Lot 227: Deliver mileage only, sold in aid of UNICEF
2008 Lotus Elise S Roadster
Registration no. to be advised
Chassis no. to be advised
Engine no. to be advised

‘The Elise marks a return to basic Lotus philosophies: it is innovative and light, it has a very stiff chassis to combine with the suspension to give optimum handling and ride, it echoes racing practices in some respects and it is straightforward in production terms.’ – David Hodges, ‘Lotus – The Legend’.

Spiritual heir to the Lotus Seven, the Elise was a car that company founder Colin Chapman would have been proud of; indeed, at the time of its launch in 1995, Lotus Cars MD, Rod Mansfield declared, ‘this car typifies what Lotus has done best for almost 40 years.’ The Elise’s subsequent success – it is still in production today - has proved ample justification for the British firm’s decision to return to its roots.

At the heart of the Elise is a chassis comprised of epoxy-bonded aluminium extrusions – a first for a road car – weighing only 65kg (143lb). The result was a kerb weight (at time of launch) of 720kg (1,584lb), which endowed the Elise with a formidable power-to-weight ratio despite a relatively modest maximum output of only 125bhp from its Rover K-Series 16-valve engine. Following Rover’s demise, Lotus switched to Toyota power in 2004, the vital statistics for the ‘entry level’ Elise S – introduced for 2007 – being 134bhp and a kerb weight of 860kg (1,892lb).
Although well over a decade old, the Elise’s has evolved to keep abreast of the opposition, demonstrating the soundness of the original concept. The Lotus Elise is still one of the best driver’s cars on sale at any price and continues to represent an affordable purchase for sports car enthusiasts on a budget who value both performance and looks.

Offered with delivery mileage only recorded, this new Lotus Elise S has been donated by the Lotus factory, the proceeds of the sale to be donated to UNICEF. UNICEF, the United Nations Children’s Fund, was set up by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1946 to provide emergency food and healthcare to children in countries devastated during WW2. Voluntarily funded by donations from national governments and private donors, UNICEF has a presence today in 190 countries and territories where it continues to provide vital humanitarian assistance to children and mothers.