RE: The best used Lotus cars to buy in 2021

[mike150]

I absolutely love my Elise S3 220 Sport, its the best car I've ever driven after my Caterham R400 but it has usability that the Caterham doesn't. Its not that fast but its just so pure to drive, perfect gearing and gearchange, steering, sound, suspension...........and the roof comes off!

I've had lots of cars, many much faster but I think my Elise is a keeper.

[Paul_M3]

airhawk1 said:

With everyone bemoaning the loss of connection, "feel" and general rawness in modern sports cars, I am sure that the S3 Exige will be viewed with very misty eyes in a few years' time.

A truly epic soundtrack, a pretty shape, (relatively) lightweight, beautiful handling, wonderful steering, a proper manual gearbox (with that super sexy shifter on later cars)... And sensible(ish) performance levels for real world thrashing.

I'm surprised they aren't selling more right now tbh.

Completely agree with this, and basically aligns with what I'm intending to do right now.

I currently own one car, a very lovely 911. It does everything very well and it's a brilliant car. But it seems a bit wasted being used for my 25 mile each way work commute, on roads with a 50mph limit most of the way and no real opportunities for overtakes.

Therefore I've currently got a very boring electric car on order via a work lease scheme. It will be quiet, comfortable, modern and cheap to run for daily duties.

The Porsche is getting sold, and I'm planning to replace it with an S3 Exige. It'll enjoy weekend drives, the odd commute to work, hopefully a fair few track days, and remind me why I love cars and driving so much.

[wolfie28]

Nearly bought a Exige S2 a while back. I’m not the youngest or fittest so getting in and out was pure comedy. Sadly that was the deal breaker in the end. Test drive was fun and once I was in it was a great place to be.

[Painter38]

If PH could turn this article into a YouTube film it would earn a lot of money over the years.

[Vee12V]

Paul_M3 said:

It'll enjoy weekend drives, the odd commute to work, hopefully a fair few track days, and remind me why I love cars and driving so much.

That's exactly how I use mine. Best of both worlds really.

[Gad-Westy]

wolfie28 said:

Nearly bought a Exige S2 a while back. I’m not the youngest or fittest so getting in and out was pure comedy. Sadly that was the deal breaker in the end. Test drive was fun and once I was in it was a great place to be.

It's worth mentioning that it's 80% technique and only 20% agility. If you go in bum first like you would in most cars, it just doesn't work. I think most people including myself use the left leg in first, then bum then right leg. It's a lot easier like that. I noticed that Jon Seal (who I bought my car from) uses the head first technique. Seems to dive in I don't know how he does it frankly but he makes it look a piece of piss. I guess that's what years of practice does!

But either way, don't rule it out based solely on first attempts as I think all of us have felt like an arthritic clown until we get the hang of it. Still a bit tricky in tight spaces but you can usually avoid those.

[Actus Reus]

Vee12V said:

That's exactly how I use mine. Best of both worlds really.

And me with mine. I'm six weeks into owning a Sport 350 (in red) and I love it.

[unpc]

I agree these are the best antidote to boring sanitised modern cars.

I bought an Evora SR a couple of months back and it's the only car I've had in decades that I just go for a weekend blast in just for the hell of it. That includes my previous Mustang GT, Alpina and XKR. It just begs me to go and drive the wheels off it. They're cheap to own too which is a bonus.

[twinturban]

Evora GT430 looking very cheap at the moment given Evora production has stopped, they were the pinnacle Evora the spec on them is incredible and fully loaded cost £120k+ you can buy barely used for much less than the cost of a new GT410. They are far better than any other Evora on the track and more exciting on the road too. Grip and handling is out of this world. Real downforce makes them super stable at high speed too. Much more refined and easier to get in and out of than an Exige.

There is a GT430 Sport for sale right now in the classifieds it's unique, there is only one in the UK, it has full GT430 spec without the massive wing. Asking £74k.

Just checked, ad not there anymore, not surprised it sold, should have been at least £85k for me.

Edited by twinturban on Friday 12th March 11:54

[Retset]

Not in your list but I have a 2005 Elise S2 111R and I really can't see me selling it. TBH, I don't even get to drive it that often but a high revving NA motor, 6 speed manual, the world's most unobtrusive ABS system and a great chassis is a wonderful antidote to many things, including a lot of the cars available today.

