After an extensive market search, navigating a few near misses, and patiently waiting while our new treasure was in storage, the moment has finally arrived! We’re incredibly excited to announce the newest member of our car family: a stunning 2011 Lotus Elise SC, joining our Evora GT! We understand it might seem like “just another car purchase” post, but we wanted to share our enthusiasm with a community that truly appreciates these machines.
This particular Elise is a 2011 SC model, presented in the sophisticated Graphite Grey with a sleek black interior. Some might recall seeing it briefly listed for sale a few weeks ago. It was quickly withdrawn due to the seller’s personal reasons unrelated to the car itself. Respecting their privacy, we won’t delve into the transaction details, except to mention that our final purchase price reflected the car’s true value, exceeding the initially listed, unusually low price.
Of course, no car announcement is complete without visuals:
During our search, we initially leaned towards one of the more vibrant “Skittles” colors Lotus is known for. However, the Graphite Grey on this 2011 Lotus Elise won us over with its subtle blue undertones. It’s fascinating how the color shifts with the light, sometimes appearing as a pure grey, and at other times revealing a distinct shade of blue. It’s not a pearlescent paint, but it offers a similar dynamic effect that keeps the appearance engaging.
I affectionately call this next photo “TwoCuties”. My wife, my high school sweetheart, has been incredibly supportive of my Lotus passion. Marrying her was definitely one of my best decisions!
Acquiring this car turned into quite an adventure. We reside in North Idaho, while the Lotus 2011 Elise SC was located on the Atlantic coast in Virginia. The opportunity arose unexpectedly while we were traveling in California! To seize the moment, swift action was needed. My wife promptly booked flights, a hotel, and a rental car, getting us to Virginia within a week.
We met the seller, who was remarkably punctual, in a Wells Fargo parking lot – a convenient choice as we both bank with them, simplifying the funds transfer. We dedicated a thorough hour to inspecting the car inside and out. While lacking tools for a deep dive, my inspection confirmed that this Lotus Elise SC with under 12,000 miles was in exceptional mechanical condition. The seller deserves immense credit for his transparency. He provided a comprehensive list of every “issue” he was aware of, meticulously pointing out even the most minor details. Many of these points would have easily been overlooked by most, including myself. He was truly the most honest and forthcoming seller I’ve ever encountered.
After the inspection, the seller handed over the keys and a map outlining a scenic driving route in the area, encouraging us to properly test the car. The test drive was fantastic, revealing a few minor quirks typical of a sports car, but nothing concerning. Upon our return, we finalized the transaction inside the Wells Fargo, completing the paperwork and payment, and the Elise officially became ours!
We then drove back to the airport to return the rental car. With some creative packing, we managed to fit our two backpacks into the trunk, even with some clothes relocated behind the seats to maximize space! We embarked on the 400-mile drive to Knoxville, TN, where a friend with a home garage and a four-post lift had generously offered storage. We already had a business trip planned for Knoxville in late May, so the plan was to store the 2011 Lotus Elise in Tennessee, arrange enclosed transport upon our return, and then finally reunite with the car in North Idaho after the trip.
I had read numerous accounts of the challenges of long road trips in a Lotus Elise – the firm seats, road noise, and stiff ride. My wife was also aware of these potential discomforts, and I anticipated some complaints along the way. We decided to break the journey into two days due to our late start on the first day. Upon reaching Knoxville, we compared notes and were both pleasantly surprised to find the ride quite comfortable. Certainly, it was louder than a luxury sedan, and bridge expansion joints were definitely felt more. However, the car performed flawlessly, we could easily converse at normal volumes, and the air conditioning worked perfectly. These two half-days of driving were actually enjoyable and filled with the excitement of discovering a new car in a new part of the country. We would confidently take this Lotus Elise SC on another long drive, luggage logistics aside! {grin}
The only real downside of this drive was its entirely freeway nature. Long, straight roads don’t provide much opportunity to experience the renowned handling prowess of a car like the Lotus Elise. But more on that soon!
