Tim's Lotus Page
Remember those big department-store competitions in the 1970's ? Buy some Yardley perfume and win a sports car ? Somebody has to win. The woman at the end of my street did, which is how I found myself walking to school everyday past a bright yellow Lotus Eclat. Stood out a bit from the dreary Marina's and Chevette's in most people's drives. I'm blaming that particular car for my long-term crush on wedge-shaped Lotuses.
Most people would pin a similar affliction on the film 'The Spy Who Loved Me' but I was never a James Bond fan. I still had the Corgi model of his underwater Esprit of course, but I loved my black JPS Elite more, complete with trailer and 72 F1 car. The boxes are long gone but the models are still tucked away in the attic. I also confess to writing to Jim'll Fix It, asking if me and my mate could have a tour of the Lotus factory. He never replied (erm, just as well as it turned out...) but my Dad fixed it for me to receive a Norfolk-postmarked envelope one day containing a brochure of the current range. I've still got that too. I've also recently bought one of the 1/43 Elite S2 models by Spark.
You might expect then that a fibreglass wedge might appear early on in my car history ? 'Fraid not. Motorbikes took over from the age of 14 and I was nearly 30 before I even bothered learning to drive at all. By this time it was literally years since I'd even seen a 'proper' Lotus - the Elise was just taking off by then but wasn't my sort of thing at all - and I drove various ordinary hatchbacks like everyone else did. Apart from a man down my street, who had a red Excel...
Well, mid-2010 I was idly browsing Ebay (as you do) and accidentally spotted an Elite for sale. A week later, on the way back home from a weekend in Scotland, I realised we'd be passing close to the little North Yorkshire garage that was selling it, so we pulled off the A1 and went hunting. We turned up shortly before they closed, but the manager let me in to the workshop for a quick look. In the corner, hiding under a ramp in the dark, was a two-tone yellow/green S1 Elite. It must have been at least 20 years since I'd even seen one, but it still looked futuristic, like something out of Thunderbirds.
I pulled the drivers door open (which then sagged on the hinges by a couple of inches) and immersed myself in tan leather. Various bits of trim and the odd wire were hanging off the interior, green paint was flaking off the lower panels and the rear wiper was not really fastened on in any meaningful way. There was a bootful of documentation, receipts and old 'Club Lotus' magazines, but the garage man couldn't really tell me much about the car and didn't even know how to pop the bonnet open so I could see the engine (which according to the Ebay ad was from a later S2.2). He said that the previous owner had spent several thousand pounds on repair and refurbishment over the last couple of years but then traded it in for a Fiesta. It was now advertised at £2995.
All I'd said to my wife Sara was that we were going to see "an old car" and she had no idea what to expect. When asked for her opinion, she suggested we hand over the money now and then fight over who gets to drive it home. Despite this rather-brilliant response, my sensible head kicked in and I decided we needed to be slightly less impulsive and do a bit more research first. What was not in doubt was that I Definitely Wanted One.
So let's step back a bit and review some Lotus history. It's all well documented elsewhere of course, and I'm not really interested in the early or modern stuff. So that discounts the original and unrelated 60's Elite (Type 14), Elan and Europa as well as the Seven. Which brings up the subject of the factory's confusing model naming and numbering systems, which is enough to baffle even a Lotus anorak. Every model has a Type code and a Model/Mark code as well as a name. Names are often re-used, and some type codes are shared between road and unrelated pure race cars, as well as occasionally being used to denote an unreleased prototype or even just a concept idea. A new but short-lived model called the Europa was launched in 2006, and towards the end of 2010 it was announced that a major all-new line up was being planned including brand-new models called ... Esprit, Elan and Elite, though these turned out to be pure fantasy and the company almost imploded around then.
As of 2022, the business is owned by massive Chinese multinational Geely and there are major changes happening. They've basically been building the same car for 25 years - the Elise, the Exige (a racy Elise), the Europa (a posh Elise), the Evora (a bigger Elise), and the stripped-back trackday Elises (340R, 2-Eleven, 3-Eleven). Finally, they've canned all those and launched some new models. The Type 130 is the Evija all-electric hypercar (2000BHP, £2M, you're unlikely to see one outside of Dubai), the Type 131 is the Evora-replacement sports car called the Emira (the last internal-combustion vehicle they'll ever release), and the new Type 132 Eletre is the all-electric 4-door SUV. Future models (all electric, obviously) are supposedly Type 133 (4-door coupe), Type 134 (mini SUV/crossover) and Type 135 (sports car). But until they announce a Transit-sized 5-seat van with pop-up headlights, none of this is of any relevance to me.
