The 1991 Lotus Elan Is the Weirdest Lotus Ever

TL;DR

The 1991 Lotus Elan is uniquely bizarre as the only front-wheel drive Lotus ever, built under GM ownership with an Isuzu engine and later rebadged by Kia.

Key Points

• 1.The Elan is the only front-wheel drive Lotus ever made. GM acquired Lotus in the late 1980s and pushed for an entry-level FWD sports car to broaden the brand's appeal and boost sales beyond the mid-engine Esprit.
• 2.The engine was sourced from Isuzu, also under the GM umbrella. It's a 1.6L turbocharged 4-cylinder producing ~160 hp, with 'Isuzu Lotus' badged on the engine in both brands' fonts; 0–60 took about 6.5 seconds.
• 3.Despite GM backing and improved quality funding, quirky Lotus details survived. The VIN plate is a laminated paper sticker on the windshield, power window switches operate in reverse, and the trunk requires a separate GM-branded key.
• 4.The car sold poorly, with only ~4,000 units built globally and fewer than 600 reaching North America. Its ~$40,000 sticker price was nearly three times the $14,000 Mazda Miata, and FWD skepticism among sports car buyers hurt demand further.
• 5.After UK production ended, Lotus sold the rights and tooling to Kia, which built it as the Kia Elan in Korea. Kia also sold a version in Japan under the name Kia Vigato, using a Kia powertrain instead of the original Isuzu unit.
• 6.Despite being FWD, the Elan handles surprisingly well and nearly eliminates torque steer. Doug found the chassis nimble and athletic, the clutch light, and the turbo engine smooth and non-peaky — calling it shockingly fun to drive.
• 7.Doug gave the Elan a Doug Score of 44 out of 100. Praised for its looks, exotic appeal, and driving dynamics, it's penalized by Lotus's questionable parts supply and costly ownership compared to the more practical NA Miata.