Lotus Elite, Éclat Excel....
Discussion
There are times when your wife really surprises you.
She likes cars, but she is not a total petrolhead. This afternoon she's sitting reading her iPad when she asks me what the difference between an éclat and a excel is. And for that matter, what's a Lotus elite like?
It turns out se was looking at classic car ads.
I couldn't really answer her questions in detail, an was wondering if someone could give me the heads up please.
And from my point of view. How do you pronounce éclat?
Another thing. How much of a nightmare, money pit are these to own?
Cheers.
She likes cars, but she is not a total petrolhead. This afternoon she's sitting reading her iPad when she asks me what the difference between an éclat and a excel is. And for that matter, what's a Lotus elite like?
It turns out se was looking at classic car ads.
I couldn't really answer her questions in detail, an was wondering if someone could give me the heads up please.
And from my point of view. How do you pronounce éclat?
Another thing. How much of a nightmare, money pit are these to own?
Cheers.
Probably best to ask in theclotus section. But..
Excel is the development of the eclat, and much better built. Still 80s lotus, but not 70s lotus.
Elite has a different and, to my mind better looking rear.
In their day, road testers compared them to the 944 and Alpine GTA, Quattro etc so think along those lines
Excel is the development of the eclat, and much better built. Still 80s lotus, but not 70s lotus.
Elite has a different and, to my mind better looking rear.
In their day, road testers compared them to the 944 and Alpine GTA, Quattro etc so think along those lines
I don't know a huge amount about them... it was an evolution: Elite II -> Eclat (no accent) -> Excel. I think the platform can trace its roots back to the original Elan+2. The Elite was a two-door hatchback, the others two-door saloons. I think they all used evolutions of the same (inline four) engine but IIRC the gearbox changed from an old Ford unit to a more modern Toyota one at some point.
I had an Elite as a daily driver for 3 years when they were current, it was pretty high maintenance then, I can't imagine things have improved since.
On the other hand it had excellent performance for the day, superb ride and handling (when the suspension was behaving) and very comfortable seats, fuel consumption was not bad either.
I am/was a mechanic yet it constantly strained my resources to breaking point with stupid niggly faults that would never have occurred on a mainstream car. Parts were a problem too,if they were bespoke Lotus parts then the prices were astounding, eg over a months wages for a windscreen.
Luckily many parts were sourced from BL so were easily obtained at below Lotus' quadruple mark-up. Rear wheelbearings and the Triumph Herald derived front suspension were particularly short lived.
In conclusion I would not consider any Lotus unless I could tackle every job myself, they are cheap for a reason and aren't likely to appreciate either.
On the other hand it had excellent performance for the day, superb ride and handling (when the suspension was behaving) and very comfortable seats, fuel consumption was not bad either.
I am/was a mechanic yet it constantly strained my resources to breaking point with stupid niggly faults that would never have occurred on a mainstream car. Parts were a problem too,if they were bespoke Lotus parts then the prices were astounding, eg over a months wages for a windscreen.
Luckily many parts were sourced from BL so were easily obtained at below Lotus' quadruple mark-up. Rear wheelbearings and the Triumph Herald derived front suspension were particularly short lived.
In conclusion I would not consider any Lotus unless I could tackle every job myself, they are cheap for a reason and aren't likely to appreciate either.
The eclat was developed from the elite with a fastback/coupe style body in 1974.
The elite, eclat and esprit where all in production at the same time.
The excel came along in 1982 and was a major redesign of the the eclat. Toyota had just become involved in Lotus and (I believe) had taken a significant shareholding. The excel made extensive use of the Toyota parts bin, and was the better car for it. Production of both the elite and eclat stopped.
The elite, eclat and esprit where all in production at the same time.
The excel came along in 1982 and was a major redesign of the the eclat. Toyota had just become involved in Lotus and (I believe) had taken a significant shareholding. The excel made extensive use of the Toyota parts bin, and was the better car for it. Production of both the elite and eclat stopped.
The early Eclat had a four speed Ford 2000E gearbox whilst the Elite had the five speed box from the Elan +2 which IIRC had an Austin Maxi gear cluster in a Lotus casing with a Ford Cortina input shaft,tail housing and gear lever. The gearlever used to cause your hand to hit the radio as you made the change into fifth gear.
The much improved Excel had a Toyota Supra box and many Toyota parts but my Lotus love affair was over by then.
In the course of my ownership I was able to discover where just about every Elite part was borrowed from, I could probably still list them if anyone is interested!
The much improved Excel had a Toyota Supra box and many Toyota parts but my Lotus love affair was over by then.
In the course of my ownership I was able to discover where just about every Elite part was borrowed from, I could probably still list them if anyone is interested!
She may have noticed you looking at other women and has hatched a plan to keep you busy for the next ten or more years, he likes cars so I will show interest in the most unreliable type of the neediest brand from the decade that quality forgot so he will never have time to pursue other women as he is too busy trying to restore an old Lotus to as new condition before realising they didn't work when new either.
Saw a few come through when in the trade in the late eighties as a valeter, grim, trim alling off, never wanted to start if left for a few days and not that much fun or that fast when working, Scimitar a better bet if you must,
Saw a few come through when in the trade in the late eighties as a valeter, grim, trim alling off, never wanted to start if left for a few days and not that much fun or that fast when working, Scimitar a better bet if you must,
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