Elise S1

Name: Elise S1
Brand: Lotus

Lotus | 1996–2001

Photo: Image credit: Lotus Cars

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Production Run

15,530

Factory Price

From ~£20k at launch (UK, mid-1990s); S1 pricing evolved by variant

Car Type

Naturally Aspirated

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Variants:

Standard Elise; 111S (VVC); Sport 135; Sport 160; Sport 190; Type 49 / heritage liveries; 340R related special. Lotus Cars heritage cites Type 111 production 1996–2003 volume approx 15,530 & 2,160 across listed models — treat as OEM approximate, not a hard VIN audit.

Overview

The Series 1 Lotus Elise (Type 111) is the original bonded extruded-aluminium lightweight roadster revealed at Frankfurt on 12 September 1995 and produced from 1996. Julian Thomson led the exterior design; Richard Rackham’s aluminium tub (with Hydro Aluminium) set a new low-volume chassis benchmark. Mid-mounted Rover K-Series power and extreme lightness (~725 kg early cars) defined the recipe that Analogue Automotive later rebuilds as the SuperSport donor platform.

Key Specifications

Engine

1.8L Rover K-Series I4 (incl. VVC / VHPD variants)

Power Output

118–190 bhp depending on variant (standard 118; 111S ~143; Sport 160/190 higher)

Top Speed

124–150 mph class (variant-dependent)

0-60 mph

~5.5–5.9 s 0–60 mph (standard ~118 bhp)

Successor

Lotus Elise S2

Legacy & Impact

Saved Lotus commercially and licensed its chassis thinking widely (notably Tesla Roadster). Remains the purest Elise driving experience and the donor basis for Analogue Automotive SuperSport restomods.

Key Personnel

Julian Thomson

Chief Designer (Elise)

Richard Rackham

Chassis Engineer (aluminium tub)

Colin Chapman

Founder, Lotus (philosophy)

Technical Details

Chassis: epoxy-bonded extruded aluminium spaceframe (~65–70 kg bare) with steel rear subframe. Body: composite front/rear clamshells. Engine: mid-transverse Rover K-Series 1.8 I4; launch 118 bhp; 111S VVC and Sport variants higher. Transmission: 5-speed manual (Rover PG1 family). Brakes: Lotus/AP Racing opposed-piston front calipers; early cars used Lanxide MMC aluminium discs (discontinued early). Tyres: Yokohama A048 / Advan lineage on early cars. Weight: ~690–770 kg (Lotus Cars heritage stats for 1996–2003 block). Sources: https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/lotus-story/road-cars/elise

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