Overview & Reviews

Founded in Britain, Lotus is very much a specialty outfit, with output limited to high-performance racecars and sports cars known for their sleek and lightweight designs. Though its cars are prized by enthusiasts seeking maximum handling performance, Lotus has never been particularly keen on sales volume, and it rarely has more than one or two models for sale at a time.

The marque was founded by racing enthusiast Anthony Colin Chapman. The first Lotus was built in 1948, and used by Chapman to compete in races. By 1955, Chapman had officially formed Lotus Cars Ltd. A company milestone was reached two years later with the unveiling of the innovative Lotus Elite. This remarkably light coupe owed its featherweight status to its fiberglass unibody construction. Though the use of fiberglass for a car's body wasn't unique, the Elite was the first vehicle to use this material both in its skeleton and its skin. The resultant weight savings helped the Elite to distinguish itself at Le Mans and other notable races around the world.

The 1960s saw Lotus expanding its line with the addition of the Elan. First available as a roadster, the car offered a twin-cam engine, four-wheel disc brakes and a four-wheel independent suspension. Hardtop versions were later offered. By 1967, Lotus had added the Elan Plus 2 to its lineup. Dubbed Lotus' first family car, the Plus 2 was just as sporty as the Elan, but more practical thanks to a bigger cabin and the addition of two jump seats.

Lotus discontinued the Elite in 1972, but the name was revived in 1974. The new Elite was a four-passenger model with a 160-horsepower engine. Two years later, the Lotus family grew yet again, with the addition of the Esprit. The two-seat sports car continued Lotus' ethos of lightweight design, and it was instantly recognizable due to its distinctive wedge-shaped exterior and appearance in two James Bond movies.

Movie stardom aside, this was not a good decade for Lotus. The brand's vehicles had evolved significantly since the first Elite cruised off showroom floors. But Lotus cars of the 1970s were bigger and more expensive than their predecessors, and the brand had muscled its way into a segment populated by the likes of Ferrari and Porsche. Lotus cars were now premium-priced exotics; unfortunately for the brand, this segment saw a dramatic fall-off in demand in the wake of that era's fuel crisis. As a result, the niche-market automaker suffered significant losses.

In 1986, General Motors took full control of Lotus and created Lotus Cars USA in 1987. That relationship lasted until 1993, when GM sold Lotus to Bugatti. Bugatti's ownership was even shorter; Lotus was sold to a Malaysian firm in 1996. The same year, Lotus began producing the flyweight Elise, a car that would quickly become the company's main product and financial savior. The Elise was finally imported to North America in 2004 after safety and emissions considerations were overcome.

Today, Lotus remains true to Chapman's original desire of producing lightweight and race-oriented sports cars. With tight cabin accommodations, a stiff ride and minimal comfort and storage features, modern Lotus cars make poor grocery-getters. But for the enthusiast looking for world-class handling, sporty style and an unfiltered connection between car and driver at a reasonable price, the Lotus brand is hard to beat.

User Reviews:

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  Lotus Elise - 2005 Lotus Elise
  By Les Albin - November 15 - 5:10 pm

  The Elise has been absolutely reliable in all types of driving. It has looks and performance that compare favorably to the most exotic cars around, but at a fraction of the cost to purchase and operate. Handling and responsiveness are better than any other car regardless of price. On the track or on the street the Elise gets more smiles per gallon than anything else around.

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  Track this car... please! - 2005 Lotus Elise
  By lotus racer - November 3 - 2:46 am

  Unbelievable, but my wife bought this car because it looks great and she lets me take it to the track. Drives like a race car because thats what it was built to do. Take a racing class if youve never done such a thing. Then take the car out and have some fun on the track. But dont try this on the street. Youll get squashed like a bug when you move fast into the blind spot of just about any car and every truck. Hold on to your seat because youve never had a ride like this before.

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  Elise 06 Review - 2006 Lotus Elise
  By Rugbyduck - October 28 - 7:03 am

  I have found the Elise to be quite comfortable for extended trips. Where the 05 falters in poor seats and poorly spaced pedals the 06 makes up for. Ive never driven a car that puts a smile on my face for so long. Its like having a new toy everyday of the year for the rest of my life! Dealer cooperation leaves a bit to be desired.

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  Best sports car, period. - 2005 Lotus Elise
  By rbalboa - October 26 - 2:10 am

  This is a pure sports car, no frills just raw power in a small package that will shake you up with a great smile.

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  This car begs you to drive it HARD - 2005 Lotus Elise
  By Mike C - September 14 - 5:40 pm

  I cannot state how happy I am with this car. It rewards the driver at every level. This is my first high performance sports car, and initially behind the wheel I didnt know what to expect and drove it very conservatively. It rewarded me at this level and drove very easily. As my sports driving skills have grown, I find there is continuously more ability in this car. As I learn to exploit its performance more, it shows me it has more to give. So far I have not found the bottom of this tall glass of fast and agile! My wife loves driving it too, and she was previously not a car enthusiast. That has all changed. You will fall in love with this car!

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  best car - 2005 Lotus Elise
  By benthebest - August 4 - 10:00 am

  definetly the car to buy

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  Nothing else compares in the price range - 2007 Lotus Elise
  By fishman76092 - July 15 - 4:31 pm

  Ive had mine for about two years. No issues thus far. Hear some build quality complaints on forums- its hit and miss. Its a hand built car that costs $25-40k. The good: Closest thing to a race car for the price, Toyota engine/transmission, so much fun to drive above 5500 rpms. The bad: Getting in and out with top on, people looking at you- wanting to take photos, etc, not many creature comforts. Long story short: If you want a smooth ride, a great stereo, isolation from the road, and a long trip cruiser...buy something else. If you want to enjoy every mile, drive a roller coaster, rip through the gears, wind it up to 9k, turn the stereo off and listen to the engine, buy an Elise.

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  Im stuck in this car - 2006 Lotus Elise
  By ME - July 8 - 3:10 pm

  Had a little trouble first getting into the car. I havent actually gotten out yet for 2 reasons. First - this is the funnest car with the best response and road feel that I have ever been in, really making me NOT want to get out. Second - I physically can not get out of the car. Im typing this on my wireless laptop that I threw in the passenger floor board. If my wife reads this, please come help me get out. By the way, I am NOT fat at 510" and 160 lbs.

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  Best Car Ever - 2005 Lotus Elise
  By Seraph - June 17 - 10:00 am

  no word to describe

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  A Real Review - 2002 Lotus Esprit
  By Jer - April 21 - 10:00 am

  In my opinion as a long-time Porsche owner I can make an honest comparison. I feel that from 1998 onwards the Esprit is a very usable and reliable car that is even more fun to drive then then nearly every Porsche, Ferrari 355, corvette and a viper. I have had nothing but pleasure without any headaches. Keep care of the Exclusive Lotus and it will keep good care of you. From reading some reviews, it is painfully obvious that the ratings are performed by individuals that have never owned any of the cars but just had an hour or so of driving.