A Lotus Elan collection worth £700,000 with celebrity owner provenance including Peter Sellers, Avengers Emma Peel & Jochen RindtOne man’s dream Lotus Collection comes to sale with Silverstone auctions February 25th Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire

A fantastic Lotus collection put together by one man, Deryck Norville, a former Cosworth engineer will excite every enthusiast for this marque. Cosworth creates world beating engines and cars fitted with its powertrains have had 176 F1 victories making it one of the top three race engine producers alongside Mercedes and Ferrari.

All these Piddington Collection cars have a wonderful history.

1968 Lotus Elan S4 Coupé 'Duckworth'
1966 Elan S2 Drophead Coupé 'Emma Peel - The Avengers'
1969 Lotus Elan - 'Jochen Rindt'
1968 Lotus Elan SE 'Rob Walker'
1971 Lotus Elan Sprint Drophead Coupé 'Ron Hickman'
1975 Lotus Elan Sprint
1966 Lotus Elan S2 - Ex-Peter Sellers

Rob Hubbard, Sales Director of Silverstone Auctions, comments: “If ever you have wanted to purchase a Lotus Elan there will never again be an opportunity like this one, to choose your ideal car from this outstanding collection put together with a master’s eye by Deryck Norville. Each one also comes with a provenance that just adds to their interest. This Piddington Collection is one for the true Lotus afficionado.”

1966 Lotus Elan S3 - Ex-Peter Sellers - GUIDE PRICE: £80,000 - £120,000

On offer from the Piddington Collection. This rare 1966 Lotus Elan S3-SE was delivered to Peter Sellers’ Haymarket home on June 22 1966 and, when in London, was driven by him, with wife Britt Ekland in the passenger seat, until 1969. The image of Sellers and Britt Ekland buzzing around Mayfair in the 'Swinging Sixties' in this little white Elan is too good not to be shared with friends at the pub on a sunny Sunday morning.

The car was delivered to Perter Sellers at 37 Panton St, Haymarket on the 22nd. of July 1966.He was a legendary actor and comedian as well as being a talented singer, director and photographer, who sadly passed away in 1980. In terms of acting and comedy, he is regarded as being in the top 50 in the world at both - ever. His body of work is too vast to list here but Dr Strangelove, the Pink Panther, Inspector Clouseau and the Goon show have all had an influence on British society.

Girls played a major part in his life, he was married four times including Britt Ekland (64-68) and Lynne Frederick (77-80), and during the sixties and seventies was frequently seen in the company of the world's most beautiful women. Perhaps less known was his passion for cars, having owned dozens, and never missing a photo opportunity with his new companion, whether on four wheels or two legs which makes it strange that we can only locate one picture of him in this car, popping up from underneath the closed Tonneau cover and about to come out with some piece of wisdom in the voice of "Bluebottle".

With zero miles since its superb restoration and over 60,000 miles from new, there is nothing to preclude using this 'almost new' S2 on a regular basis, or its next owner may choose to pop it into a private collection enjoying the Peter Sellers' provenance, however, we can't help but feel that a combination of the two might be best.

1969 Lotus Elan S4 FHC - 'Jochen Rindt' - GUIDE PRICE: £80,000 - £120,000

From the Piddington Collection. This S4 Coupé is particularly special as it was presented to Jochen Rindt by Colin Chapman at Hockenheim in August 1970 after his win in the Lotus 72 at that year's German Grand Prix. It was to be his final win prior to his untimely death at Monza a few weeks later.

1966 Elan S3 Drophead Coupé 'Emma Peel - The Avengers' - GUIDE PRICE: £80,000 - £120,000

On offer from the Piddington Collection. After filming Series 5 and 6 of the Avengers, the Television Company gave this super little S3 Drophead to Diana Rigg who played Emma Peel in 51 episodes of the long-running British TV series.

1971 Lotus Elan Sprint Drophead Coupé 'Ron Hickman' GUIDE PRICE: £70,000 - £90,000

On offer from the Piddington Collection. This stunning Sprint was formerly the property of Ron Hickman, the South African-born, Jersey-based automobile designer and inventor who worked with Colin Chapman for years and headed up the design team responsible for the original Elan, the +2 and the Europa but is probably best known for creating the Black and Decker 'Workmate'.

The car was purchased from the Hickman family by our vendor in 2020 and although it remained exactly as it was post-restoration, it was given a very light recommission by Neil Myers upon its return to the UK and prior to joining the Piddington Collection.

1968 Lotus Elan S3-SE 'Rob Walker' - GUIDE PRICE: £50,000 - £80,000

On offer from the Piddington Collection. Prepared for Grand Prix privateer and "the ultimate Gentleman Racer", R.R.C.'Rob' Walker, to commemorate Stirling Moss' legendary Monaco Grand Prix win in 1961 aboard the Rob Walker Racing Lotus 18.

1975 Lotus Elan Sprint - GUIDE PRICE: £50,000 - £80,000

On offer from the Piddington Collection. The last Elan Sprint to be UK-registered and possibly the best Fixed Head Coupé in existence.

LRP 301P was originally supplied by Lotus in kit form to the Ken Meyers Partnership who, at that time, were Lotus Main Dealers in Wellingborough Road in Northampton. Ken had planned to build the car as a present for his son Neil on his 18th Birthday but, for some reason, this never happened and consequently, when the car was finished, it was sold to a husband and wife who were both Doctors and had been waiting for some time for a new Sprint. They obviously loved their little Elan as they kept it for 39 years until 2014 when it was acquired by our vendor. 

1968 Lotus Elan S4 Coupé 'Duckworth' - GUIDE PRICE: £50,000 - £80,000

On offer from the Piddington Collection. An S4 Coupé given to Keith Duckworth, co-founder of Cosworth Engineering, by Lotus Cars to commemorate the first win by a DFV-engined Grand Prix car at the Dutch GP in 1967. 

More information about these vehicles and the others consigned for Silverstone Auctions next sale at the Race Retro Event on the 25th February at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, can be found on their website www.silverstoneauctions.com. Here you can also find details of how to get a free valuation for your car if you are looking to sell at auction, along with an online from to submit your vehicle for sale.