Lotus Excel

The Lotus Excel, Type 89, is a sports car that Lotus Cars designed and built from 1982 to 1992, based on the earlier Eclat and so on the Type 75 Elite. It grew out of the link with Toyota, which engaged Lotus on the Supra and became a major Lotus shareholder; the Excel took Toyota gearbox, driveshafts, differential and wheels from the A60 Supra, with the Lotus 912 all-aluminium 2.2 litre slant-four engine making 160 hp. Launched in October 1982, it gained the SE in 1985, the automatic SA in 1986 and a further facelift in 1989. The resin body sat on a galvanised steel backbone chassis, and the car was never formally sold in the United States.