Lotus sold the Elan M100's design and production tooling to Kia after ending its own production run in 1995.
Lead trim: 1.6 (Isuzu 4XE1) · up to 162 hp
Lotus Elan M100M100 · 1989–1995
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Lotus Elan M100 yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactLotus sold the Elan M100's design and production tooling to Kia after ending its own production run in 1995.
Launched in August 1989, reviving the Elan nameplate after 14 years. A two-seater front-wheel-drive convertible designed in-house, with an Isuzu engine and manual transmission and built with the development and testing resources of General Motors. About £35 million was invested in its development, more than any other car in Lotus history. Kia built it from 1996 to 1999.
Collectors Spotted in the Lotus Elan Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Lotus Elan yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 (Isuzu 4XE1) | 1989–1995 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 130 hp | — | — | FWD | manual | — |
| 1.6 Turbo SE | 1989–1995 | 1.6 L Inline-4 | 162 hp | — | — | FWD | manual | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Lotus spent so much engineering this Elan's dashboard that it alone cost more than Kia's entire Excel production line — one reason the car could never turn a profit.
Lotus sold the Elan M100's design and production tooling to Kia after ending its own production run in 1995.
Colin Chapman sold the Elan Sprint's extra pace partly with a pen: he had Lotus quietly lower the published horsepower of older Elans so the new Sprint's number looked like a bigger leap.
Lotus wrote an oddly specific design brief for its first four-seater: it had to carry two adults and two children 1,000 miles in comfort, luggage included — hence the stretched +2 body.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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