LOTUS ELISE S2: A LEGENDARY SPORTS CAR FOR THE PRICE OF A TOYOTA CAMRY

The absolute snazziest 2026 Toyota Camry you could buy new right now is the top-of-the-line $35,200 XSE trim. With its leading hybrid powertrain, leather-trimmed interior, and subwoofer-equipped nine-speaker JBL audio system, this is one of the nicest Japanese sedans ever built. Despite this, you still might think that $35,000 is a lot of money for a Camry (because it is). Yet, what if we told you that for the same price as this well-equipped Camry, you could experience one of the most legendary manual sports cars of all time?

That's right, because the Series 2 Lotus Elise, once dubbed "the sports car that is always $30,000," is by no means "cheap", but it is a bit more affordable than the new 2026 Toyota Camry XSE. Thanks to ever-ramping inflation, the first Lotus Elise model ever available in North America now costs approximately $33,500 for a good-condition example. Why should your hard-earned dollars be spent on this British sports car? Let's break down the details.

Few Sports Cars Are Worth Spending A Fortune On

Must you spend a minimum of $100,000+ before you can enjoy the greatest driver's cars of all time? No. While a brand-new 2026 Lotus Emira V-6 SE sounds lovely, this ethereal experience comes with a heavy cost—$112,900 to be exact. At this supercar price point, there is another $100,000 option built for pure driving pleasure called the Porsche 981 Cayman GT4 that should immediately come to mind. Yet, what if we told you that you could experience the same transcendent driving experience of a supercar without dealing with supercar costs?

This is where the Series 2 Lotus Elise (2005-2011) comes in. Despite steadily creeping up in price as supply has dwindled over the years since its introduction in 2005, the Lotus Elise is still a bargain considering the sheer quality of driving experience it offers at its price point. Hagerty has tracked the sales data of 392 Series 2 Lotus Elise models in its database, with an average sale price of $33,500. While a top-trim Toyota Camry sounds great, let's explain why the Series 2 Lotus Elise, which is among the most elite driver's cars ever built, is better than great.

Prices For The Lotus Elise S2

• 2005 Lotus Elise: $33,500
• 2006 Lotus Elise: $33,500
• 2007 Lotus Elise: $33,500
• 2007 Lotus Elise 72D: $37,400
• 2008 Lotus Elise: $33,500
• 2008 Lotus Elise SC (supercharged): $37,500

Source: Hagerty Valuation Tools (Good Condition)

The Natural Evolution Of Drivers' Cars

If you had infinite money, you could buy some crazy Koenigsegg or whatever, but let's be real: most Koenigsegg owners are more concerned with offshore holdings and compound interest than perfect trailbraking or hitting clean apexes. We all have to start somewhere, but you might say that all true driving enthusiasts start their sports car journey with one model and one model only: the NA Mazda MX-5 Miata (and Christian von Koenigsegg still drives his).

It is no surprise, then, that the first generation of the Mazda Miata is easily one of the greatest and most influential sports cars ever. Perfectly balanced and a joy to drive, the gleeful Mazda roadster creates automotive bliss for anyone who is lucky enough to have gotten behind the wheel of one. Yet, once you mature a bit and become a bit more cultured, you will eventually understand that the Mazda Miata isn't even the greatest Japanese roadster available.

Japanese Sports Car Greatness Takes Influence From British Roadsters

That brings us to the best Japanese sports car you can buy on a relative budget ($15,000 price point): the Honda S2000. If the Mazda Miata had an Achilles heel in its driving experience, it would be the underpowered inline-four engines that have powered it throughout each one of its generations. Honda realized this too, and thus, with the S2000, they decided, "let's take everything that makes the Miata great and also put the best four-cylinder engine on earth in it."

Honda did exactly that, and, as a result, created the greatest modern Japanese sports car, perhaps ever. Yet, the original recipe that these Japanese manufacturers perfected actually came from England, with the British roadsters of the 1960s and 1970s being their primary inspiration. Thus, it is only natural that the original is better than the remix and, in this case, the very British Series 2 Lotus Elise is the very pinnacle of a visceral sports car experience. Let's explain why.

