1999 Lotus Touch Up Paint (2 OEM Colors)

The 1999 Lotus Vibe

In 1999, the world was bracing for Y2K, but Lotus owners were too busy carving corners to care about a computer glitch. This was the year the Elise S1 was solidifying its status as a giant-killer and the Esprit V8 was still the poster-child for British wedge design. When it came to the palette, there was plenty of noise out there, but we've focused on the only color that truly defines a British lightweight: **British Racing Green**. It's the soul of the brand-deep, understated, and fast even when it's standing still.

Paint Health Check

Welcome to the "Peeling Era." By 1999, Lotus was using a basecoat/clearcoat system that looked a mile deep on the showroom floor, but time and the sun are cruel mistresses. On a composite body like the Elise or Esprit, the paint has to deal with fiberglass expansion and "outgassing" that metal cars just don't face. If your clear coat is starting to look like a bad sunburn-whitening at the edges or flaking off in sheets-you're looking at classic delamination. Once that clear bond breaks, the basecoat underneath is defenseless. If you see "micro-blistering" (tiny bumps under the surface), that's moisture trapped in the GRP layup finally trying to get out.

Restoration Tip

On these 1999 models, a tiny rock chip is more than just an eyesore; it's a breach in the hull. Because the body is composite, moisture can actually wick underneath the clear coat around a chip and start lifting it from the inside out. **My advice: Seal every chip the second you see it.** Don't wait for the weekend. Use a high-solids touch-up to bridge the gap between the clear and the base. If you catch it while the "lift" is small, you can save the panel. If you wait until you can fit a fingernail under the clear, you're looking at a full respray, and trust me, nobody wants to sand a Lotus clam unless they have to.