Lotus Model History

United Kingdom · founded 1948

Britain's lightweight-sports-car marque, founded by Colin Chapman on 'add lightness' — maker of the Seven, Esprit, and Elise, now Geely-owned and going electric.

Models

Seven

Lotus's minimalist open two-seater (1957–1973) — a road-legal racer later handed to Caterham, which still builds it.

Sports car · 1957–1973
Elite

The 1957 Type 14 — the world's first car with a fibreglass monocoque, a tiny, beautiful, Climax-powered coupe.

Sports car · 1957–1963
Elan

The 1962 backbone-chassis roadster that defined Lotus handling — and directly inspired the Mazda MX-5.

Sports car · 1962–1975
Europa

Lotus's first mid-engine road car (1966–1975) — a low, backbone-chassis two-seater; revived as the Europa S in 2006.

Sports car · 1966–1975
Esprit

Lotus's mid-engine supercar (1976–2004) — Giugiaro's 'folded-paper' wedge, James Bond's submarine car, later V8-powered.

Sports car · 1976–2004
Eclat

A fastback four-seat GT (1975–1982) — the Elite Type 75 rebodied with a sleeker sloping roofline.

Grand tourer · 1975–1982
Elite (Type 75)

The 1974 Type 75 Elite — a wedge-shaped four-seat luxury hatchback, the marque's first move upmarket.

Grand tourer · 1974–1982
Excel

A 2+2 GT (1982–1992) — the Eclat reworked with Toyota Supra running gear for better reliability and handling.

Grand tourer · 1982–1992
Elan (M100)

The 1989 M100 — Lotus's only front-wheel-drive car, a turbocharged roadster engineered under GM ownership.

Sports car · 1989–1995
Elise

The car that saved Lotus (1996–2021) — a tiny, ~700 kg roadster on a bonded extruded-aluminium chassis.

Sports car · 1996–2021
Exige

The hardtop, track-focused Elise (2000–2021) — fixed roof, more downforce, and later a supercharged V6.

Sports car · 2000–2021
Evora

Lotus's mid-engine 2+2 GT (2009–2021) — a Toyota-V6, more usable Lotus, in naturally aspirated and supercharged form.

Sports car · 2009–2021
Emira

Lotus's current mid-engine sports car (2022–present) — originally pitched as its last pure internal-combustion model.

Sports car · 2022–present
Evija

Lotus's all-electric hypercar — a ~2,000-hp, butterfly-doored limited run of 130, the first all-electric British hypercar.

Sports car · 2023–present
Eletre

Lotus's first SUV (2023–present) — a battery-electric performance crossover built in China, with up to ~900 hp.

SUV · 2023–present
Emeya

Lotus's electric grand tourer (2024–present) — a 'hyper-GT' five-door liftback built in China, the battery-electric companion to the Eletre SUV.

Electric car · 2024–present

Other makes