Should the M100 have been a coupe?

[Spyder fan]

I was "researching" on another site recently and noticed that they have an "Elan of The Month" section. http://www.lotuselancentral.com/eotm.htm

Out of interest I clicked just to see which exciting M100 was going to be displayed: - Red, White, Blue or Yellow they all look the same to me! And was pleased and surprised to see this car with a custom hard top, suddenly the oft derided wedge design looks almost correct.

[richardcox_lotus]

Mr Stevens did do a clay study - I'll see if I can find a pic - I thought it looked nice.

[Mazzini]

I liked the way the car looked back in the day and to my regret I've never owned one. I do remember a hair raising trip round the Hethel test track in a development car by a Lotus driver called Rudy, that aged me by a few years.

Wedges? I never took to the Esprit, now that was a real wedge.

[Tahoe]

I've owned 2 M100's. Some hardtops were made a few years back, each requiring some fitting to each specific car. I don't remember who offered them, but they did look pretty good. My last M100 I updated with a Garrett ball bearing turbo, custom intercooler, blueprinted injectors, quaife diff, aluminum flywheel, roll bar, GAZ adjustable shocks, and Wilwood brakes. It was an impessive performer, but I prefer my type 26 because, well just because.

[AHM]

[quote="Spyder fan"top, suddenly the oft derided wedge[/quote]

By whom?

As the owner of both I can tell you that it is rather more admired for it's looks than the 60's elan, which attracts the somewhat older, wants to stop and tell you a story types.

[stevebroad]

If CABC had been alive, this car would never have seen the light of day. Blatant commercial reuse of a name, FWD with unbalanced lines. From some angles it is just too heavy. But that it just my, biased, view

[richardcox_lotus]

Well Steve, I'm afraid I have to disagree . CABC was perfectly happy to reuse the "Elite" name when it suited him. I also think the M100 is nicer looking than the last car Chapman was involved in - the X100.

Attached are a couple of pages of the Coys' auction catalogue from Silverstone 1998. (Their copyright). I include the M100 coupe concept version mentioned earlier.

[lightwait26]

If CABC had been alive, this car would never have seen the light of day.

Amen

[Spyder fan]

[By whom?

As the owner of both I can tell you that it is rather more admired for it's looks than the 60's elan, which attracts the somewhat older, wants to stop and tell you a story types.

I didn't intend this topic to turn into an Old versus New sort of LTC versus Zetec type of discussion. I don't dislike the M100.

[stevebroad]

[quote="richardcox_lotus"]Well Steve, I'm afraid I have to disagree . CABC was perfectly happy to reuse the "Elite" name when it suited him. quote]

Good point, but I didn't mean to imply that CABC wouldn't use the name again, that should have been in a separate sentance.

Fortunately, we all have our own, individual, tastes. I guess the M100 was the first of the new school looking to embrace the modern idea of driving the car from the wrong end

I just don't like them. Didn't like them when they first appeared and they haven't improved with age. But, then again, neither have I.