Hard to believe, but the Lotus Elise is 20 years old - the first example was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 1995. To celebrate, Lotus is building a 20th Anniversary Special Edition of the current model.
Exterior
It may be a familiar shape but the Elise still looks great, augmented here by auxiliary driving lights in the grille. Marking out the 20th Anniversary Special Edition is matte black detailing - the forged alloys, rear diffuser, wing mirrors, roll hoop cover and rear transom are all finished in this hue. There are four colours to pick from - refreshingly bereft of silly descriptive names, they are Blue, Green, Yellow or Silver - and bespoke decals can be found above the side repeaters. A hard top is a cost option.
Interior
That external Elise 20th Anniversary decal is repeated on the stereo blanking plate (i.e., you don't get a stereo as standard) and Lotus says there's a lot of extra equipment on this car compared to an Elise S. However, it's all about saving weight (the alloy wheels play their part) so the centre console is lightweight and body coloured, while the sports seats are also slender items which can be clad in either leather or Alcantara with colour-coded stitching. The options list is short in here - air conditioning or a CD/radio with USB connectivity and an NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) Pack are your only choices.
Mechanicals
The Elise 20th Anniversary is 10kg lighter than an Elise S, at 914kg all-in. Powered by the same 1.8-litre supercharged engine making 220hp and 250Nm as found in the S, it means the 20th Anniversary can do 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds and go on to 237km/h... which, er, are exactly the same stats as for the Elise S. However, its CO2 emissions are marginally improved, down from 175- to 173g/km, with extra-urban economy said to be better at 5.9 litres/100km (47.6mpg) - although the combined economy figure, which most people refer to stays the same, at 7.5 litres/100km (37.5mpg). Finally, the 20th Anniversary includes a sport mode, which increases throttle response and alters the point at which the traction control intervenes, to allow the driver more enjoyment of the mid-engined, rear-drive chassis.
Anything else?
Jean-Marc Gales, CEO of Group Lotus, said: "It is sometimes hard to believe that the Elise has been around for 20 years. It was groundbreaking when it was launched and continues to be the benchmark for handling and performance in its class. Over the years we have improved and refined the Elise, but we have also ensured that we have retained the purity of the driving experience and for the Elise to remain as the sports car to which other marques aspire."
The Lotus Elise 20th Anniversary Special Edition is on sale now, with prices for Ireland available via Lotus in the UK.