Let us start by saying that if you name a car Elan, the public’s expectations will inevitably be high. And if your surname is Lotus, the weight of responsibility will of course make itself felt: 7 World Championships for manufacturers and 6 for drivers (in F1 alone) are certainly nothing to scoff at.

Because of this, if you are trying to present an innovative vehicle to break the mould, perhaps it would be better to come up with a new name to avoid misrepresenting the giants of the motoring industry. But let us proceed with order.

At the beginning of 1981, Colin Chapman and his team (with Colin Spooner and Michael Kimberley at the head) decided to develop a small 2-seat spider to replicate the success of the retired Elan (R26). The project was called M90.

Chapman died in 1982, and the idea was shelved and only completed in 1984. Later, with the prototype ready but production still a long way off, the new owner, Mr David Wickens, realised that the “small” two-seater was stylistically unsuited to the customers’ new demands and ended up asking his staff for a new sketch: the project was updated under the code X100. Moreover, it was decided that the future baby Lotus would be front-wheel drive. This way, the company would be able to take advantage of its forwards-oriented sports know-how, setting new standards in terms of drivability and handling.

However, when the designs had already been approved, a new obstacle blocked the way to the X100 series production.

In 1986, General Motors became owner of the British manufacturer, bringing along a wave of freshness (and resources!) to a marque that was just one step away from bankruptcy.

The American giant’s horizons were much broader, and it was determined to produce a model on a large scale so that it would meet the needs of a wider clientele than the one conquered so far—the sales were indeed scarce and did not allow the Lotus staff to sleep peacefully. GM’s idea was to create a car easy to handle, “simple”, safe to drive (also on the wet) and that could—why not—appeal to the female world. But it was still a Lotus, so it had to be light, fast, and efficient even in the most challenging driving situations.

The board of directors confirmed the general outline of the M100 (its new code), front-wheel drive included, and finally gave the green light to a project that, for a compact 2-seat spider, I would call colossal. All things considered, the total cost for the whole operation was 50,000,000 dollars, give or take!

The first step was renovating the aesthetic, undoubtedly a key element to create a successful sports car. So, to project the English spider towards the ’90s, none other than Peter Stevens—the father of the F1 McLaren—was named head designer.

The outcome was astonishing. The design appears modern and well-proportioned even today. The Lotus Elan Turbo S1 M100 strikes the eye for its compact and clean lines, almost completely without sharp edges, that make it balanced from every angle.

Clean but impactful nose (evidently related to the Esprit) and original profile, thanks to the very inclined windscreen, the hidden handles and the unusual sloping tail overlooked by the large yet discreet integrated spoiler.

Innovations did certainly not end here.

To make the panels of the Lotus Elan Turbo S1 M100’s body, Lotus used its own patented VARI system (Vacuum Assisted Resin Injection), a sophisticated resin injection process (the resin was supplied by an American company) to further reduce the weight.

Fun fact: the same process was used to produce panels for the Alfa Romeo SZ and later the Qvale Mangusta.

The result was a car that was compact, easy to handle, safe, and really fast thanks to its turbo engine. The revolution was also in the creation of a market segment that would soon grow to become extremely successful: I am talking about the glamorous compact spiders that in a few years would crowd the manufacturers’ catalogues (see: Z3, TT Roadster, etc.). But when the Lotus Elan Turbo S1 M100 was launched, there was nothing similar out there..

However, too innovative an idea and a misguided price (the 52 millions were just enough to cover production costs) undermined this exceptional project so much that production halted in 1992 at 4,000 vehicles. A few years later, entrepreneur Romano Artioli acquired the marque from General Motors and built another 800 cars with warehouse stock, though without much success.