Damnation! The Elise failed its MOT on emissions. Way too high. The guys at the Lotus factory service centre later discovered that the catalytic converter had crumbled, but luckily I found a replacement for £60 via the wonder of internet classified ads.

Back to the MOT centre for a retest and despite heating the cat up as high as I could get it – they work better hot – the emissions machine still gave the thumbs down. As the Lotus guys found no problem with the Lambda probe and CO2 sensor, it’s time for some serious head- scratching to resolve the problem.

Maybe the Elise will be roadworthy in time for the winter weather…