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Curated Auction

1998 Lotus Elise S1

At a Glance

~12.5 Years Owned | Upgraded Interior | ~£6,400 On Parts | New Soft-Top | Keen Reserve

  • Mileage~69,688
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine1.8L
  • LocationAberdeen

Curated Auction

We’ve visited this car, taken the images and written the description below – we’ve also verified the seller’s ID and actioned a HPi report – learn more

Curated Auction

We’ve visited this car, taken the images and written the description below – we’ve also verified the seller’s ID and actioned a HPi report – learn more

CURATED AUCTION

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CURRENT BID£3,500
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AUCTION LIVE

ENDS IN: 56 Days 12 Hr 51 Min 51 Sec

CURRENT BID

£3,500

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Video #2

Introduction

Colin Bashford
Professional Consigner

Tipping the scales at just ~725 kg, the Elise doesn’t require a great deal of power to get going.

Built on an aluminium chassis with a fibreglass body, the Elise was designed to keep both weight and production costs low. Production began in 1996, with early cars featuring a Rover K-series 1.8-litre engine producing around 118 bhp. That may not sound like much, but with a kerb weight of just ~725 kg, it’s enough to propel the Elise from 0–60 mph in approximately 5.8 seconds — and it’s exceptionally nimble too.

This particular car is a 1998 S1 and has been with our vendor for approximately ~12.5 years, and fewer than ~2,000 miles have been covered in that time. It is accompanied by a collection of invoices and MOT certificates, and it has a current MOT valid until 29.04.2026. The current owner has brought the car up to a lovely standard, and maintained as needed with ~£6,400 spent on parts and then additional spend on servicing etc. Presented in a smart silver over black colourway, this is a no nonsense sports car that is begging to have its legs stretched.

This listing was written from information supplied by Colin after meeting Neil the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

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We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Video #2

Meet the owner

The key to the Elise is its simplicity — it has absolutely no technology!

Having started the search for a Sunday driver’s car around twelve and a half years ago, Neil and his wife considered various types of vehicles. When they saw the Elise, they knew it was the one for them. They carried out a lot of work on the car, particularly during their first year of ownership. This included replacing the headlights, fog lights, all the mesh grilles, and the radiator, as well as fitting a completely new interior with updated seats and a steering wheel. Neil told us, “The interior was red when we bought the car, and I changed it to black.”

Neil has always loved how raw the Elise feels, telling us: “Mainly because of how basic it is — you really have to drive it. There are no driver aids at all.” Due to a lack of use, Neil has now decided to part with the Elise. He’ll be available to answer any questions in the comments section below.

Neil
Vehicle Owner

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CONTACT OWNER
EXTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Exterior

A lightweight fibreglass body, diminutive stance, and aerodynamic design; instantly recognisable.

Wheels and Tyres

The original five-spoke Lotus wheels appear to be in good condition, with just some age-related marks and a few kerb scuffs on both nearside wheels, but overall they present well. Neil had the paint on the wheels changed from silver to "Graphite Grey" early in his ownership.

A full matching set of Toyo Proxes tyres is fitted to the Elise; all appear to be in good condition with plenty of tread remaining.

image

Bodywork

The bodywork appeared to be in great shape, with the doors and front clam both aligning well. The engine cover felt a little wobbly when lifted, but it did fit securely. We did, however, notice a small crack in the front panel above the grille. In the current ownership, a sportier rear diffuser has been installed as pictured.

We've highlighted in more detail our observations through our hi-resolution images and videos, so please take time to look through all the media files for a detailed view at what’s on offer, and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

image

Paint

The silver paint appeared to be in very good condition, with an even hue and a pleasing lustre that really popped in the bright sunshine on the day of our visit. We did notice some stone chips on the front end, primarily on the front clamshell and a few on either side of the front bumper. There were also some chips on the rear bar where the roof attaches. The edge of the driver's door had a slight scrape where the paint had chipped off, and there were a few scratches around the driver's door lock as well.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

image

Glass and Trim

The glass appeared to be in excellent condition, with no chips or cracks observed. The windscreen features a blue-tinted sunstrip. All exterior trim looked to be present and correct, and the lights and their lenses also appeared to be in great condition.

Neil mentioned that the original roof was looking tired, so a new one was purchased a few weeks ago as pictured.

image
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INTERIOR VIDEO
Video #2

Interior

A simple, driver-focused interior gives you a clear idea of what the Elise was designed for.

Seats and Carpets

Fitted with a set of Corbeau seats finished in black fabric, these were upgrades that Neil has had fitted and they look in good condition with no excessive bolster wear noted. We noticed you can see through to a little bit of foam at the join of the panels at the bottom of the driver's seat, Neil told us that's how it's been since day one when he got the seats.

The Elise doesn't feature any carpets, in keeping with its lightweight ethos. The footwells are lined with textured rubber on top of the metal, all of which appeared clean.

image

Dashboard

The dashboard is a simple affair, featuring two large dials, a radio, heater controls, and a few other buttons for lights, etc.

Everything appeared tidy, with no damage noted. The odometer read approximately 69,688 miles at the time of our visit.

image

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

A Momo 88 steering wheel with an Alcantara-covered rim was fitted, again a replacement item from the current ownership, and it appeared to be in good condition.

The gearstick looks good too, with some signs of use, but nothing majorly concerning.