Nothing Is Better Than Lotus

If you want an engaging and analog driving experience every time you get behind the wheel, start with a Mazda Miata ($10,000 or less). Then, once you get your money up, the Honda S2000 ($15,000+) is an easy pick. Yet, once you get some serious cash, only one car should be on your agenda: the Series 2 Lotus Elise ($30,000+). What makes the Series 2 Lotus Elise better than its more affordable Japanese counterparts? One word: weight.

The 111R or "Federal Elise" was the first Lotus Elise model available in North America, starting with the 2005 model year. How Lotus managed to get this extremely lightweight sports car past the NHTSA is still a bit of a mystery, but even after adding airbags, ABS, electric windows, and carpet in this model, the curb weight of an Elise S was only 1,896 pounds. For reference, the equivalent NC Mazda Miata at the time came in at 2,450 pounds for the soft top variant, while an AP2 Honda S2000 had a curb weight of about 2,855 pounds. Even compared to the lighter Miata model, this is still a substantial 556-pound increase compared to the Lotus Elise, which is truly in its own category of "lightness".

The Magic Of The Lotus Elise

The Lotus Elise took all the details that made the Japanese roadster so great and turned up the knob to 11. While the Mazda Miata's low weight is its primary selling point, the iconic Japanese roadster looks out of shape and bloated next to a Series 2 Lotus Elise. While the Honda S2000's legendary F20C1 inline-four is still one of the greatest engines ever built, Lotus had a Toyota-powered trick up its sleeve that could match the character of the rowdy Honda engine (thank you, Yamaha).

The 1.8-liter Toyota 2ZZ-GE inline-four found in the Series 2 Lotus Elise is one of the most underrated engines ever built. Built in collaboration with Yamaha, the 2ZZ-GE-powered models, such as the Toyota Celica GT-S and Toyota Matrix XRS. Just like the high-revving monster in the Honda S2000, the specifically Lotus-tuned 2ZZ-GE offered the highest redline of any 2ZZ variant, boasting an 8,500 RPM redline (North American Toyota models were limited to 8,200 RPM). That's only 300 RPM less than the F22C1 found in the equivalent AP2 Honda S2000, making the 2ZZ-GE inline-four one of the highest output per liter engines and highest-revving engines ever built.

The Feeling Of A Motorcycle In A Car

What do Yamaha and Honda have in common? Fast motorcycles with high-revving engines! Indeed, at its core, any "pure" or "analog" sports car is trying to emulate the feeling of pushing a sport bike full-tilt. So if you truly crave the sensation of raw speed, a high-revving motorcycle is where it's at. However, we also understand that risking your life every time you want to go for a ride just isn't for everyone. The perfect alternative? A Lotus Elise. While a Lotus Elise may not be the safest vehicle on the road, it still has a cage and airbags that may potentially save your life in the event of a high-speed crash.

While the Honda S2000 does feel a bit faster in a straight line because of its higher output (about 50 more horsepower), the Series 2 Lotus Elise does match the high-RPM character of the S2000. The 2ZZ-GE engine doesn't even activate its high-output cam profile until 6,200 RPM, and peak torque doesn't arrive until 6,800 RPM. Yet, where the two models truly separate themselves is in the steering feel.

The Best Steering Of Any Sports Car

The Honda S2000 offers one of the greatest iterations of electric power steering ever achieved. Although electric power steering is one of the greatest pitfalls of modern sports cars (looking at you, BMW), Honda managed to get the technology right two decades ago. Yet, the Series 2 Lotus Elise takes sensitivity and tactility to a whole new level.

Because of the Elise's extremely low weight, it is equipped with a manual steering rack, devoid of any kind of power steering assistance. You are, quite literally, feeling exactly every interaction between the tires and pavement translated directly into your steering wheel. While the Honda S2000 steering feel is amazing, the Lotus Elise's feel is transcendental. A famous Bruce Lee quote is "I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times." The Series 2 Lotus Elise proves that a pure and distilled idea will always have more value than one clouded by complexity.

2025-10-12T22:10:25Z