LOTUS Elise SC

The Elise SC marks the performance high point of the Series 2 Elise range. Lotus took Toyota's naturally aspirated 2ZZ-GE and added a Harrop Eaton supercharger to push output to 220 bhp — fed through a 6-speed Getrag manual in a car that weighs around 930 kg. The result is a 0–62 time of 4.6 seconds delivered with an analogue intensity that heavier turbocharged contemporaries simply cannot match. The RGB Special Edition designation adds a layer of factory rarity on top of an already low-volume model.

This 2010 car has covered 31,729 miles — an average of roughly 2,100 miles per year — placing it firmly in the lightly used but genuinely driven category. At this mileage the supercharger and 2ZZ unit should be well within their operational envelope. The SC's supercharger is a relatively simple Roots-type device and, unlike a turbo, gives instant response from idle, which defines the car's character as much as the chassis does.

At £33,000, the SC RGB Special Edition commands a premium over standard SC examples, justified by the edition status. For a driver wanting the most focused naturally-fed supercharged Elise without stepping into the six-figure world of the Exige or Evora, this remains a compelling proposition.