The Analogue Automotive VHPK is what happens when someone looks at a Series 1 Lotus Elise and decides it simply isn’t light enough.

Remember the original Lotus Elise? Tiny, lightweight and famous for making you feel like a racing driver at perfectly legal speeds. Well, Analogue Automotive has taken that recipe and turned the dial all the way up.

The VHPK weighs less than 600kg when wet and gets a rebuilt 1.9-litre K-Series engine producing 250bhp. That gives it a staggering 400bhp per tonne, which is properly supercar territory.

And this isn’t just an engine upgrade. The body is made entirely from lightweight carbon fibre, while forged wheels, carbon-ceramic brakes and bespoke lightweight hubs help slash unsprung weight. You can even specify full carbon wheels, saving another 12kg.

Inside, things get even more extreme. There’s a single central driving seat, inspired by the single-seat Elises that raced in the Autobytel Lotus Championship around the turn of the millennium. So yes, you get to sit in the middle like you’re piloting a tiny British McLaren F1.

The suspension has also received serious attention. The VHPK gets a bespoke wide-track setup derived from Analogue Automotive’s SuperSport, with lightweight aluminium components and multi-way passive dampers. A fully active suspension system is also available.

The engine stays true to the Elise’s character, too. There’s no turbocharger or modern engine swap. Instead, the K-Series has been enlarged from 1.8 to 1.9 litres and strengthened using bespoke billet and forged internals. Power is sent through a close-ratio Quaife five-speed gearbox with a limited-slip differential.

Only 35 examples will be produced, each with a Series 1 Elise donor, and prices start at a rather eye-watering £350,000 plus taxes.

Expensive? Absolutely.

But if you want one of the most extreme interpretations of the original Elise, this could be the ultimate answer to the question: how light is too light?