Elisa’s passion for cars and driving continued to grow as playing with Hot Wheels evolved into riding a toy car around her family’s garden and visiting the Lotus production line with her grandfather. At age 19, after waiting the Italian mandatory 1-year period to drive a sports car after getting your driver’s permit, Elisa was finally old enough to get behind the wheel of Eli. With so much shared history, her deep admiration for the car, and it being a cherished gift from her grandfather, Elisa was understandably very nervous.

“My first drive was terrible because I was so nervous. I was shaking and the Elise is so different. I couldn’t change gear, I couldn’t reverse… I could not drive it because I was so nervous.”

Once the nerves settled and she got used to the Elise’s raw, unfiltered driving experience and eccentricities, Eli began to feel like an old friend again. Always ready and willing to escape to the mountains at a moment's notice and put a smile on Elisa’s face.

As Elisa got older, she took inspiration from not just her grandfather, but also her grandmother. Her grandmother was instrumental in the showrooms, all of the accessories, and the presentation of the Bugatti EB110. From the pens in the dealership to the lavish, ornate floral arrangement at the car’s debut, Elisa’s grandmother designed it all. To Elisa, she was a superhero who despite dreaming of being an architect, selflessly dedicated herself to her husband’s dream. She passed on a great passion for architecture that would eventually inspire Elisa to study architecture and accept a job offer in Munich. But Elisa’s ongoing love of cars was making it hard to invest herself in her chosen field.

“I was working in this studio, and I had my desk close to a big window, and I kept looking at the cars outside… I couldn't stay focused… every time I heard an engine, I would look outside and wonder which car is it?”

Much like her grandfather before her, she set out to chase her dream of working with cars.

“I was thinking, what could I do with cars? What can I offer?”

At that time, Elisa would take frequent excursions into the Dolomites and post pictures to her Instagram account. That lead to interest from friends, so Elisa began posting open invites for people to join her on her trips into the mountains. Despite the initial reception being tepid, she kept posting, eventually making the announcements more formal and the trips more structured. Those spontaneous trips grew large enough to allow her to start her own company, Delightful Driving. Using her intimate knowledge of the stunning mountain passes throughout the Dolomite Mountains, Elisa had finally found her dream and her calling.

Now she hosts multiple drives through the Dolomites and other areas like the Black Forest in Germany, and the Austrian, Swiss, and French alps. The tours hit some of the most famous passes in the world and many little-known routes that are recommended by locals and fellow driving enthusiasts.

“…It's really satisfying to see all the people who are happy, and the community is growing, but it's also quite small and nice, kind of like a family.”

That feeling of community is also present in the Lotus world. While she initially shied away from the limelight, Elisa has embraced her love of the little Lotus, her grandfather’s legacy, and the tight-knit community surrounding it by attending and hosting Elise meets and drives. Elisa and her grandfather even indulge fans who ask them to sign their cars, and Elisa even received an unprompted autograph on her own Series 1 Elise.

“We were at an event, and a guy asked me if I could ask my grandfather to sign his Elise. I said, sure, I will go and ask. So, I went to my grandfather, and I said, ‘Can you come please sign this guy’s car?’ And he said, yeah, no problem. So he went to the car, and he signed the car, and then he went straight to my car. I asked him what are you doing? He responded, ‘You want me to sign your car?’ I thought I cannot say no. I said, sure, let's sign here and asked him to do like a little heart. Now I have this signature, and I love it.”

Despite Lotus ending production of the Elise after 25 years, she, much like her grandfather, is still letting her passion inform her dreams and her next move.

“This year, we will celebrate 30 years of the Elise, and I would like to do something big, like a big party.”

And Elisa won’t be celebrating with just Eli. She’ll also be celebrating with her 2022 Championship Gold Elise Sport 240, “Sunshine,” which isn’t just her newest Elise; it's also the very last production Elise ever made.