Fun but flawed (Lotus Excel)

Member Name: mtulett

Product:	Lotus Excel
Date:	23/06/01 (969 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: looks, chassis, price

Disadvantages: looks, build quality, Lotus dealers

I had one of the early ones, a 1994 Eclat Excel (as they were first called), black badgeed to commemerate Colin Chapman's death. The bodywork had held up well, the looks aren't to everyone's taste, but they get you noticed. The interior was fairly shabby and the dodgy switchgear didn't really make you feel great when you first got in, however getting underway was another matter. The engine would start really easily (pre fuel injection) and sounded really good...unless you had anyone firing up an Alfa V6 in the area! The Toyota gearbox was really slick and precise, brakes worked well and it was fast enough to be fun...I could quite happily keep up with a friend's 1987 911. The thing that really made it was the chassis and steering though, so much feel and poise, it got me out of a few scrapes with a smile on my face, amazing :-) I eventually sold it after owning it for 2 trouble free years as I was offered a job in New York, I got the same money I paid for it, but they are so cheap you cannot really loose money on them. The one thing to remember is never go near a 'real' Lotus dealer, they expensive, unhelpful and actually don't seem to know much about anything that isn't an Elise. Find a good specialist from the Lotus Owners Club.

Summary: