Most of you know the agonies I've been through this year. The Elise for me would have made a great tourer, and would have been different to the Roadster in many ways. I've driven two. Neither gave me a wow factor which was a big surprise, and both had what I would describe as woolly gear selection. They are very appealing cars, especially the Sc or later S, but a lot of my enthusiasm is based on Lotus in the late sixties and early seventies, and seeing Chapman and his drivers in action first hand over many years.
The badge is now terribly de-valued due to all sorts of influences, but for me it still shines bright. The TM visit to Hethel was probably one of the top three TM events over the last five years. An astonishing day out from the outset, ending with Bob Dance (Clarks mechanic) and Clive Chapman at CTL. But the price of merchandise in the factory shop was utterly ridiculous and completely out of synch with the real image of Lotus today.
Once I'd lost the "battle of the bulge", I seriously considered a classic Elan but in the end I don't (at present) have the nuts to take one on. Lotus pricing is also too high in my opinion, but that wouldn't have made a scrap of difference. I doubt a new small Elan would sell in numbers, because buyers of the Mx5 are unlikely to understand what Lotus is about, and the market for small rear drive two seaters must be equally small. Caterham should have another go, but it's the wrong badge.
