Forget supercars - the Series 1 Lotus Elise could be the most fun you can have on real roads, at any price. Here's Yousuf Ashraf to explain why he bought this Series 1 Elise 111S, and hasn't stopped smiling since.

Lotus Elise review: https://aex.ae/3rT2e7k
Lotus Elise buyer's guide: https://aex.ae/304Sd92
Lotus Elise S1 vs S3: https://aex.ae/3hgcaBZ
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The original Lotus Elise was groundbreaking when it emerged in 1994, but today, it's more relevant than ever. Cars are getting faster, quieter and more advanced with each passing year, but the Elise does things differently. It weighs half as much as typical modern sports cars, it has no driver aids or power assistance for its steering or brakes, and a 90s radio nestled in the dashboard caters for infotainment duties. Yet in many ways, it does things better than even the most exquisitely developed modern supercar - it puts the driver at the centre of the action with unfiltered communication, compact dimensions and a deftness that few cars have matched, before or since.

Our man Yousuf Ashraf drove an Elise for the first time last year, and was instantly hooked. Five months later, this British Racing green 111S example found a home in his garage, having been owned by an 88 year-old stunt pilot who bought it from new, and drove it until he couldn't anymore. Here's what it's like to drive.

More Auto Express videos:
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