Still amazing more than 25 years after it’s debut, the Lotus Elise set new standards for performance and road handling even though the early cars were powered by a Rover K series engine with around 120bhp. The new car was originally to be called Type 111 – pronounced ‘one-eleven’ – following a long-established Lotus tradition. As such, it would have sat between the Type 110 (a record-breaking carbon fibre bicycle) and Type 112 (a stillborn Lotus F1 car for the 1995 season).
Romano Artioli, however, had other ideas. The then-chairman of Lotus and Bugatti preferred a name to a number and proposed ‘Elise’ – inspired by his granddaughter Elisa. The promotional material was hurriedly redesigned, a trademark was registered and young Elisa was enlisted for the launch.
Based on a unique bonded aluminium chassis which was created using aerospace techniques, the chassis was exceptionally rigid. It was clothed using GRP panels, with a very minimal but functional cockpit for driver and passenger. The design followed the Colin Chapman ethos for lightness (a similar theme to Gordon Murray’s approach with the F1).
Tesla’s first car, the Roadster, was based on an electrified version of the Elise, using the main chassis components with an electric drive train. These cars are sought after, and like the Elise which is also now out of production, command an increasing price in the collectors market.