Even in standard form, the Lotus Elan is renowned as being a high-water mark in sports car history, but this particular example is even more special thanks to its status as one of the ultra-rare Elan BRM models.

It’s thought that only about 10 of these were sold in period, and this is car number 006. It was delivered in kit form to its first owner – RJ Hayhurst – in August 1967 and registered 11 TE. Bob Hayhurst was a keen racer and used the Elan BRM in numerous events around the north of England, including the Baitings Dam hillclimb.

He kept the Lotus until 1987, when he sold it to his nephew, Mike Gregson, who re-registered it KBV 787F. With Gregson being based overseas, the car spent a long time in storage during his ownership, and when it was acquired by a new owner in 2010, they decided to embark on a full restoration.

The rebuild was carried out by Lotus specialists Ken and Neil Myers, with the remit being to retain as much of the car’s impressive originality as possible. The respray was done by Alan Rigarisford, who was in charge of the Mike Spence Ltd paint shop in 1967 and would have painted the Elan when it was new!

Such was the painstaking nature of the work that the colour was matched against a can of the original Dockers paint, and checked against an ex-Mike Spence BRM Formula 1 car.

The restoration is fully documented in a photo book that accompanies the Elan BRM. It notes that the car features the standard gearbox rather than the optional close-ratio unit, but that it has the optional 3.55 differential. It also states that, when corrosion was discovered on the steel backbone chassis, the decision was taken to replace it with an original Lotus-built chassis that was supplied by Tony Hills of Kelvedon Lotus.

Once restored, the Elan BRM was displayed at the famous Donington Collection between August 2011 and the museum’s closure in 2018, with the car’s owner regularly visiting in order to drive the car and stay on top of its maintenance. More recent work has included the fitment of a New Old Stock steering rack, new driveshaft couplings, and a suspension overhaul that was carried out by Neil Myers.

This Lotus Elan BRM is now being offered for sale with an exceptional history file that includes the book of service vouchers, the owner’s handbook, and period documents from Mike Spence Ltd that include specification options and price lists. Not only does it look highly evocative in BRM colours, it also drives superbly – fully justifying the Elan’s reputation for peerless handling and sounding great thanks to the throaty bark from its Twin Cam engine.