This article needs additional citations for verification .(October 2018) |
Lotus Excel | |
---|---|
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Lotus Cars |
Production |
|
Designer | Oliver Winterbottom |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Sports car (S) |
Body style | 2-door 2+2 coupe |
Layout | Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
Related | Lotus Eclat |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 2.2 L Lotus 912 I4 |
Transmission |
|
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 2,483 mm (97.8 in) |
Length | 4,398 mm (173.1 in) |
Width | 1,816 mm (71.5 in) |
Height | 1,207 mm (47.5 in) |
Curb weight |
|
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Lotus Eclat |
The Lotus Excel (Type 89) is a sports car designed and built by British automobile manufacturer Lotus Cars from 1982 to 1992. It is based on the design of the earlier Lotus Eclat, which itself was based on the earlier Lotus Type 75 Elite.
Toyota engaged Lotus to assist with the engineering work on the Supra. During this period, Toyota became a major shareholder in Lotus, later giving up their holding when General Motors bought Lotus.
Part of the deal between Lotus and Toyota included the use of many Toyota mechanical components in Lotus' cars. The original Excel (aka the Eclat Excel) used the W58 manual transmission, driveshafts, rear differential, 14x7 inch alloy wheels, and door handles from the A60 Supra. The engine was the familiar all-aluminium, DOHC 2.2 L Lotus 912 slant-four engine also used in the Lotus Esprit S3, producing 160 hp (119 kW; 162 PS).
Launched in October 1982, the Excel received two major upgrades during its 10-year production run. With the introduction of the Excel SE in October 1985, the bumpers, wing and interior were changed, including a new dashboard. In October 1986 the Excel SA with an automatic gearbox was introduced. [2] Further facelifts in 1989 saw Citroën CX-derived mirrors, as also featured on the Esprit, and 15 inch OZ alloy wheels to a similar pattern as the Esprit's.
The body was made from vacuum injected resin and was made in upper and lower halves which were joined, evident from a piece of black trim around the car. The body was mounted onto a galvanised steel backbone chassis. This manufacturing process gave the car a good level of structural rigidity. The suspension system consisted of a single transverse lower arm coupled with an anti-roll bar and a wishbone above the lower arm at the front while at the rear the wishbone was mounted below the transverse links. Coil springs and dampers were used throughout. [1]
The Excel is also known for its cornering and handling due to 50:50 weight distribution.
The Excel was never formally imported or made available in the US, but one was imported for evaluation in 1987. According to the importer "In early 1987 we imported one Excel (an SE, LHD, white with a blue half leather interior), on a carnet for evaluation and public review. It was returned to LCL, Hethel 6 months later as required by the carnet and US regulations."
The decision not to release the model in the USA was due to that country's stringent emission regulations (which would hinder the car's performance), and poor sales of the car in Europe.
By 1991, Lotus was planning to replace the Excel with a coupé version of the Elan roadster, but these plans were shelved as a result of falling sales which saw the whole Elan project cancelled and no direct replacement for the Excel when it was discontinued in 1992.
415 are still registered in the United Kingdom as of 2011, but 240 of them are SORN (Statutory Off Road Notification). [3]
From 1984 the Eclat Excel was referred to as the Excel. Body-coloured bumpers were introduced. It also received a louvered bonnet, a boot spoiler, and new eight-spoke alloy wheels became an option. The Lotus badge was all black background to mark the death of founder Colin Chapman.
The front wheel arch profile was flared, but it became no wider overall. The boot opening was made larger, while front fog lamps and a VDO instrument cluster were installed. 15-inch wheels became an option.
In October 1985, for the 1986 model year, the S.E. option arrived, coupled with the more powerful H.C. (High Compression) engine. The engine received a power increase to 180 hp (134 kW; 182 PS) and had red cam covers to further distinguish it from the standard engine. Other changes included a higher compression ratio of 10.9:1, higher lift inlet cams and larger portion to inlet and exhaust valves. Torque was marginally increased to 165 lb⋅ft (224 N⋅m) and the engine was fed by two 45 mm twin-choke Dellorto carburettors. The fascia and switchgears were modified on all Excel models, along with an upgraded air conditioning system (an extra-cost option) and a standard adjustable steering column. The standard Excel remained available alongside the pricier S.E. [1]
For 1987 the S.A. automatic model was made available, equipped with a ZF four-speed unit. With a focus on comfort, it also offered cruise control and central door locking.
