The Lotus Elise is basically a new car in my mind. I remember when it was introduced like it was yesterday. So why are these modern sports cars already being subjected to the indignity of a “restomod” as if they weren’t great to begin with. Oh, these Series 1 cars are already almost thirty years old? This is a real eye opener for me. A genuine “Only 90s Kids Will Remember” kind of feeling. I’m not sure I believe it.
The original Lotus Elise was something of a return to form for the English boutique sports car manufacturer. After a couple decades of the relatively porky Esprit, the company was in dire straits in the 1990s, and needed something new to get customers back in the door. The bantam weight mid-engine savior was drawn up in 1994 and launched to the non-American world in 1996. It may not feel like it, because production of the car’s third generation recently ended, but the Elise has been a part of our world for three decades.
All kidding aside, I really like the work that Analogue Automotive in southern England has done for these happy little machines. After 30 years they’re still looking pretty good, but the company is committing just a few tweaks to bring them back up to snuff and amplify the original ethos of the car.
For starters, the Elise is stripped to its bare chassis, cleaned up to like new, and strengthened slightly with some subframe bracing. Custom alloy control arms replace the original steel, giving the car some added track width to match its new coilover suspension. A quicker steering rack is fitted. The original 1.8-liter Rover K-series engine is still a simple naturally aspirated engine, but it’s been pumped up to 210 horsepower and some reliability has been added to the soup. The gearbox has been fitted with shorter ratios and a Quaife limited slip.
There’s a lot of good going on here. Unlike some restomods, the car isn’t made an over-the-top monster. This is just a refinement of the original formula, taking every little detail to the nth degree. I’m a little bit older than the Lotus Elise, and I could use some refinement myself. Maybe it’s time for a me to get a restomod.