Lot Ended
Description
Attractive
Pacific Blue M100 with an excellent service history; current owner for 5 years;
recent new brakes; long MOT; driven 40 miles to the sale; one of only 3,855
made; a smart example of the world’s finest handling FWD sports
car
Launched in 1987 when Lotus had the deep pockets of General
Motors behind them, the Elan SE Turbo M100 was the first and only
front-wheel-drive production car Lotus ever built.
Purists were initially
sceptical, but Lotus engineers proved that FWD could deliver world-class
handling. Using a rigid composite body on a steel backbone chassis, the M100
eradicated traditional front-drive issues like torque steer through clever
suspension geometry, with power steering as standard equipment.
Power
came from an Isuzu-sourced 1.6 turbocharged inline-four engine, co-developed
with Lotus tuning, mated to a 5-speed manual gearbox. Delivering 165bhp it could
sprint from 0 to 60mph in 6.5 seconds with a top speed of 137mph. In true Lotus
tradition, it was highly rated by the automotive press who declared it to be the
finest handling front-wheel-drive sports bar none, Autocar calling it
“the quickest point-to-point car available”.
Only 3,855 were sold before
production came to an end in 1992, although a handful of Series 2 versions were
briefly made in 1994/95 to use up surplus engines.
Supplied new by London
Lotus Centre in August 1990, this M100 has covered 108,429 miles to date and
comes with an excellent service history including 21 stamps in the book, the
last in March 2008 at 99,872 miles when the book runs out of pages, plus many
dozens of supporting invoices. It was also rust-proofed twice in 1992 and 1994
to preserve the Lotus 8-year anti-corrosion guarantee (see photos).
There
are also various invoices for subsequent upkeep including a recored radiator in
2010; new oil cooler in 2023; new brake discs all round in 2024; new gearbox
linkage cables in 2025; all four brake calipers reconditioned in April
2026.
Supplied with its original bookpack and two sets of keys, it also
has a Sony face-off CD/radio and no fewer than 29 old MOTs to warrant the
mileage. The current MOT is valid until May 2027 with just a few minor
advisories (slight play in front ball joints; light corrosion to front lower
suspension arms).
As you can see in the photos, this well-historied
Lotus looks very smart for its age/mileage with attractive Pacific Blue
paintwork, a tidy interior and a good canvas hood. In the current ownership
since 2021, we are told that it drives as well as it looks. It has certainly
been starting promptly and running nicely as we have moved it around on site,
with bags of go and healthy oil pressure.
Driven 40 miles to the sale on
a swelteringly hot day without drama, it is on offer here at a very enticing
guide price and is ready for a new owner to enjoy. Every true petrolhead should
own a Lotus at least once in their life - they really are amazing to drive and
the go-kart handling makes most other cars feel stodgy by
comparison.
Consigned by James Dennison – 07970 309907 – james.dennison@brightwells.com