Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

For anyone curious about the blue Esprit pic posted by Richardsona39 -

I’m currently in my 25th year of ownership of this car. It is an ‘87 that was originally imported by Motor Coach Ltd in Maryland and it has been registered in Maryland throughout its life. The Essex blue paint is factory original.

Thanks Jeff! If you’re interested in the history of the other two, I can’t speak for the other ‘87 but my former ‘86 started its US life in St. Pete Florida where it was the dealer-demo car for a while at a place with name like Euro Imports or Euro Motor Sports or something like like that (been defunct for decades). At some point circa 1990 it ended-up in Denver where it was when I bought it. I live in the Atlanta ‘burbs where I kept it for four years then sold it to a chap in Woodland Hills California. Current whereabouts unknown but he probably still has it.

What are the views on the colour? Was originally Roman Purple but repainted by a PO sometime in the late 1980s. Unless someone can correct me I understand that Lotus only supplied the Plus 2 in black in the JPS limited edition.

I like it. The +2 looks good with dark colors.

Is that black or deep blue?

Its black. And a nightmare to keep clean...

Horrid, then. And makes the car even hotter in the Summer I expect (it's hot enough in a lighter colour).

If you are going to respray it, take it back to Roman Purple with a proper flake roof in silver. This one was mine, a few years ago. Sadly sold.

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I think Plus 2s look better in lighter colours as the lines and contours of the shape get kind of 'lost' in darker colours (especially red), but this black is an exception- looks really fetching!

And yeah Jon, I live in a very warm place and even in faded yellow my Plus 2 can be a real roaster. It's warm-natured anyway though, to the point that I don't even need the heater unless it's a truly cold day.

Alan

Tim wrote:What are the views on the colour? Was originally Roman Purple but repainted by a PO sometime in the late 1980s. Unless someone can correct me I understand that Lotus only supplied the Plus 2 in black in the JPS limited edition.

Tim, I had a very late all-black Plus 2, and a JPS. The all black car was painted that from new as I had a copy of the sales ledger summary that identified it as such. In researching the JPS cars I found out that that quite a few JPS cars had their gold roof and sills over-painted at the factory towards the end of the run as the glitter-ball look fell out of favour.

They do look quite stunning all-black, but like all dark coloured cars are a sod to keep clean!

Mark

Many of the last +2s were over painted Lagoon Blue too.
Alan

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Finished during covid - rarely gets out

Street car? Looks fantastic, George.