
Spec, for the geeks...
Dec 2013 Club Racer S
Chrome Orange
220bhp
184 torques
Forged rims
Adjustable Bilstein dampers with remote reservoirs
Stage 3 exhaust
Air con
Stereo
Stupid fast
Stupid loud
2 owners
49k miles, mostly motorway
FSH at Bell & Colville then respected Lotus specialists Back on Track in Guildford

First off, it's all Ed, Woody and Dark's fault. I had stopped looking for a replacement for our much loved S1 in February, and had the meeting booked with the IFA to tuck the insurance settlement away for a year. Then all 3 of them sent a link to the ad for this, within a few hours of each other

I did some fast man-maths then showed the ad to Lisa - whom I fully expected to say "forget it, the money's locked away". Unhelpfully, she actually said "OMG that's got your name on it, are you buying it then".

3 hurdles left then.
1 - the bank, for some funding.
2 - the dealer, who surely would've sold the car by now (it was far too keenly priced...).
3 - insurance, following a complete write off, and for a car with a few more ponies. Hmmm.
A few phone calls later.
1. The Bank said "no problem Mr Ford"
2. The dealer (Jon Seal Sportscars) said "Ah yes, I do actually still have that one"
3. REIS, Henderson Taylor and Privilege all quoted me happy
Feck it. May as well go for it

So I went to Yorkshire for some beer and came back with a new car...

Sincere thanks to everyone involved, not least Jon Seal who supplied the car by remote purchase and it was absolutely as-described, down to the last stone chip and bit of respraying. Decent guy to deal with. Robin and Ross were also accessories to the crime, both told me just 2 weeks before the S1 met the verge, to "ditch the S1 and get yourself into a supercharged S3, it's the way forward man". How prophetic. Or was it conspiracy? We shall never know...
Now just to learn how to use 220bhp and 184 torques responsibly...