Time for a bit of focus then. The Type 75 M50 Elite road car was launched in 1974, followed a year later by its sister the Type 76 M52 Eclat. From the tip of the pop-up headlights all the way back to the B-pillar they were identical, but the Eclat was labelled a 2+2 sports coupe with a small boot where the Elite was considered a 4-seat GT with a hatchback rear screen. In actual fact, there's very little difference in terms of interior and boot space. For my money, the Elite looked way more exciting both then and now. Both cars had a front-mounted 16-valve 1973cc Lotus slant-4 '907' engine delivering 160bhp through the rear wheels, for which Jensen Healey owners unwittingly did all the development testing! Rather than specifying options, buyers chose from a small range of sub-models : the 501 was the base Elite (521 Eclat), 502/522 added air-conditioning, quartz-halogen headlights and an improved radio/cassette, 503/523 provided additional power-steering and tinted glass, and the 504/524 was top-spec and featured a 3-speed automatic gearbox instead of the normal 5-speed manual. A badge at the top of the B-pillar tells you which model it is.
Oddly there was also a 520 Eclat which was the base 521 model with a 4-speed manual box, but no-one bought it. You could also specify your 520/521 Eclat as a 'Sprint' edition - you got wider 4-stud wheels, a lower final-drive ratio, white paint, Sprint decals and 'S' badges on the B-pillars.
In 1980, they were replaced by the Series 2 models (Type 82 Elite, Type 84 Eclat). Often called S2.2, they had an improved 2174cc '912' engine (same bore, longer stroke, no increase in quoted power output though), Getrag gearbox and restyled front and rear ends. The sub-model derivatives were binned in favour of a conventional options list. More importantly, many of the problems and niggles of the original cars were ironed-out, the biggest single improvement being a fully-galvanised chassis.
I should probably point out here that the cars featured the trademark Lotus steel backbone chassis with the bodies comprising a 2-piece bonded fibreglass shell bolted on top. Although a reputation for unreliability and occasionally shoddy build-quality is not entirely undeserved, Lotus has consistently been a leader in design and engineering brilliance and other manufacturers regularly seek its assistance in innovative design, construction and especially handling. Fibreglass doesn't rust of course, though sadly it does burn well.
Starting in 1976 and in parallel with the Elite/Eclat, the better-known Esprit was being built and sold. There were basic similarities and some part-sharing between the cars but the Esprit was of course mid-engined. The model survived and evolved for much longer, being initially turbocharged, then completely redesigned and when eventually production stopped in 2004, it had become a genuine supercar with a V8 engine. Throughout its life it always stayed true to the original wedge shape. The Elite was killed off in 1982, and at the same time the Eclat morphed into the short-lived Eclat Excel and then the Excel (M55, Type 89), which looked more or less the same but gained increased reliability and practicality courtesy of the Toyota parts bin. It also grew wider wings and body-coloured bumpers, and survived until 1992. An all-new front-drive Elan (M100) marked the last of the wedges in 1989 before the Elise launched Lotus into the modern era in 1996 and saved the company from bankruptcy.
Yes, yes, but did you go back and buy it ? Erm, no. Whilst researching the above and trawling the internet for advice, I learned quite a bit about values and availability of the various models, not to mention problem areas to watch out for. On one forum I even found a discussion about the exact same car I’d viewed, suggesting that it had a long-term unresolved fuel or electrical problem that meant it invariably completed its journeys on the back of an AA truck. In itself, this is not necessarily a reason to walk away, and I’m happy to invest some money and time into sorting out some niggles if necessary. Part of the appeal of classic-car ownership is the requirement to sometimes get your hands dirty, not to mention the excitement of turning the key and not knowing whether you’ll be rewarded with a healthy purr from the engine or just a dull ‘click’. We already have an old Mini after all.
