It’s hard to believe it’s been over 25 years since the first Lotus Elise S1 hit the market. Back then, the car was forbidden fruit – Europe-only until Lotus went ahead and homologated its series 2 (a.k.a. S2) for the USA with a supercharged Toyota engine. The S2 was definitely an improvement for those who’d been reading about the S1 with its Rover engine – not powerful, but powering something that light, it wasn’t that big a deal. In those years before the S2 though, some industrious Europeans wanted more from light little Lotus.
That we didn’t have the Elise S1 in those years meant we largely missed an in-period burgeoning trend of swapping different motors into the car. Among that group were several who turned for Audi’s highly capable 1.8T. Yes, that’s the very same engine that came in the first-generation TT.
Today’s Find of the Day is an intersection – where that “hard to believe it’s been 25 years” line comes directly into relevance. Here you have a 1998 Lotus Elise S1 in a very compelling shade of orange and completely built… and yes… with a 1.8T.
The listing suggests this is a 225 hp spec 1.8T in a car that weights just 790 kg (1,741 lbs.). For comparison, a TT quattro (Mk1) with 225 hp 1.8T weighs in at 3,250+ lbs (1,475 kg). That’s 1,509 lbs lighter, which is almost HALF the weight.
The ad goes on to say that the conversion was completed in 2010 by a firm known as Old Toys. It also boasts MMC brakes, aluminum uprights, aluminum trunk floor, toe link kit, an aluminum radiator, Nitron coilovers, rare Lotus Victory wheels and a detachable steering wheel. Lotus geeks will also note the rare clear turns signals and 111S style aerodynamic engine lid.
For my European and German audience. Have at it. It’s in Germany. For my North American audience, acquiring it also shouldn’t be that hard. Given its age, getting it acquired and shipped to the U.S.A. or Canada should be just a matter of contacting an importer like Orchid Euro or Open Air Imports and making it happen.
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