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Ultimate Lotus Elise S1 arrives with over 250bhp and even better handling

Analogue Automotive VHPK weighs only 600kg and features a central driving position, drawing on the sports car's racing heritage

VHPK Lotus Elise S1 restomod - front

British company Analogue Automotive has officially revealed the VHPK, a dramatic new Lotus Elise S1 restomod designed to celebrate the sports car’s 30th anniversary.

Weighing only 600kg, the VHPK takes inspiration from the race cars that competed in the Autobytel Lotus Championship in the early noughties, featuring a central driving position just like those track-focused machines. 

The dramatic weight reduction has been achieved through extensive use of carbon fibre for the car’s bodywork, while the cockpit has been completely modernized with an array of lightweight components, too. The VHPK also gets new carbon-ceramic brake discs, which not only provide superior stopping power, but also further reduce unsprung weight, to enhance handling.

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Under the skin, the original Rover K-Series engine has been upgraded with bespoke billet and forged internals and an increased displacement. These extensive changes have boosted the output to over 250bhp, giving the reworked Elise a power-to-weight ratio in excess of 400bhp per tonne. 

Analogue Automotive plans to build just 35 examples of the VHPK, with orders set to open next year. While pricing has not been announced, the new Lotus Elise restomod is expected to exceed the six-figure price of the company’s less extreme Analogue Supersport model.

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Contributor

Paul was employed across automotive agency and manufacturer-side sectors before joining Auto Express in 2020 as our online reviews editor. After a brief sojourn at a national UK newspaper, Paul returned as executive editor where he worked until early 2025. Despite moving on to pastures new, he remains a regular contributor across our news and reviews sections.

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