First Lotus Autoportrait When did you ever see a self-portrait of an artist with their car? And yet cars say so much. Certainly more than some demented clown covered in paint in a studio that looks like a bicycle shed. Ever the innovator, Elliott made this superb image on acquiring his first Lotus Turbo Esprit. He considered it the best British supercar ever made and went on to own three Guigiaro models over a period of 20 years. They were pretty much hand made in very low numbers. In its day it was the fastest production car on the road, with a top end of 160mph and better accleration than Ferrari. The Lotus also had a higher level of interior luxury with its lavish use of leather. It cost a grand more than the competing Ferrari 308. Elliott has only ever owned English cars.