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My Owners Diary

This is a record of my obsession with the Elise, from the day I first saw one to the last drive in my own Elise S1, warts and all. The later entries cover recent Elise developments, the odd rumour and the pain of saving up for my Elise replacement (and building it!):

2008

November 2008: Visit to Renault F1 team headquarters!
September 2008: Trackday and Lotus 60th Anniversary.
June 2008: Videos.
May 2008: Top weather, more in-car video
April 2008: Tesla Roadster
March 2008: Hethel SELOC meet ... NOT! :-(
February 2008: Loads of driving, in-car video, need an Elise!
January 2008

2007

December 2007
November 2007: EVO Magazine car of the year ...
October 2007: Lotus announce 2008 supercharged Elise and Exige.
September 2007: In-car video, 'Aqua S2' three hunt begins. Hethel 40th.
July 2007: Some great driving at last! EVO Magazine test drive the 2-Eleven.
June 2007: Lotus 2-11. Rain stops play :-(
May 2007: Safety check and improvements on the Fury R1. Autocar test drive the 2-Eleven.
April 2007: Comparing the Fury to the Elise.
March 2007: The Fury R1 is completed!

2006

November 2006: Lotus 'Circuit Car'
September 2006: Fury R1 bodywork, Lotus announces job losses.
July 2006: Fury R1 progresses.
June 2006: Lotus launch new basic Elise.
April 2006: The engine sounds fabulous!
February 2006: Exige S, in-car video, real progress on my Fury R1.
January 2006: Another year, another Lotus Elise variant :-)

2005

December 2005: Europa S announced.
November 2005: Fisher Fury R1 takes shape.
October 2005: Kit car chassis arrives. New Elise variant.
August 2005: 2000 tickets
July 2005: Fisher Fury R1 is ordered.
June 2005: Elise S3?, my kitcar arrives soon.
April 2005: The demise of Rover.
February 2005: Exige Sport 240R launched.
January 2005: DVD

2004

December 2004	Elise based 2+2 coupe?
October 2004	Sylva R1ot
September 2004	Bruntingthorpe trackday, R1 engine
August 2004	Lotus Web Store, Lotus GT announced
July 2004	Rethink.
March 2004	Kit car build preparation
February 2004	Autocar put the 111R up against the VX220 Turbo.
January 2004	Federalised Elise launched.

2003

December 2003	HGF again!
October 2003	US Elise review.
September 2003	US Elise and Exige S2 announced.
August 2003	VW to build a sportscar?
June 2003	Elise S2.5 is born
May 2003	Corroding floors and BEC
April 2003	Llandow in a Striker.
March 2003	VX220 Turbo
February 2003

2002

January 2002
December 2002	ADSL
November 2002	New car.
October 2002	Motorshow 2002, Birmingham NEC
September 2002	Rumours.
July 2002	AP22 arrives.
June 2002	Toyota on track.
May 2002	New Elise 111 and 111S announced.
April 2002	Honda S2000 test drive, lots of rumours.
March 2002	Elise rumours.
February 2002	S2 hard-tops, Geneva motorshow.
January 2002	S2 Sport 135 announced. (2 pictures)

2001

December 2001
November 2001	Thielert S2 upgrade.
October 2001	Neighbour's Elise, Turbo Technics S2 upgrade.
September 2001	The 11th, VX200 hard-tops.
August 2001	AutoExpress on Elise brakes.
July 2001	Favourite circuit, Elise security.
June 2001	Corsica.
May 2001	Rumours.
April 2001	Lotus Life club meet.
March 2001	Hard-top. (1 picture)
February 2001	Elise reviews, Lotus Life factory visit. (1 picture)
January 2001	Elise S2 test drive. (6 pictures)

2000

December 2000	Still no Elise S2 production.
November 2000	Elise pricing, production delays.
October 2000 Motorshow	Elise S2 pictures. VX220 and Grinnall Scorpion. (43 pictures)
October 2000	Elise S2 official at last. Bentwaters airfield day. Elise S2 reviews. (2 pictures)
September 2000	More Scooby comparisons.
August 2000	Sport 160 test drive. VX220 launch. (4 pictures)
July 2000	Impreza Turbo arrives, comparison.
June 2000	Strathcarron. Honda S2000 test drive. (1 picture)
May 2000	Impreza insurance.
April 2000	Sold it. Back to the 200vi.
March 2000	Vauxhall VX220. On track at Snetterton, Elise 49, ride in Motorsport Elise. Toyota MR2 test drive. (13 pictures)
February 2000	Driving light covers, 340R, night runs. (3 pictures)
January 2000	Ordered the Impreza. (1 picture)

1999

December 1999	Winter driving.
November 1999	Hit a pheasant. It's a boy. (2 pictures)
October 1999	Orford. (3 pictures)
September 1999	Turbo Technics 190bhp test drive.
August 1999	Norfolk and Snetterton, sticky throttle, tyre pressures, Brandshatch, eclipse and a ride with Dave Minter in a Sport 190. (1 picture)
July 1999	Got it back. Skid-pan session, fitting a CD, radio reception problems. (1 picture)
June 1999	Sans Elise.
May 1999	Drive to Somerset, crashed it, the long wait.
April 1999	Picked up my Elise. New toy syndrome, 111S test drive. (1 picture)
March 1999	The delay.
February 1999	The wait.
January 1999	The run up to ownership.

1998/7

August 1997 - December 1998

Seen it, driven it, want one. Test drive, factory tour, Motorshow '98, Snetterton track. (4 pictures)