The Lotus Excel was released in 1982 as a sporting grand tourer with perfect 50/50 weight distribution, and of course, that legendary Lotus handling. It had plenty of 'go' thanks to the race-derived Lotus 912 engine under the bonnet. The Lotus Excel would go on to be joined by the Lotus Esprit, with the Esprit being the sports car and the Excel being more of a sporting grand tourer (GT). 

Inside the Excel you’ll find 2+2 seating, opulent upholstery throughout, a well-equipped dashboard, and plenty of boot space in the back by Lotus standards. Only 126 are still registered in the UK as of 2021, making this a very rare opportunity indeed. It's taken a while for the Excel's popularity to come around, but it's here now, and buyers are keen to snap them up. 

The current owner is the second in the last 10 years. They bought the car in 2017. When they first saw the car they were particularly impressed by the overall condition of it, especially when compared to many Excels that were for sale at the time. 

Interestingly, the current owner actually took the car to France, where it was registered for a time before coming back to home soil. It's a Lotus Excel that is certainly well travelled, and thus proven to be me mechanically sound and well looked after. If you're looking for an Excel you can jump in, drive and instantly enjoy, this is the one. 

The car comes with the V5 and lots of various receipts, including MOT’s and services, confirming that the car has been well cared for and looked after. There is also paperwork supporting the car's registration in France and of course, the re-registering in the UK on its return.

There are invoices for various works over the years, as well as paperwork pertaining to things like the superb Compomotive split-rim alloy wheels on which it current sits.

You open the door to a sea of cream leather seats, dashboard, rear seats and door cards. The dashboard consists of the black dash, surrounded by the walnut dashboard which was synonymous with the late '80s. The interior is in excellent condition throughout, with no separation of any glue/bonding and no rips or tears. There is some age to it of course, but it's not damaged or excessively worn. The wooden inserts on the dash are in good order, the leather three-spoke steering wheel falls to hand well and even the Lotus-badged wooden gear knob is still smooth and free of any flaking varnish. Further down, the carpets are in good condition, too. 

The car is fitted with electric windows and wing mirrors. Everything looks and feels in good condition, the driver's seat is supportive and comfortable and we are told that everything works as it should, including the face-off radio. All the dials are bright and clear, and all function. The switchgear is still illustrative of its function, and even the clock still works. It's quite the time capsule. 

The beautiful, Calypso Red paint work glistens even on the dullest of days. Combine that with the gold and silver 15” Compomotive alloy wheels (the originals are included if the gold ones aren't to your fancy) and this thing turns heads wherever it goes. The bodywork is in very nice condition and is a joy to look at. The fibreglass body of the Excel can often fall victim to cracks and other damage, but there seems to be none of that here. The red is still deep and glossy, there is no evidence of it having ever made contact with anything it shouldn't and the panel gaps are decent across the car. 

There are numerous 'highlights' over this car; the black and gold Lotus badges, the Colin Chapman Signature on the back, but what probably trumps all of those things, is the pop-up headlights. They work perfectly and there is just something about them that, regardless of your age, makes you all giddy! We're not saying you should buy a car just because it has pop-up headlights, but if you did, we would understand!

Extensive receipts from 1988 suggests that this car has been well cared for. That certainly seems to be the case. While photographing, there were no untoward noises, or smoke or any visible leaks to report. The car sounded lovely on tick over and was a joy to hear. The carbs breath deep and without hesitation, and the whole things sounds healthy on tickover. We're told by the seller that there is nothing of note any potential bidder needs to be aware of. It runs strong, and having been driven across Europe on more than one occasion, it's a proven quantity. The engine bay looks clean and honest, with period stickers and colour coded elements adding a bit of detail

The transmission performs as it should, with smooth, direct changes. The clutch seems to have plenty of life in it, and we're told by the seller that the brakes are up to spec and bring the car to straight and true stop. The all-important suspension is in good order. There is the odd creak and squeak, but that's idiosyncratic of a car of this era. Crucially, on the road this Lotus feels every bit deserving of the that badge so synonymous with handling prowess.

There are only 126 Lotus Excels on the road at the time of writing this listing. Yet, despite this obvious rarity, the Excel still presents as something of a bargain in Lotus terms. Plus, it's a wholly more useable car than say an Esprit, which is too low and anything but graceful to get out of. This Excel... excels when it comes to usability. And it's been cared for and loved and enjoyed, not left to sit. This is a car you can jump in and enjoy, take to shows, or take to the office on those sunny days. It's a perfect example of a practical classic, and one you really don't want to miss out on.