There seemed to be various competing websites and forums relating to the M50-series cars but it appeared that a big dose of common sense had recently brought quite a few together as The Lotus Forums which I duly registered with. It covers all Lotus models but naturally I spend most of my time in the Elite/Eclat/Excel section, in which a number of helpful and enthusiastic owners hang out. Having introduced myself, the general welcoming response was that I should jump straight in, buy a car, and then learn all about it through having to fix the problems that would inevitably arise.
Bearing in mind that any new toy would have to live outside in all weathers and that we already have a dozen problematic old motorbikes that compete for my attention, I decided that I couldn’t afford to get involved with another project and would be much better off waiting for an already-sorted car. The key thing was that after perusing various period brochures (thank you Ebay) and the excellent ‘Third Generation Lotuses’ book by Graham Robson, I realised that I much preferred the look of the later S2 Elite. This is a good thing, as I should end up with a more-reliable and less-rusty car, but on the downside they only actually built 132 of them so there’s not exactly a lot on offer 28 years later. I’m not going to be able to choose my favourite colour (Altair Green), spec (manual, all options) or wheels (standard ‘flying-saucers’) and will have to plump for whatever appears. I could really make life difficult for myself by insisting on one of the 'Riviera' limited-edition models, with factory sunroof, spoiler and slatted bonnet. How many survive from the 9 believed built ?
I wouldn’t turn down a S1 necessarily (they made 2398 of those) and I'd be happy with an Eclat if the right car turned up at the right price. I'd love an early Esprit but they're out of my league now. The sensible thing to do would be to get an Excel of course, but then if I was sensible I wouldn't be considering a Lotus at all. The car to buy was the lovely dark-green Elite that was sold at the Bonhams auction at the 2010 Festival Of Speed. It was Colin Chapman’s own personal car at one time and the estimate was duly £12-15K. I found out it sold for only £5175 - argh !!
What about this one below ? A 1982 S2.2 in lovely original condition but with reconditioned brakes, suspension, cooling system and clutch. If it looks slightly odd it's because the bumpers, mirrors and bonnet grille which would normally be black were colour-coded by the factory when the car was new. If it wasn't red I'd have bought it, but I didn't bid and it sold on Ebay for £4109. Probably have to wait a long time to find a better one...
In March 2011, this blue S2 appeared on Ebay. 66000 miles, 2 owners, cream hide interior. Not a bad car, just looked a little tired for the £4995 the dealer was asking, though he reckoned the reg number was worth £1395 of that. I actually tried to go view this car without success. It's now found a new home in London, and I've been in touch with the lucky buyer (who paid significantly less than the asking price).
In May, this red '76 S1 appeared on Ebay. Staggeringly, it came with receipts for an unbelievable £28000 restoration, though looking at the photos it was hard to see where even a tenth of that had been spent. It was up for £4500 with 12 months MOT, but I don't know what happened to it.
The same month, there was an Elite/Eclat/Excel meeting in Holland. A couple of Brits made the trip over and it looked great. Wonder if I'll be in a position to join in on a future one ?
What about this yellow S1 501, which appeared on Ebay in June ? Not what it seems - the original tired 907 engine has been replaced with a rebuilt 3.5 V8 out of a Rover SD1. Bet it sounds nice ! It has the later 5-speed Getrag box but is very under-geared apparently. Power-steering has been fitted, and it has the original non-galvanised chassis (but no rust), S2 Speedline alloys and beige cloth interior. Seller is not desperate to sell and has set a reserve price somewhere north of £3K which seems fair enough. As usual though, at the wrong end of the country for me to go take a look.
I still don't want an Excel, but this very-dark green SE 'Celebration' model looks nice. On Ebay June 2011 for £4500.
Club Lotus organise both a trackday at Castle Combe and a show/festival at Donington Park every year. I was hoping to go to at least one of these this year but they clashed with other commitments. Here's a few pics from previous events.
Here's some more cars that cropped up on Ebay during 2011. The light-blue restored S1 (with S2 rear bumper) was up for £4750, the red project S1 sold for £555, the nice blue S2 went for a bargain £1700, the silver S2 auto was still for sale at £2495 last time I looked, and the green parts car (with collapsed suspension, seized brakes and a rat-ravaged interior) sold for £311.
