Thirty years ago, the Lotus Elise redefined the concept of a sports car.
When it was launched in September 1995, it was a revolution: a bonded aluminum chassis, extreme weight reduction, purist and functional design. A philosophy that brought Lotus back to its roots and won the hearts of thousands of enthusiasts around the world.
On Sunday, September 14, 2025, more than 80 Lotus vehicles and 150 participants from all over Europe gathered in Bolzano to celebrate this timeless icon.
A veritable parade of Elise generations - from the very first Series 1 to the latest special editions - transformed the city center into an open-air museum.
At the center of the celebrations was Romano Artioli, the entrepreneur who acquired the Lotus brand in 1993 and had a vision of a radical, different car destined to become a legend.
At his side was his granddaughter Elisa Artioli, who became the "godmother" of the car that bears her name when she was just two years old. Today, she continues this legacy with passion and tells the story of the lightness and driving pleasure that have made the Elise an icon.
"When I bought Lotus, I had a clear vision: to bring the soul of the brand back to life. This soul cannot be measured in horsepower, but in kilograms saved. The Elise was not created to break speed records, but to reconnect the driver with the road - to prove that the true thrill of driving is a pure and simple experience. That's why it became a legend," explained Romano Artioli, the former president of Lotus Cars in Bolzano.
The event honored three decades of automotive history and reminded us that the Elise was never just a car, but a technical and cultural manifesto: proof that lightness and emotion are still the truest formula for sports cars.
To mark this special anniversary, Lotus Italy also presented the entire current model range: Emira, Eletre and Emeya.
