I went to look, taking along the Elite owner so he could stop me making an expensive mistake. Front engined, rear wheel drive. 2.2L Lotus 912 engine giving around 160bhp and 160lbft. First registered in August 1983, it has done a recorded 63,000 miles but in reality it is more like 100,000 miles. This is an old car, has done a lot of miles and didn't cost me much, so it is no surprise that it isn't perfect.
Mechanics are surprisingly good for the miles but far from perfect.
See the technical page for more information on the repairs I have done so far. When I bought the Excel, I told myself that if it didn't work out I would sell it and buy something more sensible. After owning it for only a week, I told my wife that if this one turned out to be a real lemon, I would get another one. Despite their quirks, driving a Lotus can be very addictive. Unfortunately, addictions can turn out expensive.