Peter Sellers’ Lotus for sale

Comedy legend Peter Sellers’ rare 1966 Lotus Elan S2 is to go under the hammer on November 14.

It will be auctioned at the Lancaster Insurance Classic Motor Show (NEC Birmingham) by Silverstone Auctions with an estimate of between £45,000-£50,000.

The car was delivered to Peter Sellers’ Haymarket home on June 22, 1966, and driven by him, with wife Britt Ekland in the passenger seat, until February 29, 1969.

Sellers, who died in 1980, was a car nut. He shot to fame in the hit ’50s radio series The Goons and went on to star in classic films including Dr Strangelove, The Pink Panther series and Being There.

After Sellers sold ‘SAR 57D’, it then went through two other owners before being purchased by the current vendor and has covered 65,611 miles from new.

It is in a totally original condition and has been in dry storage off the road since August 2005.

The extensive history file contains the original V5 with Peter Sellers’ signature, as well as MoT Certificates from July 1977 until 2005.

“This truly is a unique Lotus Elan with superb ownership provenance, while it maintains a fantastic level of authenticity,” said Harry Whale of Silverstone Auctions.

“The car is sure to gather a huge amount of attention and we expect that it will appeal to fans of Peter Sellers as well as Lotus enthusiasts alike.”