More than an old car #226: Lotus Elite Type 83

The day started out like an ordinary car exhibition, promising a display of classic cars. It was only when I was there in person that this rather wedge-shaped car caught my eye, even more with its strange number plate unlike the typical UK-style format. After some research, I was pleasantly surprised to behold this 1980 Lotus Elite Type 83 - not quite a family van, but a sports-car with room, and serious character!

In the mid-1970s, Lotus was still best known for cars like the Elan and Europa - lightweight, razor-sharp in handling, but not exactly practical for four people and luggage. Enter the earlier Elite (Type 75) launched in 1974, as a replacement for the ageing Elan Plus 2. Its unique shooting brake body style with a glass rear hatch was the brainchild of the automotive designer Oliver Winterbottom, who took inspiration from the Lamborghini Espada. As a result of the high rear roof, there was space for rear seats.

The Type 75 Elite was available in 4 main variations (501 to 504), set apart by the progressive addition of air-conditioning, power steering and automatic transmission. While the Type 75 was praised for its superb handling and luxurious looks, it was let down by its high price (at one point it was the world's most expensive car with an inline-4 engine) and poor build quality. 

In 1980, the Type 83 was introduced; it was fitted with a larger engine and a galvanised steel chassis, which addressed many of the earlier car’s shortcomings. Its headlights were now electrically-operated compared to vacuum in the Type 75, along with a new rear bumper for a squarish number plate and lights.

The Elite Type 83 was powered by the 2,174 cc Lotus 912 inline-4 engine, allowing the car to reach a top speed of 198 km/h with an acceleration of 8.2 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 4458 mm long and 1207 mm high, weighing in at 1,200 kg with a fuel consumption of 11.7 litres / 100 km. 

Production of the Elite ended in 1982, with 2,535 made. Of which, only 133 were the Type 83 with 123 units in RHD. Elites existed in Singapore previously based on newspaper records, but none have remained till today. This particular unit curiously carries French number plates, although it is a RHD model made for the UK market. Decked out in classic British Racing Green, it is a throwback to a time where boundaries were pushed to the limits. Interestingly, an Elite concept was revealed in 2010 where the car was to feature a 5 litre V8 engine, but the project was scrapped in 2012 due to a change in ownership of Lotus's then-parent company Proton.

The Lotus Elite Type 83 might not grab headlines like a mid-80s supercar, and it is not mentioned in the same breath as Lotus' other renowned offerings. nor does it have the instantaneous halo effect of some exotic marques. What it does offer is something rarer: a genuine driver’s car with four seats, built by a marque that knew handling as well as anyone, and done in a body style that dared to be different. While this unit is currently unregistered, hopefully it will go on the roads soon so that you will be able to appreciate its unique beauty!

More than an old car #145: Lotus Esprit

If you are an avid fan of the James Bond film series, mention The Spy Who Loved Me and you may think about the submarine car. While something like this still remains a distant possibility, you could have a chance to see its inspiration in the Lotus Esprit!

The Esprit was first conceived in 1970 by Tony Rudd, a renowned British engineer who had just joined Lotus. This ambitious project, known as the Project M70, was intended to be a successor to the Europa and was supposed to be a 2-door mid-engined coupe. Giorgetto Giugario was involved in the styling and although Colin Chapman [the founder of Lotus] wanted to scrap it, a prototype was developed in time for the 1972 Turin Auto Show and this convinced Chapman to green-light the project. 

It was unveiled to the public in 1975 at the Paris Motor Show, with production commencing a year later. The 1st-generation Esprits, known as the S1, featured a wedge-shaped fibreglass body mounted on a steel chassis and weighed in at a surprisingly light 900 kg. In 1981, the S3 and Turbo models were introduced. They were distinguished by the type of engine and exterior appearance: the Turbo models had a more powerful 2174 cc Type 910 i4 engine and prominent "turbo esprit" decals on the nose and the sides. It could reach a top speed of 245 km/h with an acceleration of 5.8 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 4191 mm long and weighed 1220 kg, with a fuel consumption of 10 litres/100 km.

In 1987, the Esprit was restyled by British designer Peter Stevens. Although it was markedly more rounded and less angular, Giugario was said to have liked this design too. Now known as the X180, the Esprit now came with Kevlar-reinforced roof and sides for roll-over protection. The body panels were produced using a new process called VARI (Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection), which offered advantages to the previous hand lay-up process. Some X180 Esprits were fitted with a high-compression variant of the previous Type 912 engine and thus were also known as the Esprit HC. The HCs were powered by a 2174 cc Type 912 i4 engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 245 km/h with an acceleration of 5.5 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 4330 mm long and weighed 1268 kg, with a fuel consumption of 12 litres/100 km.

