2000 Lotus Elise

Finished in Spice Yellow, which is an unusually attractive metallic finish, with a Navy leather interior and a black hardtop, ‘X391 CNY’ is a desirable Series One Lotus Elise that benefits from a few judicious upgrades.

These include an uprated 52mm alloy throttle body and an Elise Parts gear linkage and hard-top. Last serviced by Lotus Silverstone at 48,000 miles, the work included a new cambelt.

With a low and verified recorded mileage of 48,000, it’s been in the care of the seller since 2014 and has only seen light road use.

Spice Yellow might be an unusual colour for the Elise but it is one we think suits the car’s petite lines rather well. It’s a metallic too, something that isn’t as obvious in the photos as it is in the flesh.

And it’s all in pretty good shape: July 2018 saw a new door seal being fitted, while headlamp covers were fitted in 2006 along with a new decal. These small jobs speak of careful curation, an owner who nipped minor cosmetic issues in the bud before they became bigger ones.

It’s always been garaged since the seller bought it too, and he’s kept connected to a trickle charger, which is another tick in the right column.

Which all adds up to an Elise that looks very good for a car that’s sneaking up on its first quarter-century, not least because the panel alignment and shutlines are pretty darned good for a low-volume car whose panels are made from glass-reinforced plastic.

Further proof of it spending time with a careful owner comes by way of the 15-inch alloy wheels, which are in great shape. Free of scuffs and kerbing marks, they’re also fitted with Yokohama Advan tyres on all four corners.

We will never get tired of telling you that experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

The Navy soft-top is in fine fettle with no rips, tears, or other damage. The seller thinks it’s a better colour for the car than the more usual black or green, and reminds him of the Camel livery the Formula One cars wore when Senna drove for Lotus.

The soft-top is supplemented by a very useful black hard-top from Elise Parts, which means you could use it all year around – and nothing, and we do mean nothing, would look cooler on a set of snow tyres than this.

The lamp lenses are in great shape too, as are the badges/decals, and the glass, which includes tinted side windows (of which more, anon).

But there are a few minor issues like the scuffing and scratches to the black hard-top, some chips and a repair to the rear wing, and scuffs to the panel immediately behind the passenger seat.

The Elise’s cabin won’t take long to describe – and not just because there’s so little of it. Like the exterior, the interior has been carefully fettled over the years – two sets of carpets, for example, one in 2003 and another in 2009 – so it’s in pretty good shape.

The Navy leather seats are holding up very well, but then they’ve only seen 48,000 miles-worth of buttock polishing. And while they might not feature much padding, they’re far more comfortable than they look (the driver’s seat even has an inflatable lumber support) and grip you like a hungry python.

The Stack instrument panel is good, with dial faces that are still vivid and easily readable. Everything also works as it should and, perhaps best of all, none of the warning lights are illuminated when the engine’s running.

The tiny steering wheel is barely polished, unlike the alloy gearknob, which is still nice and shiny. The lettering on the controls is still white and as legible now as it was when it left the factory.

Spartan it may be but the Elise’s cockpit features some very nice aftermarket parts including aluminium heater controls (the originals come with the car), alloy window winder handles, stainless-steel button-head fasteners, an elasticated netting pocket behind the seats, and a neatly engraved alloy gearchange gate.

A replacement Kenwood DAB/Bluetooth headunit is also fitted, as is an Elise Parts gear linkage and a push-button starter.

As for work to do, as you’d expect on a car that’s as hard to get into as the Elise, the outer edge of the driver’s seat shows some wear, as does the offside sill cover and armrest.

The Elise’s history file shows the following service and repair work over the years:

• 19.09.2000 and 1,230 miles – service by White Dove Garages
• 23.05.2001 and 9,061 miles – service by White Dove Garages
• 15.04.2002 and 18,474 miles – service by Dick Lovett
• 02.09.2003 and 27,466 miles – service by Orchard
• 22.09.2004 and 34,821 miles – service by Brooke Kensington
• 21.04.2007 – new oil filter and crush washer supplied by H.R. Owen Sports Cars
• 01.05.2008 – new Lotus Roadsport Greenstuff brake pads from Demon Tweeks
• 10.11.2009 – new stainless-steel exhaust downpipe from PTP
• 21.07.2021 – new coolant tank from Elsie Parts
• 28.08.2021 and 48,000 miles – service by Lotus Silverstone
• 20.07.2023 – new silicone coolant hoses from Elise Parts
• 10.10.2024 – new battery

As we mentioned in the introduction, the Elsie has been fitted with an uprated 52mm alloy throttle body. The seller was a bit concerned that the original plastic one could start to stick, something that’s a well-documented problem for some owners. Replacing it with an alloy one relieved him of that worry and he was also pleased to find it improved the car’s drivability.

But if originality is important to you you’ll be pleased to hear the original has been retained should you want to reinstall it.

It’s the same with the gearchange; while it has made a big difference to the way the car drives – “the gearchange is much faster” – the original parts have been stored and will come with the car.

He’s used the Elise for a long driving holiday in France, something the previous owner also did. This explains the presence of the tinted side windows, something the seller found worked very well for him too.

He says his years with the car have been “incredibly reliable. It’s never let us down” with the exhaust manifold being the only component to fail in the decade he’s had it.

His plans when he first bought it included track days; the reason he bought the car was because he was given a track day as a present and was wowed by the experience of driving an Elise around Thruxton.

But he never got around to it and says he’s such a careful road driver that he’s still happy with the Lotus’s original suspension.

The engine bay is neatly presented, if a little grubby. Most won’t mind that and would be happy to leave it as it is but improving it by cleaning and detailing it should be a simple and easy job.

As for the underside, the front valance shows some chips, scuffs, and scratches. There are also stonechips along the sills.

The Elise’s MoT certificate, which is valid until April 2025, was issued with no advisories. The online record also shows a small increase in mileage year-on-year, which supports the current odometer reading.

The history file comprises a set of tax discs from 2003 through to 2012, the Lotus book pack and wallet, a stamped service history booklet, and a heap of invoices for servicing and parts.

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the Elise comes with two keys and three alarm fobs.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the Elise is revered like few others, flattering a mediocre driver and rewarding the talented in a way that only a top-tier sportscar can.

And yet, there are an awful lot of dogs out there that limp from MoT to MoT and are run on a shoestring by folk who neither appreciate nor understand them.

This is not one of those cars.

The seller is lucky enough to have always had a company car on the drive, which means he’s been able to enjoy the Lotus properly.

As a car enthusiast who works in the motor trade, he’s been able to treat the Elise as his weekend hobby, fettling it to better suit his needs without having to worry about having it finished for a commute in the morning.

All of which makes this one for your shortlist, especially given our estimate is only between £16,000 and £19,000.

Good Series One cars are becoming harder and harder to find, and with a little minor tweaking this one could be brought back to standard specification, which is probably where the money is going to be.

Or you could continue to use it for high days and dry days, pootling around the ‘hood and stretching its legs across Europe on holiday – and after a few years you’d probably still get most of what you paid back, even with a few more miles under its belt.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the ‘Enquire About This Vehicle’ button on the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.