Living with a Lotus: Jason Dixon’s Elise Type 49

Lotus was responsible for some truly special sportscars throughout the 1990s, but few are quite as rare or exclusive as the Elise S1 Type 49.

Arriving at the tail end of the ‘90s, this special edition model was intended as a celebration of Lotus’ illustrious Grand Prix racing history, sharing its name and bespoke tri-colour paintwork with the World Championship-winning Type 49 Formula 1 car of the late ‘60s.

Credit: Autosport International

Just 81 examples of the S1 Type 49 were sold in the UK, and we recently got chance to speak to the owner of what is arguably the most special of them all – the very first example to roll off the production line.

“I bought my first classic in 2007,” begins Jason Dixon, describing his first foray into classic motoring with a 1987 Pilgrim Hawthorn kit car. “I moved to China until 2015, so there were no opportunities to buy another classic for a while.”

After returning to the UK in 2015, Jason seemed set on making up for lost time - his faithful Pilgrim Hawthorn was soon joined by a 1970 Volkswagen Bay Window Camper, followed by a 2008 Lotus Elise S2 and finally the ‘99 Type 49. Understandably, the last Lotus to join the fleet is an absolute keeper according to Jason.

“My ultimate car was always the Elise Type 79,” says Jason, describing another special edition Elise S1 of the same era. “The T79 used a different black and gold colour scheme, as seen on the John Player Special Formula One cars, but those are even rarer than the Type 49.”

“I found my Type 49 on Pistonheads in September 2021. The price was reasonable, but I put it to the back of my mind as I’d only bought my Elise S2 in March. Then in October last year while working in away Germany and bored in my hotel room, I made the somewhat fateful decision to have another browse on Pistonheads…”

Before long, Jason had contacted the seller and arranged a viewing for when he arrived back in the UK. It seems it was love at first sight and, after negotiating the sale, Jason was on his way home in a rather special Lotus.

“Having read lots of reviews about the S1 Elise, and how ‘basic’ and ‘unrefined’ it was, I was pleasantly surprised with how easy it is to live with. I’m not using it as a daily but it’s very smooth - I also think the seat re-upholstery work completed by a previous owner has certainly helped to boost the comfort factor.”

As any owner will attest, running a classic car isn’t always plain sailing, although Jason has kept a keen eye on maintenance to keep the Type 49 in fine fettle. That said, the only major issues with the little Lotus have concerned the fuel pump and battery, with Jason also commissioning a full service, water pump and belt change as a precautionary measure.

After the significant research he performed when on the hunt for his example, we asked Jason whether he had any advice for anyone on the hunt for a Series 1 Elise of their own.

“Test drive a few if you can... They’re relatively cheap to maintain, though not that easy to work on - apart from the regular service items, most improvements will need either the front or rear clam taking off.

“Make sure it is comfortable for you, I have a £30 lumbar support bought from Amazon which works for me. Don’t be surprised if you find one you want but it has either paint lacquer peel or paint osmosis – a number of them do!

“Ignore the Lotus owners who say you should not complain if you find it a bit uncomfortable or impractical – if that’s the case there are some things than can be done to make it a bit nicer to live with, like better seats and stereo. Buy one and drive it regularly, they are not supposed to be garage queens. Live with the roof, it is what it is…”

Ownership highlights have so far included a Lotus drive out from the Midlands to Skegness in January, following a day out at Lotus in the Peak last month where the Elise was included in a display among other special edition Lotus sportscars.

“They are a dream to drive,” beams Jason. “The base 118 bhp is not super-fast, but I think it’s more than enough for British roads. I struggle to think of a car that matches it – the colour scheme, the curves and the driving experience… Better still, it doesn’t cost the earth to maintain.”

Big thank you to Jason for sharing his story with us!

If you own a classic vehicle or have an interesting story that you think we should feature on our Classic Hub, send us an email at: news.views@footmanjames.co.uk