In November 2011, I popped along to the Classic Motor Show at the NEC. I'd been a couple of times before but had never seen any Elites or Eclats among the usual Esprits and Elises, but I'd seen on the forums that there would be some on show this time. Sure enough, the LotusExcel forum had a stand there with two Elite S2's, two Eclats and two Excels. I was stood admiring them when someone came up and started chatting. He turned out to be Mike Taylor of Lotusbits who specialise in helping keep these cars on the road where they belong. We discussed various options from buying a £500 project car and sourcing parts from him, right up to commissioning a complete as-new car built to my spec. Very tempting. All I brought home from the show was a nice Elite S1 brochure, though I missed my chance to get designer Oliver Winterbottom to autograph it.
After that, I got no further with buying one, but the desire hadn't gone away. I'm still a regular on the forums and I got in touch with a local guy who has two Elites, plus a friend of my Dad's who has two Excels. I still keep an eye on Ebay and elsewhere of course.
I went to the 2012 Classic Motor Show but there were only Excels and Esprits on show this time, although the Eclat-based Excel prototype was cool. But as well as a couple more brochures, I picked up a flyer on the LotusExcel.Net stand advertising an Elite/Eclat/Excel International Gathering at Croft Circuit, which isn't that far away from me. I joined their forum too to register an interest. Be nice if I had a suitable car to arrive in eh ?
What about this one above ? 1980 Elite S2, 75000 miles, 6 months t&t, just serviced. £5675. It wasn't far away so I arranged to go see it, and spent a nice afternoon chatting with the owner Simon, who's other cars underlined his Lotus enthusiasm and knowledge. It was a lovely car and once again, Sara wanted to take it home. An uncharacteristic dose of common sense won in the end, as I didn't want to see it jamming up my narrow driveway and filling up with rain all year round. I've regretted not buying it ever since.
I popped along to Croft on 19th May 2013 to find about 20 Excels and the same number of modern Lotuses in the paddock. Mike Taylor of Lotusbits was there too with a pair of scary Sunbeam Lotus development cars. Simon turned up in his stunning S1 Elite and we agreed that of course I should have bought the brown S2 from him.
Sep 2014, at a bike event at the Haynes International Motor Museum, I spotted this yellow 1975 Elite S1 hiding behind a matching Elan, Europa and Elise.
A couple of months later, the 2014 Classic Motor Show at the NEC had 4 Elites on the LotusExcel forum stand along with some Eclats, Excels and a brand-new chassis. Great to see.
In Sep 2015, this Elite S1 turned up at the inaugural East Coast Classic event at Scarborough. It even gave me a cheeky wink ! There were a number of Excels out on track, plus an Esprit and a stunning-sounding Lotus Grand Prix racer.
A few people like to modify their cars, but I'm not keen. Invisible upgrades that improve performance, reliability or servicing are desirable, but I don't want to spoil the purity of the design. Though I do like those deep-dish wheels on the silver Eclat and gold Elite...
I took my eye off the ball after that, although I bought Matthew Vale's 2016 book "Lotus Elite, Eclat and Excel - An Enthusiast's Guide", and started buying the new Absolute Lotus magazine when it launched in May 2018. All my attention went on trying to move house, and yes, one big reason for that was that I wanted enough space to be able to park, and maintain, and use a Lotus. It took until July 2019 before we finally managed to move, which was a couple of weeks after I saw this super-cool Eclat Sprint at a local classic car night.
I still really want one, in case you were wondering. It's almost 12 years since I looked at that yellow/green S1 and created this webpage, and almost 10 years since I almost bought Simon's brown S2. Although I still don't really have enough garage space, I think I've run out of excuses not to finally buy one. You know when adverts say "no tyre-kickers or dreamers" ? They're talking about me aren't they ? An Elite S2 is still favourite, though the Eclat is catching up very fast.
There are still a confusing number of different Lotus enthusiast groups, here are some useful links I've found :
The Lotus Forums LotusExcel.Net Elite, Eclat, Excel Facebook Group Club Lotus Lotus Drivers Club
Absolute Lotus Magazine Lotusbits Lotus Cars Classic Team Lotus Lotus Festival
Got a nice car you want to find a good home for ? Want to pass on advice or correct mistakes you've just read above ? Please get in touch.
