The Lotus Elise was designed and built with one clear purpose. It is the enthusiast driver’s dream car thanks to its light weight, accurate steering, superb balance and strong performance.

It's a modern take on everything that Lotus founder Colin Chapman stood for and as such there’s little else to match its agility, frugality and sheer feel-good factor.

The service history shows that the car was initially looked after by Lotus Main Dealers with later work being carried out by independent specialists. Since 2014 it has been used sparingly, covering only around 500 miles per year.

It was last serviced in March 2021 when it was treated to a full Lotus 'C Service' including a cam belt change.

Bought just last year by the current owner, it's being offered for auction due impending fatherhood.

Alongside a selection of invoices and old MOTs, the V5c is present and there are two keys, a full set of original tools and the original owner’s manuals.

The current MOT has no advisories and expires in March 2023, and the car also comes with a tailored outdoor car cover.

The cabin is deliberately sparse in order to minimise weight but is lifted here by a blue inserts to the seats, doors and steering wheel. It's an inviting sight for the keen driver and once installed behind the wheel, there’s no doubt about this car’s single-minded purpose: it’s built to drive and it’s built to drive quickly.

There is some wear to the driver’s seat bolster and base, and there are inevitable marks and scuffs to the tread plates together with a few marks and light scratches on some of the plastic interior trim. Overall, however, the interior remains very presentable and all of the dials, buttons and switches are in full working order.

The S2 Elise builds on the original design to incorporate a more sporting and aggressive look which silver really highlights, contrasting with the black inserts.

Overall the paintwork is very presentable, though with some stone chips to the nose and some marks on the door mirror cowlings. There are also some marks on the brackets and fittings for the removable soft-top and the window rubbers are showing some signs if degradation but it doesn't detract from the attractive appearance.

Other blemishes include a small crack in the paint on the rear bumper, a small scrape to the edge of the driver's door  and some condensation in the headlights but you have to be looking carefully to spot them. The wheels have some minor scuffing and wear a set of tyres with good tread.

Minor marks aside, in all, it's a car that will still have you looking back over your shoulder.

Fitted with the 1.8 K series engine and a five-speed manual gearbox, there's more than enough go to make this lightweight sports car a lively performer.

The recently ‘C’ service included a new battery and the car starts on the button. With a Janspeed Stainless Exhaust system and an ITG air filter fitted, it sounds the business too.

The seller reports that the car drives exactly as it should, with no untoward noises on the move and that it's exactly the kind of rewarding drive for which Lotus is renowned.

Widely celebrated as a pure driver's car that also has a level of day to day usability, Lotus's Elise was arguably in a class of its own. Production ended in 2021 and values of early Elises have been on the up for a while. With the S2 likely to follow suit, if you want to own one then it's best to get in before they climb out of reach.

This example has low mileage, a recent full service, and a new battery. It's ready to enjoyed, so get your bid in now to secure it.