PARAGON OF POISE

The early 1982 and 1983 model year cars (still called Éclat Excel) could be identified by Gunmetal coloured bumpers and sills, however, by the arrival of the 1984 model year car the Lotus Excel featured body coloured bumpers, a louvered bonnet, a boot spoiler and optional 8-spoke alloy wheels.

COMPLETE EXCELENCE

The most important feature of the new exterior, however, was the difference these tweaks made to its aerodynamic profile. The Eclat had a drag coefficient figure of 0.34; for the new car the figure was said to be down to 0.32 – a seven percent improvement – which when added to the six percent increase in the power transmitted to the road via the new gearbox, meant that both the car’s performance and economy received a useful boost.

EXCEEDINGLY HIGH LEVELS OF GRIP

The Excel was well received by the media who complimented Lotus on the cars speed, acceleration (faster than any previous front-engined Lotus), It handled brilliantly too, beating the German equivalent front engined 2+2 in a magazine’s comparison.

ALIVE WITH CHARACTER

Launched in October 1985, the Excel SE featured distinctive and more aerodynamic re-styled new body shape that included blisters over the front and rear wheel arches, new bonnet vents and a slightly larger rear spoiler as well as new nine-spoke 15x7-inch forged alloy wheels and was later offered in an automatic edition, the Excel SA.