In 1988 the Excel received a number of under-the-shell improvements, including a lighter, cross-drilled crankshaft, new engine mounting legs and bell housing, altered rear body mounts, a boot floor brace and revised body shell undertray, and a revised fuel system. In terms of appearance, the 1988 Excel looked mostly as it had done since 1984.
In 1989 the Excel was given another makeover, with a restyled bonnet, new front and rear spoilers, updated wheels and interior trim. The wing mirrors were changed to the aerodynamic ones from the Citroën CX. The engine received an air intake temperature control system for increased longevity. The Excel continued to be built in small numbers until the plug was pulled in 1992.
Only forty of the "Hethel 25th Anniversary Celebration edition" were produced, 35 in Celebration Green Metallic and 5 in Calypso Red. This special edition received a Clarion CDC 9300 head unit, a remote control stacking CD player and upgraded speakers, red instrument lighting, air conditioning, a full tan leather interior with perforated leather panels and tan leather-clad steering wheel. The floors were carpeted in 100 per cent Wilton wool. The car's technical specifications were as for the standard Excel. [4]
In 2010, a 1987 Excel S.E was featured in Season 15, Episode 4 of Top Gear. Modified by James May into a motorhome, it featured a roofbox-style sleeping accommodation with a passageway to the car's interior. [5] [6]
A 1983 Excel was used in the 2012 Top Gear special "50 Years of Bond Cars." [7] The Excel was modified into a functioning submarine similar to "Wet Nellie," the 1976 Lotus Esprit used in the James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me. Driven by Richard Hammond, the car successfully operated as both a submarine and road car. [8] [9]
Lotus Group is a British multinational automotive manufacturer of luxury sports cars and electric vehicles.
The Toyota Celica is an automobile produced by Toyota from 1970 until 2006. The Celica name derives from the Latin word coelica meaning heavenly or celestial. In Japan, the Celica was exclusive to Toyota Corolla Store dealer chain. Produced across seven generations, the Celica was powered by various four-cylinder engines, and body styles included convertibles, liftbacks, and notchback coupé.
The Lotus Elise is a sports car conceived in early 1994 and released in September 1996 by the British manufacturer Lotus Cars. A two-seater roadster with a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the Elise has a fibreglass body shell atop its bonded extruded aluminium chassis that provides a rigid platform for the suspension, while keeping weight and production costs to a minimum. The Elise was named after Elisa Artioli, the granddaughter of Romano Artioli who was chairman of Lotus and Bugatti at the time of the car's launch.
The Nissan Maxima is a five-passenger, front-engine, front-drive sedan manufactured and marketed by Nissan as Nissan's flagship sedan primarily in North America, the Middle East, South Korea, and China — across eight generations. The Maxima debuted for model year 1982 as the Datsun Maxima, replacing the Datsun 810.
The Toyota Supra is a sports car and grand tourer manufactured by the Toyota Motor Corporation beginning in 1978. The name "supra" is derived from the Latin prefix, meaning "above", "to surpass" or "go beyond".
The Ford Probe is a liftback coupé produced by Ford, introduced in 1988 and produced until 1997. The Probe was the result of Ford's collaboration with its longtime Japanese partner Mazda, and both generations of Probe were derived from the front-wheel drive Mazda G platform that underpinned the Mazda Capella.
The Lotus Esprit is a sports car built by Lotus Cars from 1976 to 2004 at their Hethel, England factory. It has a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout. Together with the Lotus Elise / Exige, it is one of Lotus' most long-lived models.
The Toyota MR2 is a line of two-seater, mid-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports cars, manufactured in Japan and marketed globally by Toyota from 1984 until 2007 over three generations: W10 (1984–1989), W20 (1989–1999) and W30 (1999–2007). It is Japan's first rear mid-engined production car.
