Lotus has developed excellent and unusual cars in equal measure. The Lotus Eclat and Excel top the list of obscure releases. The Eclan, while brilliant, gets its fair share of downvotes – it’s not the most memorable model out of the automaker’s stable. While it might not have been popular in the U.S., Lotus cars were a big hit in the U.K and Europe.
Jack of Number 27 YouTube channel got the chance to drive a Lotus Elan M100, which by many people, doesn’t merit the Lotus nameplate.
“It’s almost not really accepted as a Lotus, and there are some reasons for that. It’s quite an unusual car,” Jack said.
When the Elan was developed (between 1989-1992), Lotus was part of GM (General Motors), which shows from its design.
Under the hood, the Lotus Elan M100 came with a turbocharged 1.6-liter Isuzu engine paired to a 5-speed manual transmission. It made 165 hp (167 ps) and 147 lb-ft (200 Nm) of torque.
According to Lotus, the Elan did pretty well for the three years it sold. However, it was a total disaster in the U.S., mainly because it was expensive. Jack says it costs about the same as a Corvette of the era, which significantly affected its influence in the market.
Due to its massive flop in the United States, GM got rid of it, and with it went its short-lived glory.
Purists hated the M100 due to its front-wheel-drive setup. It’s important to understand that the Elan was a pure sports car not developed solely for power but for how a driver felt connected to the vehicle. This change was a turn-off for most purists.
Based on Jack’s short drive in the car, there’s much to differ. According to the YouTuber, the M100 has aged gracefully compared to most cars of its era. And even though it’s not a power monster driving from naught, there is little to no turbo-lag.
“The important thing is how it goes in the turns, and the amount of grip in corners. For a little front wheel drive car, it's just staggering. I haven’t been able to feel any understeer at all.” Jack confessed.
Humphrey is a car enthusiast whose love and passion for automobiles extended into collecting, writing, driving, and working on cars. He got his passion for cars from his Dad, who spent thousands of hours working on his old junky 1970 E20 Toyota Corolla. Years later, he would end up doing the same with a series of lemons he’s owned throughout his adult life. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News