Production of the Esprit actually continued all the way till 2004 with the S4, designed by Julian Thomson. A total of 10,675 units were made, of which there were 2,274 S3 Turbos and 573 X180 HCs. Local news reviews had praised it as an "absolute sports car" with a powerful yet docile engine and excellent road handling, although there were gripes about its stiff clutch, audible engine noise and heavy steering. The S3 Turbo was first sold in 1981 by Kim Teck Leong Pte Ltd, the Lotus dealer back then for a rather huge price of S$143,120 [S$262,907 in today's money]. The X180 HC was sold in 1988 by Italia Pte Ltd at a price of S$238,000 [S$451,294 in today's money]!

The red unit, a 1988 model, has a storied history from what I have heard. It belonged to the Khoo Teck Puat family, a renowned local philanthropist [and incidentally wealthy] before it was sold off. At some point in life, it received an S4 body-kit and had some voodoo done on the engine, making it less reliable unfortunately. Recently, this unit suffered an engine fire when a car owner friend of mine briefly owned it! Its ownership has been transferred again and now it is awaiting restoration. The picture below was taken back in 2017, when the then-owner made a rare appearance. Subsequently, it was 'abandoned' as seen above before my friend owned it.

The yellow unit, a 1982 model, has changed hands recently and is embellished with decals and stick-on letters. I first saw it in 2014 at my 1st-ever classic car show, where it looked a lot cleaner back then. According to its VIN, it was made at the Hethel plant, although curiously labelled as an export LHD model.

The Lotus Esprit has appeared in films, most notably in the James Bond franchise although none of the 2 models above were featured. Esprits remain cult classics as it exudes a different atmosphere: this is not your average grocery car but one that demands your fullest appreciation. How could you not be taken away by just how it looks?! There are still a handful of Esprits around but they are mostly elusive; however, I hope you will have the chance to spot one, since you can't miss how unique they look!

More than an old car #82: Lotus Eclat

It has been a while since I wrote about classic Lotuses in Singapore. Generally, Lotuses are not that common but you may see the Elise out on our roads most frequently. Somehow, I like to cover cars that are not put up behind barriers and polished--rather than being protected, cars should be driven frequently and show signs of being well-worn. I had seen this 1981 Lotus Eclat S2 before, but this time I was rewarded with a better close-up picture of this unique fellow!

The Lotus Eclat was based off the previous Lotus Elite and it was supposed to be a sporty coupe with a dash of practicality. Colin Chapman, the owner of Lotus, and chief designer Oliver Winterbottom merged the front end of the Elite with a sloping roofline and a conventional hatch for more luggage space. Incidentally, "eclat" is French for "splinter", and it certainly splintered people's impression of Lotus at that time. There were 2 engines offered along with a few trim levels: first editions were called the S1 (Type 76), which appeared in 1975 and the S2 (Type 84) was introduced in 1980.
This unit was equipped with a 2174 cc Lotus 912 i4 engine and a 3-speed automatic transmission, allowing it to reach a top speed of 198 km/h and an acceleration of 8.2 seconds [0-100 km/h]. It was 4458 mm long and weighed 1180 kg.

Production of the Eclat stopped in 1982, and out of the ~2200 made, only 223 were the S2 (Type 84). Of these 223 cars, 76 units were the special-edition Riviera, featuring multiple bonnet vents and a rear spoiler. Thus we have 147 'standard' Type 84s that were ever made!
According to its engine number, it was equipped with air-conditioning and power-assisted steering, and was made in March 1981. Apparently, its number plate had been changed to a more period-correct one as well. This unit is an original Singapore model--they were sold here by a local distributor back in 1981! It seems that this is also the only one left on our roads as well. I find it impressive that the owner has continued to keep this less well-known Lotus, where it can still grace its presence in Singapore. Considering its rarity, it is really interesting to see one here and I hope you can see it someday!

More than an old car #39: Lotus Super 7

It is easy to wonder how this specimen in the picture is even a car, when it would remind us of a go-kart instead. Furthermore, its simple design doesn't distinguish itself as a 'old car' and I had trouble believing it at first. However, this 'bathtub on wheels', or the 1972 Lotus Super 7 Series 4 is still surviving even until today!

Lotus Cars started out as Lotus Engineering Ltd in 1952, founded by Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman and Colin Dare. If you take a closer look at the logo, you may notice the letters ACBC, which is actually the full name of the founder. It has produced both 'typical' road cars and cars that resemble the F1 models today [non-typical cars]. Lotus ran into financial troubles in the 1980s and was only bailed out rather fortuitously. It is currently owned by Chinese car manufacturer Geely and previously Proton in Malaysia had a stake in the company.

