Originally devised in 1996, the original Lotus Elise S1 was a groundbreaking car, thanks to its extruded aluminium chassis resulting in a 725kg kerb weight, helping to offer pure driving thrills.
Many incarnations of that original chassis have been spawned, from the larger Lotus Europa, the track-ready Exige – which eventually received Toyota’s 2GRFSE supercharged V6 – not to mention the first-generation Tesla Roadster.
But now there’s a head-turning build on the way from a British company, Get Lost. Project Safari is an Elise with a 100mm raise in ride height, extended wheel arch flares, front LED spotlights and rally wheels wrapped in Nankang off-road tyres. A sturdy under tray protects the hardware from damage, with a central F1 style air intake on the roof.
Powertrain details are scarce, but the original Rover K-series unit is said to make way for a more reliable Honda K-series or Ford Duratec unit.
What do you think of this off-road Elise? Does it ruin the philosophy of the original? Or enhance it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
