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 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.HlCYbbLyz6Iy4Ad72ysWD5l4q88IxmZ0ylJQEvCE.jpeg920.59 KB
The Exterior
Repainted in its original Monaco white
Galvanised chassis is safe from corrosion
Excellent wedge-shape styling
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.9SdatssaUTMzNIrDJ26laqn91jMj4HINhf9OjDc4.jpeg1.46 MB
The Mechanics
2.2-litre inline four cylinder engine
Five-speed Toyota-produced manual transmission
Plenty of work done mechanically by current owner
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.7dq4WrQufFgCukDx9QoIRsHN9O39n0l8LciZOPHd.jpeg1.74 MB
Summary
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.
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