1960 Lotus Elite S1 Competition Coupé

This particular Elite S1, chassis number '1159', was delivered new in the UK to a Mr F Springer on 12th February 1960 and registered as '6577 AR'. The car was raced in the UK until 1962 when it was sold to Dieter Schmid from Munich, Germany, who raced it in VSA (Vereingigte Súddeutsche Automotorsportler) events. 

Between 1962 and 1964 it raced at various venues including Norisring, Wallberg, Spessart, Neu Biberg, Schwäbische Alb, Augusta, Happurg, Eberbach, and Bad Neuenahr. It was registered for the first time in Germany in 1965. 

In 1964 the Elite was bought by Winfried 'Winni' Reithmeier from Starnberg Bayern, who kept the car in storage for 52 years, preserving it in exactly the same specification as when last raced in 1964. In the mid-1990s Winni restored the Lotus, having discovered that the body was in very good condition and devoid of any cracks. 

The restoration included a rebuild of the full-race Coventry Climax FWA engine with its twin Weber carburettors. 

The car was sold to Ruud Gubbels of the Netherlands in 2016. It was then auctioned by Bonhams at the 2017 Goodwood Revival meeting. 

It next appeared on the books of New York State classic car dealer Stuart Parr, and was finally purchased by the current owner at a 2021 auction in Arizona.

The vendor is only selling because he has a number of cars and doesn’t have the time to fully enjoy this very special vehicle.

We have driven the car and can attest to its ability to thrill, delight and entertain in equal measure.

Despite having a relatively modest 1216cc inline-four under the bonnet, the engine is a proper race-spec unit and the car weighs next to nothing. 

So, unsurprisingly, the car picks up pace quickly and presses on with rare urgency and enthusiasm, all the while emitting a glorious cacophony of loud snorts, rips and barks from its tail-pipes.

It’s the real deal: a raw, visceral, pedigree motoring experience - designed and engineered by the firm who arguably did more than any other to bring sublime handling and exhilarating performance to professional racing drivers, keen amateurs and the wider public alike.

Peter Kirwan-Taylor was a Cambridge graduate, a champion skier, a chartered accountant, an accomplished artist, a Lieutenant in the SAS, a Hong Kong merchant banker….and the design stylist of the Lotus Elite.

And what a design it is. 

Chapman’s oft-quoted mantra of “Simplify, then add lightness” is apparent in everything you can see….and everything you can’t.

This Elite, with its even lighter than standard S1 body, is a tangible distillation of Chapman’s ethos and a pure, simple and unadulterated expression of Kirwan-Taylor’s vision.

The condition of the bodywork is really very impressive, and we’ve seen no cracks, holes, creases or dents of any significance anywhere. 

The silver paintwork is equally untroubled by use, wear or the passage of time. It has plenty of lustre and depth of shine. 

The shut-lines and panel gaps are as consistent and even as they would have been when it left the factory.

The chrome work is in fine fettle throughout.

So, too, are the lights, lenses, badging and other exterior fixtures and fittings.

The 15” wire wheels appear to be in good order, as do the matching Michelin XAS-FF tyres.

There is a scuff on the forward edge of the driver’s door, a paint chip just below the offside headlamp, and another scuff on top of the o/s/r wing.

There is some rippling at the top of the nearside door, but we don’t know whether the ripples are in the paint or in the underlying glass-fibre. Either way, we can’t imagine that it’s of any consequence.

There are a couple of cracks in the driver’s door window.

This is a car at least partly designed for, and used on, tracks and circuits. 

As such, the interior is functional, basic, purposeful and free of any luxuries, fripperies or indulgences. 

The black vinyl seats are in excellent condition.

So, too, are the door cards and roof lining.

The wood-rimmed steering wheel and Lotus centre cap are in good order, as is the short-throw gear lever and handbrake. 

The silver dashboard is similarly well-preserved and features period-adapted race switches and controls (with German signage – ‘Benzin Pumpe’, etc) above Smiths gauges and instrumentation.

There is a small crack in the plastic transmission tunnel housing - which feels a little loose in general - and the rear-view mirror currently doesn’t want to stay in one place for any length of time.

A spare wheel is cunningly concealed behind the seat. The boot is in fine fettle.

We didn’t press every button, tweak every toggle or fiddle with every knob, but those we did press, tweak and fiddle with did as they were instructed without misbehaving. 

The vendor tells us that the speedometer might be a little errant in its ways and probably can’t be trusted.

Everything in the engine bay appears clean, dry, right and proper, and the iconic Coventry Climax engine and Weber carbs are a joy to behold. 

The undersides of the car look to have a good deal of structural integrity and seem to us to be uncompromised by time, weather or use. 

Clearly, you’ll want to see for yourself.

The vendor parted with nearly £4,000 in November 2022 having the car fully checked and sorted by CKL Historic Cars & Racing. 

They refurbished, repaired or replaced anything that needed refurbishing, repairing or replacing.

This car comes with a very thick history file, as you might expect of a historically important vehicle with an impressive race history.

There are in-period photographs of the car performing at various UK and European circuits. There are all sorts of letters, bills, invoices, and receipts covering the car from the time it left the factory to the present day.

There is also a Lotus Certificate of Provenance. 

The car’s odometer reading of 20,326 kms is believed to be genuine.

This car offers a unique opportunity to acquire an original low-ownership Elite with continuous history, undisputed provenance, and in-period race history, which has covered only some 20,000 kilometres from new. 

Importantly, it also has the later, lighter and higher quality 500kg S1 body and has recently been fully overhauled and fettled. 
Presented in excellent condition, '1159' is ready to be enjoyed immediately, either as a fast road car or for use in prestigious historic race series such as the GT & Sports Car Cup, Peter Auto's 'Sixties Endurance' races and, of course, standalone events including the Tour Auto, Le Mans Classic and Goodwood.

Whether you choose to fit a roll cage, bucket seats and a race harness, or just use it for trips to country pubs on lazy summer evenings, you’ll find yourself owning, driving and enjoying a rare and entirely authentic piece of British automotive history.

It really is very special indeed.

We are happy to offer this vehicle for auction with an estimate in the range of £70,000 - £80,000.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are strictly by appointment.  To make a booking, please use the Contact Seller button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions or make observations in the comments section below, and read our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.