Lotus Elan SE

Fast Facts

• Best model: SE
• Worst model: Standard car
• Budget buy: As above
• OK for unleaded?: Yes
• Will it fit in the garage? (mm): mm 3803 x1734
• Spares situation: Okay
• DIY ease?: It’s a modern…
• Club support: Good
• Appreciating asset?: Getting there
• Good buy or good-bye?: Greatly underrated

Great driver environment – most of the controls are Cavalier MK2 sourced. Check for ‘milky’ instruments

Isuzu mechanicals hardy and SE turbo engine can be tuned for signifi cant power gains. Check out websites

Not the greatest looking Lotus but certainly the most durable and usable. Colours count; avoid red and greens say experts

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It’s nothing like as popular as the original but the Elan of the 1990s is faster, more reliable, and much better value. Just try one!

The all new Elan for the 1990s only had two things in common with the original – the name and those pop-up headlamps! Colin Chapman would have approved though, because the M100 embraced all that was so right about the original, but updated it at the same time. The result was a fi ne car although one that failed to woo Lotus lovers, which makes it one of the most underrated sports classics on themarket as well as one of the best value and trustworthy Lotus convertibles yet.

History

The M100 was launched in 1989, 15 years after the original was killed off – although the Norfolkbased company had been tempting and teasing its fans for the best part of the 1980s about a suitable replacement. As you’d expect from such a forward thinking specialist, the new Elan was no retro makeover like the MX-5, but a state-of-the art car with front-wheel drive and turbo power. The M100 was dubbed a ‘90 per center’ by Lotus development staff because it allowed 90 per cent of drivers to exploit 90 per cent of its potential, 90 per cent of the time, all in complete safety. The reason for this was essentially due to its clever chassis design, which employed a stiff box section with the suspension systems mounted on innovative alloy ‘rafts’, keeping changes to the suspension’s geometry as minimal as possible. Lotus is certainly no stranger to usingexternal power plants and this time it turned Japanese – namely Isuzu – to supply the engine (Lotus was owned then by General Motors). Lacking any pedigree, it seemed a strange choice but as owners soon found out, it was one of the most sensible moves the British firm ever made, as it delivered performance with utter reliability. And speaking of reliability, the Elan was developed like no other Lotus. Keen to banish that age old acronym, over a two year period 61 development Elans were thrashed (including 250,000 miles on the famous Millbrook proving ground) and crashed while every car made was subjected to a 35 mile dash around the company’s Hethel circuit to ensure all was well. Despite Lotus’ best efforts, a fundamental mistake on the drawing board meant the Elan was saddled with that extraordinary wide look. Two models were launched: an entry level Elan with a normally aspirated 1.6-litre fourcylinder, kicking out a reasonable 130bhp or a hotter, more popular Turbo SE), that yielded a meatier 165bhp. All models were fed via a fi vespeed ‘box to the front wheels. Despite eager anticipation by Lotus lovers and rave reviews from press and pundits alike, the Elan didn’t sell particularly well due to its then lofty £20,000 price tag – massive investment and development costs which repor tedly totalled some $40m hiked up the list price. Slow sales caused it to be dropped as early as 1992, a year after an even more dismal performance in the US. Less than 4000 cars were made. In 1994 under the control of Bugatti, Lotus tried again with the S2. This was a Turbo only model with a slightly detuned 155bhp, catalysed engine, modifi ed chassis, larger tyres and added appointments, all taking the new Elan up to a bankbusting £24,500! Only 800 were made and it was the fi nal curtain call on the model after fi ve short years.

