• A highly original, unrestored early production example (chassis #881), with original-specification lightweight aluminium MMC brakes
• The original single previous owner was an avid Lotus Club member
• Just 10,835 miles with Lotus service history from new, plus spare key, compete book-pack, original order form and sales invoice
• Still wearing its original (and unique for the S1 Elise) Pirelli tyres
• An exceptionally well-preserved underside
• Desirable and original Calypso Red paintwork

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 five-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.

Just over 10,600 S1 Elises were made, being shown to the world for the first time at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, before the S2 took over in 2001. It’s a testimony to the concept that, almost 27 years on from launch, that 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. Indeed, the dynamics of the Elise are so fluid that the ride and handling are the same thing. It makes for a uniquely satisfying experience. The early cars were followed in 2002 by the Series 2 but the simpler, more demure Series 1 still defines the breed.

The car presented here is a 1997 Lotus Elise Series 1, being 25 years old this year, and is the 881st example produced, so was equipped with early special features, including lightweight Metal Matrix Composite (MMC) brakes, that helped towards achieving the ‘headline-grabbing’ target weight of just 690kgs. This ‘time-warp’ example of perhaps the most iconic British sports car of the last 30 years still wears its original tyres, these being Pirelli P Zeros unique to the Elise; its factory cloth covered seats, now with a hint of patination, adds to the originality and purposefulness (not having been upgraded/spec’d in leather). The originality is obvious – the ‘green’ factory bonding used on the chassis is clear to see, whilst our vendor states “under the arches, the suspension components, and inside the doors is all in truly fantastic condition for its age – all original, but like a much younger car.”

Quite remarkably, but going someway to explaining its condition, since 2019/20 the car has hardly been used, and going back to 2013, it then had only covered 10,054 miles.

With just a single previous owner, who was an enthusiastic Lotus Club member, and who obviously cherished his red Elise, using it only sparingly but with the foresight to preserve and maintain such an unspoilt original example of a modern-classic, whilst retaining all its associated paperwork, this car deserves to be appreciated. It is accompanied by a full Lotus service history, its original sales invoice and order form, plus two keys and a complete book-pack (see images) – all a sign of diligent ownership, resulting in one of best S1 examples we have ever offered.

(the private registration of 'P7 JDW' is being retained by the vendor, and is now on retention; the actual number-plates have been left in-situ on the car as they are the original ones, having the supplying dealership name on; the car's registration is 'P395 GPE')