A sports coupe shape, pop up headlights and four comfortable seats, the Lotus Excel is surely a worthy rival to the better-known family sportscar from the 1980s, the Porsche 928.
Finished in white with a body still in good condition and having undergone plenty of work mechanically since 2019, this is surely a very useable model. Used as a commuter car for a few years by the current owner, it supposedly very rarely had issues and was able to go on long road trips across the UK.
With full service history and relatively low miles, this is surely a great example of the British sporty coupe.
With soft, plush seats, we can understand why the current owner briefly used this 1987 Lotus Excel as a daily driver. Both the front and rear seats seem large enough to engulf any human making for a relaxing experience.
Furthermore, combining grey upholstery and black plastic for the dashboard, the interior spec is delightful.
1980s electronics are certainly not known for being the most reliable and with the interior lights and electric mirrors seemingly faulty that does appear to be the case in this car too. The speedometer is also not working as it should while the rear seats, parts of the dashboard and the steering wheel are showing signs of wear and tear.
In the boot you’ll find a slightly worn carpet and a spare wheel in need of a new tyre.
Look closer at the centre console and not only will you spot a touch of wood with the elegant shift knob, but an aftermarket radio has been fitted enabling CDs to be played. Additionally, sagging original headlining was replaced by the current owner.
Lotus cars from this era all follow a similar design philosophy as the styling team seemingly drew great inspiration from the objects holding their doors in place. The infamous wedge shape combined with pop-up headlights is truly a great look on Lotus models such as this Excel and finished in Monaco white, the car certainly stands out.
That specific white colour may be the colour chosen for the car from the factory, though it has been repainted in the past meaning it looks excellent for the most part bar a few imperfections on the corners. The passenger wing mirror also suffers from a small crack.
Underneath, the owner reports the chassis as being in excellent shape thanks to galvanised metal protecting the car from any corrosion. The vendor also claims the tyres will need changing soon.
Mechanically, this car shines having been very well cared for especially by the most recent owner. A full service history file and plenty of invoices prove the amount of work that’s gone into keeping this car running on a day-to-day basis.
Since 2019 alone, parts such as the brake pads and discs, all the filters and fluids imaginable, the clutch slave cylinder, cam belt and tensioner have all been replaced among many others. Along with a replaced exhaust back boxes due to the original ones looking, in the vendor’s words, like they had spent an afternoon at John Wayne's shooting practice, the car now drives excellently. In fact, the vendor points out the engine’s smooth sound.
Start up supposedly requires a choreography of throttle pumps, though this is to be expected in an older car and gives it a sense of character. As does the switch manually operating the fan on the steering column. Despite these idiosyncrasies, the car never fails to get going even after sitting for a while.
Great styling and a mechanical condition that trumps the motoring community’s amusing LOTUS acronym, this 1987 Lotus Excel is sure to be an excellent daily driver that stands out from the crowd. Furthermore, bring it to any event and it will attract just as much attention as any supercar from the period.
The interior, although entirely useable could benefit from some TLC opening the possibility for the perfect light project.
Notice to bidders
All items in this listing are sold on an “As Is - Where Is” basis. Photos and listing descriptions should be used as a guide only. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information in this listing and Car & Classic performs a level of due diligence prior to the auction, we do not warrant the accuracy of the listings. The seller assumes all responsibility for this listing. Inspection is highly recommended prior to bidding. Viewings are at the seller’s discretion.
Please take care when making a bid as once your bid is placed, it cannot be withdrawn and will not be cancelled. If you are unsure do not bid as no refunds will be given.
A nonrefundable buyer deposit is applied to all items won at auction. Please see our FAQs and T&Cs for further details.
All bidding is subject to our T&Cs. By registering and bidding you agree to the terms. Please ensure you clearly read them alongside the special terms and conditions contained in this listing.
Please see our FAQs
here
and our Terms & Conditions
here
Car & Classic's secure payment system protects buyers and sellers. At the end of the auction, the winning bidder transfers payment into a third-party escrow account. Once the transfer of the vehicle is complete, both parties confirm they are happy with the sale and the money is released to the seller.
More about buying with us
1987 Lotus Excel SE
About Max Bids
The max bid process allows you to bid without any hassle.
Enter your maximum bid and we will then bid on your behalf to ensure you're the highest bidder - just enough to keep you in the lead and only up until your maximum.
Anti-sniping
Car & Classic prevent auction snipers from bidding in the last seconds to win an auction.
Auctions are extended by 3 minutes if anyone bids within the last 2 minutes to allow other bidders to react and counter-bid.
Auto-bidding increments
If your maximum bid is equal to or below the reserve price, your maximum bid will be applied in full if you are the highest bidder.
If you are the highest bidder and place a maximum bid above the reserve, we will automatically put in the reserve as your first bid.
Once the reserve has been met, Car & Classic will make sure you are the highest bidder using only the bidding increments stated below.
We will keep you in the lead up until your maximum bid OR the increment closest to your maximum bid, providing your maximum bid is enough to cover the increment value.
Bid Amount
Increment
£0 to £9,999
£100.00
£10,000 to £49,999
£250.00
£50,000 to £99,999
£500.00
£100,000 +
£1,000.00
Automatically outbid immediately
When you place a max bid and are outbid immediately that means that another bidder has placed a max bid limit which is higher than yours.
You can bid again and we will use our automatic bid system to try and get you as the highest bidder.
Matching max bids
When there are two max bids of the same value, the one placed first remains the lead bidder.
Pre-authorisation
We may hold a pre-authorisation charge on your card until the end of the auction when the hold will be cancelled. If you win, we'll take a security deposit which counts towards the payment for the vehicle and isn't any extra cost to you.
What are pre-bids?
A pre-bid means you're able to place a bid before the official start of the auction.
You will be notified whether or not you are the highest bidder when the auction starts.
Problem with your bid
Bids are contractually binding. To help protect you, we have some rules in place if we think it's been mistyped. Please check and amend what you have entered.
