LOTUS · LOTUS ELISE · Cars
LOTUS ELISE Uncommon
As of 2026 Q1, 7,433 LOTUS ELISEs remain registered in the UK — an increasingly uncommon sight on today's roads. That's down from a peak of 7,486 in 2021 Q3 — only 99% of the high-water mark, a loss of about 53 cars. Unusually, the numbers are actually rising — up 39 (0.5%) over the past year, as imports and barn-finds rejoin the register faster than cars leave it. Tellingly, 52% are declared SORN — kept off the road in garages and barns rather than driven, the signature of a car being looked after rather than used up.
Survivors over time
How rare is it?
Uncommon — a few thousand still about (7,433).
Rarer than 18% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Fuel breakdown
Trend
About the ELISE
The Lotus Elise is a sports car conceived in early 1994 and released in September 1996 by the British manufacturer Lotus Cars. A two-seater roadster with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the Elise has a fibreglass body shell atop its bonded extruded aluminium chassis that provides a rigid platform for the suspension, while keeping weight and production costs to a minimum. The Elise was named after Elisa Artioli, the granddaughter of Romano Artioli who was chairman of Lotus and Bugatti at the time of the car's launch. Production of the Elise, Exige and Evora ended in 2021. It was replaced...
LOTUS ELISE — questions & answers
How many LOTUS ELISE are left in the UK?
As of 2026 Q1, 7,433 LOTUS ELISE were still registered in the UK — 3,554 licensed and on the road, plus 3,879 declared SORN (off-road). The figures come from official DVLA vehicle licensing data.
Is the LOTUS ELISE rare?
The LOTUS ELISE is uncommon, with 7,433 still about, making it rarer than 18% of the 2,429 UK car models we track.
Is the LOTUS ELISE increasing or decreasing?
Over the last year the number of LOTUS ELISE on UK roads rose by 39 (0.5%).
What fuel do most LOTUS ELISE use?
Most LOTUS ELISE run on petrol — about 100% of those still registered, with the rest split across diesel, electric.
When did the LOTUS ELISE peak?
The LOTUS ELISE peaked at 7,486 registered in 2021 Q3, and was first recorded in the data in 2014 Q3.