.

By 2000, the Elise had been sold to a new owner who was also based in the Midlands. That same year, an Alpine stereo was fitted, complete with remote control – which gets around the fact that reaching the headunit can be a bit of stretch from the driver’s seat.

Its early owners clearly revelled in driving the Lotus, with its service records and old MoT certificates showing that it had covered a whisker under 20,000 miles by the time it returned once again to supplying dealer Peter Smith for a service in December 2003.

The Elise was then sold to a Mr Norman, who was based in Morayshire in north-east Scotland. A collection of invoices shows that it was serviced by a garage in Inverness during this time, as well as by the Murray Motor Company in Edinburgh.

Its next owner was also based in northern Scotland, and had the car serviced at Moray First Motors in Inverness. It was used only sparingly during the 2010s, and by the time it passed to its current owner in May 2022 via renowned marque specialist Paul Matty, the Lotus had still covered only 28,863 miles.

The Series 1 Elise is rightly coveted as one of the best driver’s cars of its time, and this well-specified, low-mileage example is being offered for sale with an extensive service history, plus a full set of books, manuals and brochures.