The Lotus Europa was a British GT car with a mid-engine layout, built by Lotus Cars from 1966 to 1975. They arrived in the U.S. while the second series of cars was in production and required some mods to… more»
Lotus
Dec 3, 2024 • For Sale • 10 Comments
Garage Art or Project? 1991 Lotus Esprit SE
Occasionally, a classic will land on our desks at Barn Finds, leaving us to ponder its history. Such is the case with this 1991 Lotus Esprit SE. It has spent many years hanging from this shop ceiling as a… more»
Nov 22, 2024 • For Sale • 9 Comments
Low Mileage 1989 Lotus Esprit Turbo SE
This Lotus Esprit Turbo SE appears on these pages courtesy of Chuck Foster, who also found a rare Eclat for us – thanks, Chuck! Of course, the two cars could hardly be more different. The Eclat landed in the… more»
Nov 17, 2024 • For Sale • 5 Comments
Driving Project: 1978 Lotus Éclat
It’s an irony that cars resulting from Lotus’ efforts to move upscale should be found in consistently derelict condition. No one seemed to care about the Elite and Éclat four-seat models once they had racked up enough miles to… more»
Sep 30, 2024 • For Sale • 14 Comments
Highly Original: 1971 Lotus Europa S2
This Lotus Europa S2 is a highly original examples with a fantastic history file attached to its Bahama Yellow fiberglass body. The Europa is a memorable driving experience reserved for those of modest height and low curb weights, one… more»
Sep 24, 2024 • For Sale • 8 Comments
Two-Owner, Euro-Trim Project: 1974 Lotus Elite
The Lotus Elite was brewing in Colin Chapman’s mind long before it finally hit the tarmac. By 1967, the Lotus line-up had marched upscale, that berth being occupied by the newly launched Elan +2. An almost-four-seat coupe, featuring a… more»
Aug 30, 2024 • For Sale • 7 Comments
What’s It Worth? 1967 Lotus Elan SE Project Car
The Lotus Elan arrived in 1962 as the embodiment of Colin Chapman’s plan to improve his company’s road-car regime. With a fiberglass body mounted on a backbone chassis, the new Elan was configured as a two-seat convertible. Fixed-head coupes… more»
Aug 19, 2024 • For Sale • 5 Comments
Parked for 5 Years: 1977 Lotus Esprit S1
Colin Chapman was a lateral thinker whose innovative ideas forever changed the world of motorsport. He knew cars with modest engine power could offer excellent performance if every excess ounce was pruned away, coining the iconic phrase, “simplify and… more»
Aug 15, 2024 • For Sale • 8 Comments
Low Miles: 1987 Lotus Turbo Esprit HCi
For a car with a reputation for reliability issues, the Lotus Esprit enjoyed a very long production run. Perhaps its slow start to market was a harbinger of this longevity: the car was designed in 1971 and shown in… more»
Jul 20, 2024 • For Sale • 20 Comments
1 of 1 in the US! 1988 Lotus Excel
If you are familiar with this model Lotus… congratulations! You are a true automobile aficionado! I thought I knew cars fairly well, yet the only Excel I had ever heard of was from Hyundai. This is truly a unicorn…. more»
Jul 18, 2024 • For Sale • 31 Comments
Two-Owner Project: 1967 Lotus Cortina Mk 1
The Ford Lotus Cortina was a 1960s collaboration between Ford and Lotus Cars to build a performance-oriented small sedan. There were two generations with the Mk 1 being in production from 1963 to 1970. With a 1557-cc twin camshaft… more»
Jul 18, 2024 • For Sale • 8 Comments
Storage Unit Find: 1969 Lotus Elan +2
In the early 1960s, Colin Chapman was riding high on successes in Formula racing. But his road-going car, the Elite, struggled in the market, putting Lotus in a precarious financial position. The Elite, while lovely, was fragile and demanded… more»
Jul 17, 2024 • For Sale • 5 Comments
Rare Big Valve Project: 1971 Lotus Elan +2 S130
When you think of a Lotus Elan, it’s natural to picture an evocative two-seater roadster. After all, this is the nameplate that made Lotus a household name for car enthusiasts everywhere. However, the little-know Elan +2 is an alternative… more»
Jul 9, 2024 • For Sale • 10 Comments
Project Exotic: 1988 Lotus Esprit Commemorative Edition
The chance to get into a desirable sports car for far less than the going rate is always going to raise eyebrows. If you want to snag a performance icon for a fraction of the price, you’re going to… more»
Jun 20, 2024 • For Sale • 12 Comments
Missing Cylinder Head Screw: 1978 Lotus Esprit Series 1
Giorgetto Giugiaro went to work at Fiat’s Special Vehicles Division at seventeen – mostly likely younger than many of us were when we purchased our first car. Fiat ignored his design work, so he approached Bertone, who sold one… more»
May 31, 2024 • For Sale • 17 Comments
Back From 25 Years of Storage: 1973 Lotus Europa
Over the history of Barn Finds, thousands of vehicles have been profiled. You would think that cars that saw high production numbers would be frequent subjects, and you would be correct. However, a particular British sports car seems to… more»