The Lotus 7 was produced between 1957 to 1972, and it has been praised as being simple, lightweight and delivering high performance. It was covered in aluminium panels and had a stiff interior frame, given the rather open nature of the vehicle. An innovation was the 'double wishbone' suspension, which is two wishbone-shaped arms attached to the wheel. It was surprisingly road legal and could be used for clubman racing [racing with prototype race cars]. Due to its simple design, it was a 'kit car' favourite and many spin-offs were created even until today. Some of you might be aware of a similar car produced under the Caterham model, but Caterham obtained a license from Lotus to continue producing such vehicles since 1973.

Most of the Lotus Sevens, including the Series 4, performed extremely well in acceleration, being able to reach 100km/h in 8.8 seconds.This Series 4 was powered by a 1599cc 4-cylinder engine, allowing it to reach a top speed of 187km/h. However, the front tends to lift up at speeds of 110km/h.  It weighed 590kg and was 3.67m long. Only 664 were made and I am aware of at least 1 other model existing in Singapore.

This is a unique model that allows one to enjoy the closeness to the road, the feeling of sheer power in front of them and the authentic racing experience. It certainly is more risky as less metal is protecting you and the cars around you. Although it may be too close for comfort personally, it is indeed a real head turner because you do not get to see such a bare-bones vehicle everyday!

More than an old car #1: Introduction and Lotus Carlton

I decided to take a new approach in my documentation of classic cars in Singapore. Instead of posting pictures only, I felt it would be more interesting if I started a series of write-ups of the vehicles, especially when cars cost an arm and leg here.

My aim is to make vintage and classic cars more accessible to the general public. Given that many of the cars today look and feel the same in terms of colour, shape and comfort level, I felt there was a need to preserve this unique pieces of history for future generations. With the rise of self-driving cars, I fear that people of the future will cease to realise the illustrious stories behind these oldies. I hope that through my documentation, one will see beyond these vehicles as just "an old car" but rather how it adds colour and vibrancy to an otherwise plain-vanilla road.

I will try to make the write-ups easy to understand for everyone, so I will add in relevant explanations for certain technical terms. More often than not, you will see number plates that are red and yellow in colour like the one below. This represents cars that are registered under the Classic Vehicle Scheme, where they can only be driven on 45 days per year and are at least 35 years old. It is basically a trade-off by the government to restrict older cars on the road, while allowing the owners to pay lower road tax.

Meanwhile, I will be doing this for as long as I can, so please enjoy and leave a comment!
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First up, let me introduce this 1991 Vauxhall Lotus Carlton. What exactly is Vauxhall? Vauxhall is a car manufacturer based in the UK, first established in 1857. Currently, it is the 2nd largest car brand in the UK and 80% of its exports are badged as Opels, as it is a subsidiary of Adam Opel AG. Car rebadging happens very often as manufacturers target different segments of the world market.This is why its brand name is non-existent here.

At first glance, it looks pretty nondescript and you could be forgiven if you mistook it for a Mitsubishi. Yet, beneath its hood, it screams power, power and more power. Lotus has a reputation for tuning cars and this was no exception. It was capable of doing 285 km/h, with a rather fast acceleration [0-60mph] in 5 seconds. Its Goodyear tyres enabled the vehicle to achieve high-speed stability and better performance in wet conditions. 

At that time in 1990, it was the fastest 4-door car in the world. Unbelievable, isn't it? One wouldn't have guessed that this was a beast in disguise. It got so powerful that it was used as getaway cars in the UK for criminals--the police put it succinctly that they 'were unable to catch that thing because it was too fast'. Imagine if this was really used to escape the police--would our own SPF be able to stop it? There was a video of a Carlton escaping the Swedish police--you can really see how the Carlton just made it look like the police weren’t moving at all!

What made it even more unique was that only 276 were made, and you are currently looking at one right now. Opel had plans to make around 1100 models of the Carlton, but only 950 were made--320 from the Vauxhall Carlton and 630 from the Opel Omega. However, actual figures put it at 276 Carltons and the rest Omegas.

Thanks to one of my followers, I established that this is number 282 of 950 made. It was destined for the UK but someone has imported it here. According to him, 2 cars were sent to Singapore--1 had been exported to Japan and the other is back in the UK. This specimen is thus the only one left on our shores!

How this pristine example ended up here in a carpark is anybody's guess. It has unfortunately fallen into decay--flat tires, random junk piled inside and the last I checked, the hood had started to warp thanks to the merciless heat. If there is indeed an owner, I hope he/she would do something to save this modern classic. This car does not deserve such treatment, especially when so few are left in the world.

Update: someone from the UK got in touch with me who was interested in buying this. As of April 2019, it is back home in the UK, awaiting full restoration. It was a straightforward process: he wrote a letter to Vicom, talked to the owner and shipped it back. Here's to hoping more of these stories!