Lotus is paying tribute to its grand prix racing history through the introduction of four new limited-edition versions of its Elise sports car.
Four colour combinations are available with the Classic Heritage Edition cars – of which just 100 are going to be produced – with each harking back to an original livery used by the Team Lotus F1 racing team.
The first is a black-and-gold combination made famous by the Lotus 72D that Emerson Fittipaldi raced to win the 1972 Formula 1 championship. A red, white and gold version pays tribute to the Lotus 49B that Graham Hill took to the title in 1968, while a blue, red and silver car is inspired by the livery applied to the rather less-successful Lotus 81 of 1980, which was used by Nigel Mansell, Elio de Angelis and Mario Andretti.
Finally, a fourth colour combination of blue and white harks back to the design used on the Lotus 18 car of 1960, which was the first Lotus car to achieve a Formula 1 pole position and victory – thanks to some help from the late Sir Stirling Moss.
Lotus 72D (1972)
Lotus 49B (1968)
Lotus 81 (1980)
Lotus 18 (1960)
All cars are based on the Lotus Sport 220, but receive enhanced interior features and touches. Each gets a unique build plaque, too.
In addition, the Classic Heritage Edition cars get a DAB digital radio, air conditioning and cruise control, as well as forged alloy wheels and two-piece disc brakes – features which usually reside on the optional extras list for the Elise.
All four versions are priced at £46,250 which, though commanding a premium of £6,340 over the standard Elise Sport 220, theoretically represent a saving of £11,735 given the value of additional extras they includes. The cars are on sale now.
Keyword: Classic Heritage Edition Elise is latest Lotus special edition