Charity Lot - 1997 Lotus Elise Series 1 - 1,900 miles

Purity is a fragile and vulnerable thing and in August 1996, the revolutionary new Lotus Elise seemed to ooze purity from every extruded anodised aluminium and epoxy resin crevice, with nothing superfluous subtracting from the essence of this truly minimalist, focused little sports car. Although 'beautiful to behold' it certainly was, the time-honoured relationship between 'form and function' was clearly evident in the way it went and handled, with its lightweight chassis-tub at 731kg failing to daunt the enthusiasm of the mid-mounted, 1.8-litre K-series engine and its 118bhp was enough for a 0-60mph time in the low sixes, allied to decent torque in the higher ratios. Clothed in two-piece 'clamshell' fibreglass bodywork, the featherweight two-door also featured all round double-wishbone, independent coil-over suspension, rack and pinion steering, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes and a 5-speed gearbox.

Designer Julian Thomson and engineer Richard Rackham were keen to create a car with something of a motorcycle's feel and they undoubtedly succeeded; as is evident as much in the aluminium-and-rubber interior and neat little Stack instrument panel, as in the car's dynamic intimacy with the road, the wind and the weather. The Elise was a reaction to the corpulent world of leather, luxury and levers becoming increasingly evident in Lotus road cars, and was an attempt to recreate Colin Chapman’s early principles before he abandoned them in a move upmarket.

Introduced at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, just over 10,600 S1 Elises were built before the arrival of the S2 in 2001. It’s a testimony to the concept that, almost 27 years on from launch, the original 118bhp S1 still delivers. As with other great drivers' cars such as the E30 M3 and the original Elan, all things feel in balance – power, grip, handling and mass, making for a uniquely satisfying experience. The Series 2 naturally benefitted from further years of development, however the more demure Series 1 still defines the breed.

The car presented here is a 1997 Lotus Elise S1 which was supplied new by long-established Lotus dealers Bell & Colvill to Robert ‘Robs’ Lamplough, the well-known 1960s racing driver and prominent member of the BRDC. Remarkably, it has covered just 1,900 miles from new, supported by its incredible condition and its detailed history file. This is a 'museum-quality' modern-classic, but it has been used and exercised sparingly, ensuring its fitness. Coincidentally, our very own ambassador, Harry Metcalfe, drove this actual car in October 2022, saying 'Nothing to see here, just an 1,800 miles from new 1996 Lotus Elise I was in today. Felt so light on its feet (K-Series was the perfect engine for the Elise) and steering was a reminder of how good a no-power assist rack can be. Pretty car too.'

This little Lotus presents superbly in Racing Green Metallic with Magnolia hide, and is fitted with a 'Momo' steering wheel, built in driving lights and Perspex headlamp covers. It is the 911th example produced and is equipped with a number of features unique to the early cars, including the lightweight Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) brakes and aluminium engine cover that helped towards achieving the headline-grabbing target weight of just 690kg.

The accompanying history file includes it's original purchase invoice and previous service invoices (including from the supplying dealer). As good as you'd ever find.

This fabulous Lotus is very generously being offered for sale with the hammer price figure realised (plus, the IA sellers commission) being donated to Birmingham-based charity Kids Club Kampala - a children’s charity with a Christian ethos working in Uganda, East Africa. Their mission is to support vulnerable kids in the slums of Kampala, the capital of Uganda, by providing for both their immediate needs and strengthening their futures by feeding, protecting, educating and skilling. Their projects are a lifeline to vulnerable children, and they are currently supporting over 300,000 individuals across 12 communities in Uganda.