The Elise has been the gateway into the Lotus brand for 3 long generations. Now the company will be producing just 100 units of the car in 4 unique colour schemes, each highlighting an important car in Lotus’ motorsports history.
These ‘Elise Classic Heritage Edition’ models are based on the Elise Sport 220. While more expensive by £6,350, the amount of value added to each model is approximately £11,000 by the company’s calculation.
Here’s what each of those four models are based on.
Black & Gold, Lotus Type 72D
Emerson Fittipaldi raced to five victories in this over the course of the 1972 Formula 1 season.
Red, White & Gold – Lotus Type 49B
Raced by Graham Hill in 1968.
Blue, Red & Silver – Lotus Type 81
1980 driven by Nigel Mansell, Elio de Angelis and Mario Andretti.
Blue & White – Lotus Type 18
First Lotus car to achieve a Formula 1 pole position and victory when driven by the late Sir Stirling Moss at the 1960 Monaco Grand Prix
Here’s the press release with more information.
PRESS RELEASE
Lotus has launched four new limited-edition versions of the Elise, each with a vibrant and distinctive colour palette which pays tribute to the company’s pioneering and highly successful racing history.
Officially called the Elise Classic Heritage Editions, all four offer an enhanced exterior and interior spec over the Elise Sport 220 on which they’re based. They are on sale now across selected international markets.
As well as their unique colour schemes – instantly recognisable by motorsport fans worldwide – each car comes with an exclusive numbered ‘build plaque’ on the dashboard referencing the limited production run. A total of just 100 cars will be made, with the final numbers of each variant dictated by customer demand.
Each car has as standard a number of features which were previously on the options list. These include DAB digital radio with four speakers, air-conditioning, cruise control, ultra-lightweight forged alloy wheels with racing livery finish, two-piece disc brakes and black carpet with floor mats.
The Elise interior colour pack is also now integrated as standard. Elements include the upper door trim and central seat insert finished to match the exterior, with detailing on the door, gear selector surround and dashboard picking out key colours. The only one that’s different is the blue and white car, which has red alcantara seat centres.
Pricing is very simple – all four cars cost exactly the same, at £46,250 (€47,848). While that’s £6,350 more than a standard Elise Sport 220, with £11,735 of added features it represents outstanding value for money.
Ema Forster, Head of Product Marketing, Lotus, said: “Motorsport success has been at the heart of the Lotus philosophy for more than seven decades, and the Elise is our iconic roadster known around the world for its exceptional ‘For The Drivers’ performance. What better way to celebrate than by bringing these two pillars of our brand together, launching four new Classic Heritage cars which fans will instantly recognise?”
Several optional extras are available for each car, including a fibreglass hardtop roof, lightweight lithium-ion battery and titanium lightweight exhaust.
The Lotus Elise is an icon of lightweight performance car design and engineering. Built around its driver-focused interior, it delivers a pure, immersive and exhilarating on-the-road experience with outstanding ride and handling.