My everyday Golf R Estate is, I'm afraid, faster in all respects. I like it very much. Like, though, not love...

[jeremyc]

50 years old this year.

[F1 Chris]

Buying an s3 Exige is the best choice I ever made. If your sitting on the fence about buying an Exige.. Your missing out.

[ducnick]

My dad sold his Elite S1 45 yrs ago when I was born and he still regrets it to this day. For for nostalgia reasons I would take a light yellow Elite Super 95 please. For unlimited budget I would opt for an original Lotus 11 or 15 or a Lotus 49 grand prix car.

[CABC]

Paul_M3 said:

airhawk1 said:

With everyone bemoaning the loss of connection, "feel" and general rawness in modern sports cars, I am sure that the S3 Exige will be viewed with very misty eyes in a few years' time.

A truly epic soundtrack, a pretty shape, (relatively) lightweight, beautiful handling, wonderful steering, a proper manual gearbox (with that super sexy shifter on later cars)... And sensible(ish) performance levels for real world thrashing.

I'm surprised they aren't selling more right now tbh.

Completely agree with this, and basically aligns with what I'm intending to do right now.

I currently own one car, a very lovely 911. It does everything very well and it's a brilliant car. But it seems a bit wasted being used for my 25 mile each way work commute, on roads with a 50mph limit most of the way and no real opportunities for overtakes.

Therefore I've currently got a very boring electric car on order via a work lease scheme. It will be quiet, comfortable, modern and cheap to run for daily duties.

The Porsche is getting sold, and I'm planning to replace it with an S3 Exige. It'll enjoy weekend drives, the odd commute to work, hopefully a fair few track days, and remind me why I love cars and driving so much.

to both posters above i'd argue than an Elise is a better fit. small, light and the roof comes off.
sure the Exige V6 is supercar fast but the joy of a Lotus is often in the simple pleasure down a B road.

[Gad-Westy]

CABC said:

Paul_M3 said:

airhawk1 said:

With everyone bemoaning the loss of connection, "feel" and general rawness in modern sports cars, I am sure that the S3 Exige will be viewed with very misty eyes in a few years' time.

A truly epic soundtrack, a pretty shape, (relatively) lightweight, beautiful handling, wonderful steering, a proper manual gearbox (with that super sexy shifter on later cars)... And sensible(ish) performance levels for real world thrashing.

I'm surprised they aren't selling more right now tbh.

Completely agree with this, and basically aligns with what I'm intending to do right now.

I currently own one car, a very lovely 911. It does everything very well and it's a brilliant car. But it seems a bit wasted being used for my 25 mile each way work commute, on roads with a 50mph limit most of the way and no real opportunities for overtakes.

Therefore I've currently got a very boring electric car on order via a work lease scheme. It will be quiet, comfortable, modern and cheap to run for daily duties.

The Porsche is getting sold, and I'm planning to replace it with an S3 Exige. It'll enjoy weekend drives, the odd commute to work, hopefully a fair few track days, and remind me why I love cars and driving so much.

to both posters above i'd argue than an Elise is a better fit. small, light and the roof comes off.
sure the Exige V6 is supercar fast but the joy of a Lotus is often in the simple pleasure down a B road.

There's a lot of truth in this. I love my Exige S2 S (admit I'm partly a sucker for the looks over the Elise equivalent) but it is probably less fun than my old S1. The S1 had only a little more than half the power but more 'spankable' on public roads and the roof came off. If I had the money and a forgiving enough wife I'd possible park a base model S3 1.6 (130bhp model) alongside my Exige. The S1 would probably be more fun but they are less dependable and roof is a bit fiddly.

I guess on a lot of larger tracks, the more powerful models are more appealing though.

They haven't made any bad cars on the Elise platform so there is plenty of choice.

[Paul_M3]

CABC said:

Paul_M3 said:

airhawk1 said:

With everyone bemoaning the loss of connection, "feel" and general rawness in modern sports cars, I am sure that the S3 Exige will be viewed with very misty eyes in a few years' time.

