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Lotus is one of the most iconic British motoring brands though, sadly, it’s been in foreign ownership for 25 years. The unbending design philosophy is to produce cars that are light, agile and beautifully engineered; the performance comes from lightness rather engine power. Here are four of them that should provide years of happy ownership.
Lotus Elise (1996 to present)
The Elise has been a big success story for Lotus with tens of thousands sold in a number of variants over the last 15 years. This is a track focussed, two seater, mid engined sports car but it is still used as day to day transport by lots of people. The Elise is remarkably light – well under a ton – and this means that even with a modest 118bhp it can still hit sixty in 6 seconds. Later versions with 180bhp courtesy of a VVTi Toyota engine are seriously quick. The handling is a revelation and the styling still turns heads 15 years on. Prices start at £8,000 but expect to pay £11k for an ’01 model with 45,000 miles on it.
For: Superlative handling, lashings of fun, good looks, low running costs
Against: Forget the toothbrush, there isn’t room for it
Lotus Esprit (1973 to 2004)
This mid engined supercar is one of the definitive Lotuses. The early versions didn’t really have the power to match the dramatic looks, despite the James Bond associations, but the car came of age with the arrival of a 2.2 litre turbo sporting 264bhp. The fantastic handling and light weight made it a match for a Ferrari and the wedge shaped styling is as dramatic as a Lamborghini. I found a ’94 model with 55k miles for £12,500, a much better bet than any vintage Italian supercar.
For: Stunning looks, strong performance, superb handling.
Against: Dated interior, heavy steering, fragile mechanicals
Lotus Elan (1989 to 1995)
The second generation Elan was the result of a collaboration with GM and Toyota. It was a 2 seater roadster with mass market appeal and a sensible price tag. The Elan is a pretty car with good performance from a 1.8 litre 162bhp Toyota engine and the best handling of any front wheel drive car ever made. Well built and practical it was a worthy frontrunner to the spectacularly successful Mazda MX5. Lotus struggled to sell as many as they produced and this makes the Elan a second hand bargain – a ’91 model with 70,000 miles under the belt can be yours for £5000.
For: Looks, handling, value
Against: It’s not a proper Lotus
Lotus Excel (1982 to 1992)
The Excel is the successor to the 1970’s Elite which is now a modern day classic and expensive to buy. It is a fastback 2 plus 2 coupe and has the head turning good looks that made the Elite such a success story. Power came from the venerable 2 litre Lotus 4 pot and 180bhp in a lightweight car endows it with respectable performance, even by today’s standards. In customary Lotus fashion it handles like a dream. The Excel is a cheap way of driving a classic Lotus; £3500 will get you an ’87 model with a hefty 100,000 miles on the clock.
For: Looks, practicality, charm, value.
Against: It’s hard to find a good one these days.
Kit Johnson |