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'ON THE ROAD' VIDEO
Video #2

Mechanics

With just ~118BHP from factory — the Elise zips along thanks to the Colin Chapman lightweight philosophy.

Engine and Gearbox

The 1.8-litre engine sparked into life on the first attempt, with no issues noted during start-up, idle, or while driving.

On the road with Neil, the 5-speed manual gearbox performed well, selecting and engaging gears smoothly. Watch the video to both hear and see the car in action.

image

Suspension and Brakes

Neil told us that adjustable shock absorbers had been fitted as replacement items in his ownership, currently on a fairly stiff setting. The car handled the road well, even clearing speed bumps that seemed taller than the car, without any adverse noises from the suspension.

The brakes performed well, stopping the car effectively with no pulling or other issues. There were no unwanted noises either, and Greenstuff pads have been fitted.

image

The Drive

Out on the road with Neil, the Elise felt sharp, with plenty of power available and gears engaging smoothly, just as you’d expect from a sports car.

The ride was impressive, with the Elise taking corners in its stride and handling speed bumps with ease. It’s a fantastic car for anyone seeking a back-to-basics, raw driving experience.

image

Electrics and Other

There’s not much in the way of electrics in the Elise — you don’t even get electric windows. The clocks were all functioning properly.

Neil mentioned that he wasn’t sure if the radio worked, as he had never tried it during his ownership. Who needs a radio when you have an engine just behind you!

image
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Video #2

History and Paperwork

Coming to market from ~12.5 year ownership, it has had ~£6,400 spent on parts in that time that include some upgrades to the interior, and important mechanical upgrades and work too on top of servicing as required.

The Elise comes with various receipts for parts Neil has purchased to bring the car up to the standard he desired. These include adjustable shock absorbers, an expansion tank, exhaust manifold, and a more aggressive rear diffuser. He also changed the wheel colour from silver to graphite grey, replaced the side window rubbers, and, just two weeks ago, bought a new black soft top for the car. Many other components have been replaced, as detailed in the receipts, totalling around £6,400. Receipts from the previous owner are also included.

The car comes from nearly twelve and a half years of ownership with Neil, during which time he has covered fewer than ~2,000 miles. It has a current MOT valid until 29.04.2026. The car comes with one key, Neil told us he only got one key with the car when he bought it.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a history check on the vehicle - this is a professional check operated by HPI that will highlight if the car has been previously stolen, recorded as being in an accident, or have any outstanding finance - note, this does not include a mileage history check.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
30.04.2025 MOT 69,673
20.07.2023 MOT 69,604
21.07.2021 Service & MOT 69,584
13.05.2017 MOT 69,555
07.09.2015 Service & MOT 69,359
10.06.2014 MOT 68,881
10.06.2014 Service 68,872
19.06.2013 MOT 68,015
19.06.2013 Service 67,998
15.05.2012 MOT 64,715
30.04.2011 MOT 61,064
10.02.2010 MOT 57,316
21.02.2008 Service 51,772
01.06.2006 Service 46,773
VIEW ALL
Key Details
  • Model Elise S1
  • Transmission 5-Speed Manual
  • Reg. Date 29.09.1998
  • CC 1,796
  • Mileage ~69,688
  • Colour Silver
  • Interior Colour Black
  • Interior Trim Fabric
  • Chassis # SCCGA1114WHC34081
  • Engine # 18K4FJ31120567
  • MOT 29.04.2026
  • HPi Clear Yes all clear
  • Former Keepers 5
  • Tyre Brand Toyo
  • # of Keys 1
  • LHD or RHD RHD
  • Visited Yes
  • Sale Type Private
  • Owned ~12 years, 6 months
  • Key Feature Condition, upgrades, keen reserve
  • Auction ID 2776
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Video #2

All Images

Exterior

Interior

Mechanics

History and Paperwork

All Videos



Vehicle Location

Aberdeen

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    Auction Bidding

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    Current Bid £3,500
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    Auction Ends Thu 29th May at 7.40pm
    Bidding History
    Previous Bids  3
    £3,500 bid by mlab197519.05.25 @ 19:21:07
    £2,999 bid by Sjs88819.05.25 @ 10:54:54
    £2,345 bid by klunks6219.05.25 @ 09:17:08
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    Market View

    The S1 presents remarkable value for money, for a well cared for example like this one, the later cars costing well over 50% more.

    We’re sure you have a good idea of the value of this vehicle by studying our thorough listing, however, you may be interested to see a selection of recent sales of the same and / or similar models.

    1997 Lotus Elise S1

    Auction House Collecting Cars

    Sale Date 30 Aug 24

    Sold Price £17,750

    SEE AUCTION

    2000 Lotus Elise S1

    Auction House Car and Classic Auctions

    Sale Date 11 Sep 23

    Sold Price £13,750

    SEE AUCTION

    Insurance Quote


    Average annual insurance premium for a Elise S1 like this is £TBC via our trusted partner ClassicLine.
    GET AN INSURANCE QUOTEAnd get 10% off when you mention us.

    *Quote is based on a garaged vehicle in CV32 5QY (Leamington Spa), travelling 3,000 miles per year, 1 driver who is 45 years of age and is free on accidents and convictions – valid Spring 2025.

    Delivery Calculator


    Vehicle Location

    Aberdeen

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