What’s amazing to me is how a car with a badge like Lotus can fall down the slippery slope of deferred maintenance and accident damage to become a rather dirt-cheap project. It joins the ranks of Porsche 928s and Mercedes SL-series convertibles, vehicles that cost a fair amount new but now are hard sells in rough condition. This 1991 Lotus Elan here on eBay is every inch of a project car, but that hasn’t stopped bidders from chucking up some low numbers to see what the reserve might be (or you can hit the BIN for $3,750). The Elan featured an engine sourced from one of my favorite turbocharged hot hatches, the Isuzu Impulse, but handling was entirely engineered by the geniuses at Lotus. Despite being front-wheel drive, the Elan was still considered one of the best handlers of its day; the question now is, have they gotten cheap enough that examples like this deserve rescuing. I’m on the fence with this one – what about you?
Archives for October 2015
A Modern Classic: 1989 VW GTI 16V
Oct 7, 2015 1 Comment
Finding a second-generation VW GTI is no small feat these days, especially if you want one that’s unmodified and still retains its original 16-valve engine, the best choice of motor for a true hot-hatch experience. This stock MK2 VW GTI listed on craigslist in the San Francisco Bay Area is claimed to be a genuine barn find after the original female owner retired it from daily duties. With the exception of missing headliner (a common flaw of this generation), this car appears impressively stock with an excellent original interior, factory teardrop alloys, and its original front chin spoiler still in place. For only $3,989, this is a bargain-basement price of a likely appreciating modern classic.