Driving

Although the M100 Elan is a generation away from the original, the emphasis remained the same. Yes, it was front-wheel, drive but you’d scarcely appreciate it, so precise and balanced is the car’s handling. And thanks to its huge track and gumball-like low profi le tyres, roadholding is a world away from the original with its skinny tyres. So is it any wonder that almost two decades on, the M100 is still regarded as arguably the fi nest front-wheel drive classic? That said, comparisons with the original Elan were – and still are – inevitable and it can’t be denied that the M100 loses out to its illustrious predecessor in terms of agility and driver involvement. While it can out corner most things, the sheer size of the later model means there’s less road room to play with. But don’t let this detract from the experience – for most enthusiasts it’s an extremely fast and safe car to drive with gusto and crucially without drama. But what about that Japanese engine, which was hardly the sexiest four-cylinder around? Make no mistake, this Isuzu hot hatch engine isn’t short of shove, although it does lack the sheer character and pedigree (and unreliability!) of the Lotus- Ford lump. Even the normally aspirated model is good for a seven-and-a-bit second sprint to 60 and top speed of close to 130mph. The Turbo shaded it by a second and 10mph respectively, but crucially it took on an entirely new character, as the blower made itself felt mid range. You may well like the non turbo and feel that’s entirely adequate but it will be harder to sell on. Economy – always an Elan strongpoint – is impressive. Expect 30mpg if it’s in good tune on both variants. Like the original, the M100 rides fabulously well for a sports car – that wide track helps out a lot. And it’s a lot more civilised and solid than the original, too. Sadly the lack of sales success ruled out any derivatives such as a hard top roadster or a larger Elan+2, but as a two-seater it’s roomy, civilised and practical and a fi ne alternative to a similarly priced MGF, Mazda MX-5 or Toyota MR2. Or even the later, hardcore Elise for that matter.

Improvements

If a standard Elan doesn’t do the trick then one of the most cost-effective mods is to fi t a sports exhaust system. Experts say that it really pulls out the power on (turbo) SE models. A performance chip should help see power up further without compromising reliability. Other worthwhile tuneups include better brakes (either pads or biggerdiscs) and even bigger tyres. If the car’s cooling system is becoming aged then an uprated radiator would be a wise fi tment.

Prices

Along with the unloved Elite/Eclat and Excel Gts, the Elan M100 is dirt cheap for what it offers – but not for long as Lotus specialists feel that something’s in the air with this car and the bargains won’t last for ever. Prices range from a few thousand to around £12,000, which is pennies when you consider what good original Elans now go for. Mainstream price guides book the Elan from £2000 to £6000 but in the real world top models are selling for considerably more and ten grand Elans will become commonplace. Due to their rarity, it’s hard to value a non turbo car; we’d expect one to sell for much less than an SE. As with all specialist models, it’s best to pay a premium to get the best Elan around rather than do up a dog of a car – and there are plenty of them about sadly. It’s reckoned that the S2 is the better car thanks to its improved build quality and better development, although the loss of 10bhp does take the edge off of it.

Three Of A Kind

MGF

A modern British sports car that was launched just as the Elan was killed off, the MGF has had a mixed history. It’s an easy driving serious mid engined sportster, but perhaps a bit tepid and turgid, especially in terms of durability. To compete with the Lotus you really need a VVC model or the later Trophy. The later TF is better developed and discards the Metro gas chassis but the ride is crashingly coarse as a result. As with all MGFs you need to vet extremely thoroughly or you may come unstuck.

Lotus Elise

Launched just a few years after the Elan was dismissed, the hardcore Elise will appeal to those who reckon that the M100 is too soft and sensible. Admittedly the Elise has the edge in terms of driver appeal but as an all round performance tool the Elan is the more logical and civilised bet. Elises are becoming seriously inexpensive but cheap ones can be a liability and many have been crashed and trashed. Don’t overlook the highly impressive Vauxhall VX220 while you’re at it, either.

Porsche Boxster

If the later Elan is to be considered to be a second rate take on the original then the Porsche Boxster is a poor man’s 911. Well, that’s what’s been said, but the truth of it is that the Boxster rekindles memories of how the 911 used to be. Most pundits say that the base 2.5 is slow but it’s all subjective – we reckon it’s adequate, but the S and later 2.7-litre models are better. Boxsters have slipped under the £10k barrier of late butas long as the service history is evident all should be well.