Lotus Cortina is the commonly used term for the Ford Cortina Lotus, a high-performance sports saloon, which was produced in the United Kingdom from 1963 to 1970 by Ford in collaboration with Lotus Cars. The original version, which was based on the Ford Cortina Mark 1, was promoted by Ford as the "Consul Cortina developed by Lotus", with "Consul" later being dropped from the name. The Mark 2 was based on the Ford Cortina Mark II and was marketed by Ford as the "Cortina Lotus". Lotus gave the model the type number designation Type 28.
The Mitsubishi Magna is a mid-size car that was produced over three generations between 1985 and 2005 by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL). Developed as a replacement for the Mitsubishi Sigma, each Magna generation derived from Japanese platforms re-engineered for the Australian market and conditions. Initially, Magna offered inline-four engines in a mid-size sedan package—a station wagon debuted in 1987. Over the years, each new series grew in size, and with the second generation of 1991, the range was bolstered by a luxury variant called Mitsubishi Verada and a V6 engine. The Magna/Verada became the first Australian-made vehicle to be exported worldwide in large numbers, predominantly as the Mitsubishi Diamante. The third and final iteration Magna/Verada launched in 1996, adding all-wheel-drive (AWD) from 2002, and receiving a substantial styling update in 2003. They were replaced by the Mitsubishi 380 in 2005.
The Lotus Éclat is a sports car built from 1975 to 1982 by British automobile manufacturer Lotus Cars. It was based on the Elite but had a fastback body style which offered more practicality with storage in the boot, albeit with less headroom above the rear seats. The car was initially to be called the "Elite Coupe". The lower half of the fibreglass bodywork was identical to that of the Elite.
The Opel Speedster is a mid-engined, targa-topped, two-seat sports car produced by German automaker Opel from July 2000 to July 2005. It was built in both RHD and LHD versions at the Lotus Cars plant in Hethel, Norfolk, England. It was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1999 and went into full production the following year.
The Lotus Exige is a sports car made by the British company Lotus Cars from 2000 until 2021. Originally a coupé version of the Lotus Elise roadster, since the Series 3 the Exige has been the larger-engined model of the family, featuring a V6 engine in place of the Elise's straight-four. Convertible versions of both models are available.
The Volvo 480 is a sporty compact car that was produced in Born, Netherlands, by Volvo from 1986 to 1995. It was the first front-wheel drive car made by Volvo and the only Volvo featuring pop-up headlights. The 480 was available in only one body style on an automobile platform related to the Volvo 440/460 five-door hatchback and four-door saloon models.
The Toyota Belta, marketed as the Vios in selected Asian markets and elsewhere as the Yaris sedan, is a subcompact sedan manufactured by Toyota.
The Lotus Europa S is a sports car built by the British company Lotus Cars from 2006 until 2010. It has a rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout and was designed to be a more comfortable variant of the driver-focused Lotus Elise and its derivative, the Exige. The Europa S revived the Europa nameplate previously used in the 1960s and 1970s.
The Rover 200 Coupé is a two-door coupé that was produced by Rover and based on the Rover 200 Mark II, with most of the body panels and the bumpers unique in the range. The car was launched on 6 October 1992, at the Paris Motor Show. It was given the project code name 'Tomcat' when in development.
The Toyota 86 and the Subaru BRZ are 2+2 sports cars jointly developed by Toyota and Subaru, manufactured at Subaru's Gunma assembly plant.
The E170/E180 series Toyota Corolla is the eleventh-generation of the Corolla that has been sold internationally since 2013. Two basic front and rear styling treatments are fitted to the E170—a North American version that debuted first—and a more conservative design for all other markets that debuted later in 2013. For the Japanese and Hong Kong markets, the smaller Japanese-made E160 model is offered instead; the Japanese-made version remains compliant with Japanese government dimension regulations. The E170/E180 has an increased wheelbase that is 100 mm (3.9 in) longer than the previous generation. The E170/E180 was derived from the Toyota New MC platform, unlike the E160, which was based on the B platform.