Skip advert
Advertisement

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.

Advertisement - Article continues below

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.

Buy a car with Auto Express. Our nationwide dealer network has some fantastic cars on offer right now with new, used and leasing deals to choose from...

Skip advert
Advertisement
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.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Best future classic cars 2026: the auto investments that could make you money
Future classics - header image

Best future classic cars 2026: the auto investments that could make you money

Identifying future classic cars is a tricky but potentially lucrative business, here are our top future classic recommendations
Best cars & vans
15 Jan 2026
Best cars of the 1990s
Best 90s cars - header image

Best cars of the 1990s

The nineties were a golden age for car dynamics, engineering and design. Here are our team’s top picks of the era
Best cars & vans
29 Sep 2025
Get Lost: Project Safari is the off-road Lotus Elise you definitely were not expecting
Project Safari Lotus Elise - front 3/4 static

Get Lost: Project Safari is the off-road Lotus Elise you definitely were not expecting

Off-roading and the Lotus Elise aren’t natural bedfellows, which makes the Project Safari even more exciting
News
15 Apr 2025

Most Popular

EV charging gets 10% cheaper and there’s more to come
Rapid charging Fiat 500

EV charging gets 10% cheaper and there’s more to come

Ultra-rapid chargers in December were five pence cheaper than they were in November for off-peak users, with a cut in VAT also on the cards
News
22 Jan 2026
Volvo EX60 2026 preview: extra large range and power for Volvo's medium SUV
Volvo EX60 - front

Volvo EX60 2026 preview: extra large range and power for Volvo's medium SUV

The new all-electric Volvo EX60 has some seriously impressive specs, and prices start from £56,360
News
21 Jan 2026
Volvo XC40, XC60 and XC90 SUVs will all get a revamp as brand hedges bets with hybrid
Volvo XC40 - front full width

Volvo XC40, XC60 and XC90 SUVs will all get a revamp as brand hedges bets with hybrid

The pragmatic decision will see Volvo building hybrids for as long as customers ask for them
News
22 Jan 2026

Find a car with the experts