The metallic green paint throughout the car remains in excellent condition thanks in large part to much of the car being covered in a factory Lotus clear bra since it was new. We believe the paint to be all original underneath the clear bra but are unable to test it. The paint remains smooth and consistent throughout the car, with excellent color and perfect metallic shine. There are a few areas with minor imperfections from normal use on the front area of the car. These present themselves in some very minor stone chipping and scuffing on areas that were not protected by the clear bra. The yellow stripes that run the length of the car are not original to the vehicle but were added by the owner and were professionally painted on by Chuck Reiser. The badging on the shroud above the drivers head is also not original but the original shroud is included with the sale should the new owner choose to put it back. The body itself is straight and consistent throughout, with excellent, tight, and consistent body panel gaps.

The glass throughout the cars remains in excellent condition and appears to all be original with no issues to note. The headlights remain in good condition, with a bit of light scratching to the top section of the driver's side headlamp (photos of this are available above). The trim throughout the car shows excellent fitment with good color. The black plastic air intakes located behind the doors appear to have had the very lower corner where they meet the door trimmed back, but we are unsure if this is correct or not (see photos).

The wheels that are currently fitted to the car are Type 25 wheels, very hard to find, and were installed by the dealer as part of the Type 25 upgrades package that the owner fitted to the car. They remain in excellent condition, with clean painted surfaces and no signs of any wear or rash. The original wheels are included with the car and also remain in excellent condition, showing no signs of wear.

Overall, the car presents very well, as you would expect from the mileage and careful ownership. There are a few minor scuffs and rock chips on the front area of the car from normal use, in areas where the nose section was not protected by the clear bra.

Much of the interior was swapped out for Type 25 interior bits by the owner. These were all installed by the deals, and the interior remains in great condition. The Type 25 seats show very nicely, with minimal wear to speak of. Some of the fabric is beginning to bunch in areas from normal use, but there is minimal, if any, wear to the bolsters or other high-traffic areas. The Type 25 steering wheel is in good condition, with a little scratch in the silver section as well as some very minor fraying to the stitching, but absolutely no separation or issues to worry about. The door cards are also Type 25 and remain in great condition with a nice tight fit. There is some very light scuffing in high-wear areas, such as the driver’s side door sill, as well as the bare metal passenger footrest, but nothing that takes away from the overall appearance of the interior. The dash remains in great condition, with a nice tight fitment and no fading or cracking. The gauges are bright, clean, and easily readable.

Everything on the interior appears to function as it should. The gauges read their requisite functions as they should, the shifter moves smoothly between gears, and all the buttons and switches appear to function as they should. The original radio was swapped with a newer Blaupunkt version, which works well, and the original is included with the sale of the vehicle.

The engine bay appears very well taken care of and remains tidy and largely stock with no issues to note. There is a painted engine cover currently fitted, with the original included in the sale of the car. The supercharger, while not original to this specific car, was fitted by the dealer while bringing this car up to 2006 specifications, and all the pieces swapped out, such as the manifold, are included with the sale.

The small trunk area behind the engine bay is nice and tidy, with no issues to note. The carpeting fits properly, and the battery is neatly tucked to the side with a well-fitting plastic cover.

The underside presents exactly as one would expect from an example with such low mileage and careful ownership. Much of the underside is covered in slick metal pans that remain clean and tidy with no dents or issues to speak of. There is some very minor scraping on the underside of the front lip, about 4 inches in length, that is only visible from the underside of the vehicle. There is also some very minor surface corrosion on bolts etc. located on the suspension components. Factory stickers and markings are present on the underside, such as the jack pad positioning stickers. Factory orange seam sealer is present at all gaps throughout the underside.

The engine fires to life with a quick prod of the started button and setttles into a smooth and consistent idle. Out on the road it makes excellent linear power with no flat spots or stumbles to speak of. It sounds very healthy and makes ample power to propel this little Elise down the road in a hurry.

The transmission shifts smoothly between gears and the clutch has a nice positive feedback to it with appropriate take up and power hold.

The brakes bring the car to a smooth and controlled stop with no issues to speak of. The suspension is where these cars truly shine, and this example is no exception. The suspension on this car is quick and compliant, with lightning-quick response and reflex. There is no odd road behavior or noises to speak of.

The Type 25 wheels are fitted with a new set of Yokohama Advan A048 tires on all four corners, which are the correct tire type to the Lotus Type 25.

There are few cars on the road that can compare in pure driving experience to the Lotus Elise. With its short wheelbase and lightweight body, the handling is absolutely sublime and at times almost feels telepathic. When fitted with the supercharger, these cars truly come alive and have no problems keeping up with other cars of much higher horsepower. The open top on the Elise allows you to take in the engine note even better and provides for one of the best twisty backroad driving experiences you could ask for.