The Lotus Elise Series 1, produced from 1996 to 2000, is a lightweight, pure sports car renowned for its exceptional handling, driver engagement, minimalist design, and lightweight construction. This vehicle embodies Lotus's founding philosophy of prioritizing performance through engineering excellence and innovative materials, such as its bonded extruded aluminium chassis and composite body panels. Its design focuses on delivering an unadulterated driving experience, making it a distinctive choice in the sports car segment, often compared to contemporaries like the Porsche Boxster and Honda S2000.

This manual serves as a comprehensive parts list and catalog, designed to assist owners, independent workshops, and parts specialists. It provides detailed exploded views and exact Lotus part numbers for all major vehicle systems, including the powertrain, drivetrain, chassis, suspension, brakes, electrical components, and bodywork. The purpose of this guide is to facilitate accurate identification and ordering of replacement parts, enabling cost savings and empowering users to maintain and repair their Elise Series 1 effectively. Its detailed breakdown of components and their interrelationships offers visual clarity for complex assemblies, ensuring correct part sourcing and supporting the vehicle's longevity.