A truly epic soundtrack, a pretty shape, (relatively) lightweight, beautiful handling, wonderful steering, a proper manual gearbox (with that super sexy shifter on later cars)... And sensible(ish) performance levels for real world thrashing.

I'm surprised they aren't selling more right now tbh.

Completely agree with this, and basically aligns with what I'm intending to do right now.

I currently own one car, a very lovely 911. It does everything very well and it's a brilliant car. But it seems a bit wasted being used for my 25 mile each way work commute, on roads with a 50mph limit most of the way and no real opportunities for overtakes.

Therefore I've currently got a very boring electric car on order via a work lease scheme. It will be quiet, comfortable, modern and cheap to run for daily duties.

The Porsche is getting sold, and I'm planning to replace it with an S3 Exige. It'll enjoy weekend drives, the odd commute to work, hopefully a fair few track days, and remind me why I love cars and driving so much.

to both posters above i'd argue than an Elise is a better fit. small, light and the roof comes off.
sure the Exige V6 is supercar fast but the joy of a Lotus is often in the simple pleasure down a B road.

My head knows that you're right and it would be the sensible purchase. I have owned a supercharged Elise previously so I know what they're like.

My heart says "Get the Exige as it may be the last time you ever buy a car like this. It's bonkers fast, looks amazing, sounds incredible and just seems so special" (Plus you can take the roof off on them too)

[Bobo W]

I went for Elise SC over Exige S2 late last year - in the same fabulous burnt orange. In terms of useable performance I can't think why you'd want anything more powerful.

[Clive Milk]

I think the styling of the Elan M100 has aged very well, I'd like to try one just to see how the handling compared to say the original Integra R. Both are highly praised. I think the Elan had a clever front suspension if memory serves. Didn't they have the dashboard out of a Vauxhall Carlton GSI 3000 ?

I think I might have rose tinted glasses on though...

[airhawk1]

Paul_M3 said:

CABC said:

Paul_M3 said:

airhawk1 said:

With everyone bemoaning the loss of connection, "feel" and general rawness in modern sports cars, I am sure that the S3 Exige will be viewed with very misty eyes in a few years' time.

A truly epic soundtrack, a pretty shape, (relatively) lightweight, beautiful handling, wonderful steering, a proper manual gearbox (with that super sexy shifter on later cars)... And sensible(ish) performance levels for real world thrashing.

I'm surprised they aren't selling more right now tbh.

Completely agree with this, and basically aligns with what I'm intending to do right now.

I currently own one car, a very lovely 911. It does everything very well and it's a brilliant car. But it seems a bit wasted being used for my 25 mile each way work commute, on roads with a 50mph limit most of the way and no real opportunities for overtakes.

Therefore I've currently got a very boring electric car on order via a work lease scheme. It will be quiet, comfortable, modern and cheap to run for daily duties.

The Porsche is getting sold, and I'm planning to replace it with an S3 Exige. It'll enjoy weekend drives, the odd commute to work, hopefully a fair few track days, and remind me why I love cars and driving so much.

to both posters above i'd argue than an Elise is a better fit. small, light and the roof comes off.
sure the Exige V6 is supercar fast but the joy of a Lotus is often in the simple pleasure down a B road.

My head knows that you're right and it would be the sensible purchase. I have owned a supercharged Elise previously so I know what they're like.

My heart says "Get the Exige as it may be the last time you ever buy a car like this. It's bonkers fast, looks amazing, sounds incredible and just seems so special" (Plus you can take the roof off on them too)

I can't argue with any of the above! There aren't really any bad options in the Elise/Exige line up. And the slower, lighter cars are of course more thashable, which is a large part of the appeal to me.

However, I'm utterly obsessed with the noise of that V6..! It's up there with my favourite sounding cars of all time.

I would adore to have any of them though!

[pycraft]

Sadly, it seems we're slipping from the days when you can list the Excel in an "Under £10,000" category.

I had one briefly (took 2 years to find, written off by an idiot in a Rover 216 six weeks later). I remember parking it in a car park in Lyme Regis up, and overhearing a conversation between father a and son as I walked to get the Pay and Display ticket. "Cor, what's that car, dad?" "That's James Bond's car, son". I have never had a prouder car-related moment, and I don't care if he was wrong (besides, what's an Excel if not a front-engined Esprit?).