The first generation of the Lotus Elise is known as the Series 1. First introduced in 1996, the S1 Elise was an open top roadster featuring a mid mounted 1.8L inline four engine. Featuring a fiberglass body on an aluminum frame, the Elise was a light and agile car. A limited edition Elise known as the 340R was the most notable S1 variant. The Series 1 Elise was in production until 2001, and was replaced by the Series 2 Lotus Elise.