The light was beginning to fade as we drove into a little village, one new to the both of us, and I put the map down. My aunt was driving and, with only a few hundred metres left to our destination, my eyes switched from scanning the road to scanning the driveways and open garages. We’d be hard pushed to miss what we were looking for, provided it was visible from the street: a Lotus Elise S1, finished in eye-catching and mood-boosting Norfolk Mustard yellow.
It was an early car, in the colour my aunt wanted, and I couldn’t fault her choice. I’d not driven one at that point, back in 2010, but I knew how popular it was among enthusiasts, and only a moment’s glance told you all you needed to know about its intent and the quality of its design. Okay, it wasn’t the most practical or refined of options, but it was only going to be for weekend jaunts and the odd longer trip. A definitive shot of automotive espresso, effectively, for when frame of mind and conditions were right.
However, even though the car proved to be excellent, my aunt had concerns. It wasn’t easy to get in and out of. No, there wasn’t much storage space. And the realities of owning it, in terms of not having a garage, not actually using it much and that leading to further problems, quelled her enthusiasm. We walked away. With the benefit of hindsight, it wasn’t the greatest move: the asking price was £9000 and a similar car would now cost around £16,000, if not more. Even a leggier example of a newer and less collectable S2 would cost north of £12,000 today.