Once in Knoxville, we treated our friend and his 16-year-old son to separate demonstration drives around their neighborhood. Then, the Elise was placed on his lift, connected to a battery tender, covered with a temporary car cover I had shipped ahead, and raised above ground level. There it would patiently wait for our return.
We extended our business trip in late May by a few days to retrieve the Lotus 2011 Elise SC and spend more quality time with it. This allowed us to experience our first drives on the legendary Tail of the Dragon and the scenic Cherohala Skyway. THESE roads provided the perfect setting to rapidly understand the true character of this car! We have some “action selfies” from those drives coming soon, but in the meantime, here’s a photo taken just after transitioning from the Dragon to the Skyway. The top was down, the weather was ideal, the roads were uncrowded – everything was simply perfect.
We both ended up with sunburn from the open-top driving, but it was 100% worth it!
We hoped to keep the car for a few more days during the work week, but the transport company, Montway, required a five-day pickup window. Despite my request to schedule for the end of the window, the driver arrived on Tuesday morning. We met him in a spacious paved area near our workplace.
I had specifically requested transport suitable for a low-profile vehicle, and Montway delivered excellently, assigning a driver and truck equipped with a flat liftgate.
The driver skillfully positioned the Lotus Elise SC on the top deck, at the rear of the trailer. It was unloaded from the same position, leading me to believe it remained undisturbed throughout the journey.
The Elise was unloaded back home on a Saturday morning, and we happily drove it the final stretch home.
While we were away, Bibs at TLF (The Lotus Forums) expedited the Certificate of Provenance (CoP) for this VIN in just a couple of weeks! We had also ordered a car cover for the Elise, mirroring what we did for our Evora GT. Although the seller included a CoP, we appreciate the format and added extras of the new CoPs, so we ordered them for both our Lotus cars. Contrary to the common tales of lengthy delays, the CoPs arrived even before the car did. There’s absolutely NO NEED to order a CoP from a dealer – ordering directly from TLF supports our sister forum in the UK and guarantees significantly faster service.
Here is the CoP for our 2011 Lotus Elise SC. Some of the data it contains might be valuable for refining the databases for Elises in the USA.
From my interpretation, this suggests that a total of 51 2011 Lotus Elise SC models were shipped to the US. I believe this figure excludes Elise R models and other variants. Of these 51 Elise SCs, 35 were standard Elise SCs, with the remaining 16 being Special Editions or other variations. Interestingly, our Graphite Grey model is listed as 1 of 1 in this color.
I am particularly pleased that it includes both the hardtop and the Touring Pack. (Perhaps this is the right time to inquire about the Sport Pack option?) It also came with the soft top and its carry bag, and while we have seen photos of it on the car, we haven’t yet attempted to install it ourselves.
Here’s the previous CoP, which provides more detailed information about what was shipped to the USA. Seller’s personal details have been removed for privacy.
And finally, the original window sticker. It was folded and slightly stained as you see it when we received it. I am uploading a high-resolution version to make the fine print (barely) readable.
Once the Lotus Elise SC was safely home, it received an extensive bath followed by meticulous waxing. This detailed cleaning provided the perfect opportunity to thoroughly inspect the exterior. I’d rate it an 8/10. The paint finish is flawless, with no clouding or dullness anywhere. There are the expected minor rock chips in the PPF (paint protection film), which is around 12 years old and likely due for careful removal. A few chips have penetrated the PPF and reached the paint underneath. Near the left taillight, there’s a gelcoat crack, seemingly caused by a minor impact, perhaps from a shopping cart. It’s located on a convex edge. The gelcoat is cracked, but all the “chips” are still present, and the underlying body panel is undamaged. I’ll probably apply PPF over it to secure the chips but otherwise leave it as is for now. There are also some scratches, mostly on the hardtop, likely from careless passengers placing or sliding items on it. Not significant enough to warrant a respray at this point.
More photos and driving impressions are coming soon!
