2000 Lotus Elise S1

Please note that the photographs have been provided by the seller.

Highlights

• Classic original Elise S1 delivers driving purity in spades
• An analogue experience with a manual ‘box, no ABS or traction control
• Lots of bills showing many of the big-ticket items have been dealt with
• Sympathetic upgrades include Nitron dampers, LED headlights and sports exhaust
• Service history, original books and two keys included

Overview

Other than, perhaps, something akin to an Aerial Atom, not much comes close to the true purity of drive you get from a Lotus Elise S1. And bear in mind that the Atom doesn’t have doors, which means its purity comes at a price. Not so with the Elise. It may weigh in at well under a tonne but look: doors, windows, windscreen and a roof. They’re all there. By crikey, it even has a radio and a heater.

We jest, of course. You’d still need a certain amount of commitment to daily an Elise of any description, but few people do that. The Elise’s primary role in life is to give pleasure. It’s a tonic. Much like a gin and tonic, only it won’t give you cirrhosis of the liver. What it will give you is agitated follicles, because if the hairs aren't standing up on the back of your neck during and after a blat into the countryside in an Elise, get yourself checked out.Just look at this lovely X-plate silver S1. Now imagine the scene: a gorgeous summer’s evening, dappled daylight dancing on the Tarmac of a twisting, tree-lined road. And that road is empty. Nothing but man and machine (roof down, naturally) in perfect harmony. Behind you, you can hear the classic rortiness of a K-Series four-pot sucking the same warm air that’s gently ruffling your hair. Beneath you and through the steering wheel flood the endless tingling sensations that only a proper, old-school Hethel-engineered can deliver, filling you with the confidence to push. Come on, how good does that sound?

This car appears to be a little gem. Sure, it needs a bit of cosmetic TLC but during its current ownership of (almost) the last four years, its owner has done lots of work. There are stacks of invoices for servicing, along with some big repairs – the head gasket was done in 2017 but more recently it’s had a new set of hydraulic lifters and a cambelt and water pump change. It’s also had a recent set of Nitron Street shocks fitted, but otherwise this car it’s mostly stock. So get bidding, then get busy driving.

History and documentation

• Registered 19th December 2000
• Current mileage (at the time it was pictured) is 78,810 miles
• Recent service invoices as follows: A Type Serivce July 2021 @ 67,673 miles; new timing belt, tensioner, water pump, aux. drive belt, engine coolant and transmission oil March 2022 @ 70,904 miles; A Type Service Aug 2022 @ 72,605 miles; A Type Service Sept 2023 @ 76,058 miles
• Further service history included – the owner says some of it is missing before his ownership
• Loads of invoices for maintenance and upgrades, including: new cylinder head gasket Aug 2017 @ 58,921 miles; new front windscreen, new front pads and discs and Nitron Street shocks June 2021 @ 66,267 miles; new soft top Dec 2021 (mileage not specified); new track rod end, front wheel bearing and two front ball joints May 2022 @ 71,925 miles; new rear pads Aug 2022 @ 72,605 miles; new hydraulic lifters Dec 2022 (mileage not specified); new rear wheel bearing, rear ball joint and geometry check July 2023 @ 75,561 miles; new battery, distributor cap and rotor arm Nov 2023 @ 76,434 miles; new rear caliper and x4 Yokohama AD08-RS tyres May 2024 @ 78,389 miles
• Complete with its full original document pack and wallet
• Two keys
• Current MOT (with no advisories) expires 26 July 2024
• V5 present in owner’s name – in its current ownership for almost four years

Interior

• This your typical S1 Elise inside: all the essentials like a heater and radio are there, but otherwise it’s a paired-back car full of lovely details, such as the aluminium window winders and race-style pedal box – perfect for heel-and-toe changes
• Desirable optional leather trim; in this case blue, which goes well with the silver paintwork sections carried over from the exterior
• This car will suit someone looking for a light project – the cloth section on the driver’s side sill needs retrimming and the driver’s seat has some loose stitching that needs attention It’s nothing drastic, though, and otherwise it’s stood up to the years and mileage well
• The leather-trimmed steering wheel looks tidy
• Carpets appear to be in good condition
• We’re told that everything works as it should, including all the interior lights, buttons, the heater fan and windows
• It has a Bluetooth headunit that connects to your smartphone; the speakers are the original items
• With the roof on the headlining looks good – as we’ve mentioned, the softtop was replaced recently

Exterior

• The S1 Elise seems to get prettier with every year, thanks to that fibreglass Dino-aping body designed by Julian Thomson
• This car’s striking silver bodywork still shines in the pictures
• If you’re searching for a car with largely original looks, this is it
• The owner is honest and says his Elise isn’t perfect but decent overall for its year and mileage. It has the usual stone chips around the nose and the odd light scuff as telltales of the 25 years of driving pleasure it’s given. It also has some small paint blisters (most obviously on the nearside door) that need addressing if you want it to look tip tip
• LED headlight kit is a modern upgrade that helps take the stress out of driving at night
• Single-arm wiper upgrade
• The wheels are in decent condition – there’s no evidence of major corrosion or kerb damage (other than a small graze on the edge of the offside-rear wheel)
• The new soft-top was fitted in 2021
• The only paintwork repair we’re aware of is to the rear spoiler – it was painted after the wind blew the garage door down onto it
• Underneath is looks tidy – as is usual, there are some surface scrapes on the under tray but nothing more serious to our eyes

Mechanical

• 1796cc, all-alloy, dohc, 16-valve, four-cylinder K-Series, with Rover MEMS multi-point fuel injection
• Originally rated at 118bhp @ 5500rpm and torque at 122lb ft @ 3000rpm
• 0-60mph circa 5.5 seconds; claimed top speed 124mph
• Five-speed manual gearbox
• Mid-engine and rear-wheel drive
• Nitron Single Adjustable Street Series Suspension kit
• Sports exhaust
• New head gasket fitted in 2017
• New hydraulic tappets fitted in 2022
• Full geometry check in 2023
• Set of four new Yokohama AD08-RS tyres fitted in 2024
• The owner says the sports exhaust ‘adds a pleasing rumble without being obtrusive’
• We’re assured that there are no mechanical faults with the car, which starts as it should with a healthy-spounding engine that pulls well through the gears
• The owner also tells us that the brake pedal has ‘good feel and gives a lot of control when braking’
• Clean and tidy-looking engine bay

Summary

You know how good the Elise is to drive. What you need to know – for peace of mind – is that it has been attended to mechanically to avoid any big bills. That’s where this car shines. It’s had many of the obvious worries taken care of, including the head gasket, timing belt, water pump and hydraulic tappets covered off recently. It’s also had some sympathetic upgrades to modernise it, such as the LED headlights and Bluetooth stereo, with others that should improve the driving experience, like the sports exhaust and Nitron dampers. Otherwise it’s a largely original-looking car that, with a bit of light rectification work to the paintwork and interior trim, will be a stunning car for high days and holidays.

To arrange a viewing, please request this in the Q&A section. You can click through to the seller's profile and use the 'Email Me' function to arrange a viewing privately. This seller is located in Glasgow, Scotland.