Lotus 1963-2008 - 2021 Market Review

By: Cliff Chambers

Date: 02.01.2022

2021 Market Review - Lotus 1963-2008

Australia didn’t see a lot of early Elans and even when the import gateway opened during the 1980s, numbers didn’t swell by much.

Prices here are similar to those on the British market, with our Elan+2s a little cheaper. Esprit Turbos were more troublesome than their James Bond imagery might suggest and the money being asked for some is untenable unless the car has undergone a full and recent overhaul.

The Elise and later Exige are cramped but offer entertainment for those into track-day exuberance. They also hold their values a little too well to be considered ‘affordable fun’. Bare-bones Seven clubmans spotted during our survey period were realistically priced.

Seven 1964-78 $42,250 [4]

Elan 1963-74 $66,565 [4]

Europa $39,995 [2]

Cortina Mk1-2 $101,665 [3]

Esprit Turbo 1977-86 $67,495 [2]

Esprit Turbo & V8 1987-02 $80,655 [6]

Elise 1998-2002 $48,600 [4]

Elise 2003-08 $65,930 [7]

Exige 2004-08 $83,175 [7]

[*] = number of recorded sales

(Note: concours & special cars may demand more.)

Numbers from our 2021 European & British Value Guide.

| 2019 Market Review: Lotus 1963-2008

| Read next: Understanding our value guides

From Unique Cars #456, Aug 2021

Unique Cars magazine Value Guides

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