Lotus M90
Encyclopedia
The Lotus M90 is a concept car
that was developed by Lotus
using many Toyota parts. Rumors were circulated that it was the initial design for the MKI MR2
, but, though sharing an engine, it bears very little resemblance to the mid-engine roadster.
In 1981, Oliver Winterbottom
was brought back to Lotus, after a stint developing the Tasmin for TVR
, to design a new car to complement the Excel
and the Esprit and bring some profitability to the lineup. The new car was to resurrect the Elan
name which had not been used since 1975 and, like the Excel, make use of the company's close relationship with Toyota to use already well engineered suspension and engine components. Initial designs were a coupe
that didn't get much of an enthusiastic response from the board of the company. The project stalled when company founder Colin Chapman
died in 1982, as Lotus found itself in financial trouble. David Wickens of British Car Auctions ended up taking a controlling interest in the company, and the project was started up again, but renamed to the X100 (the Elan later being known as the M100). After redesigning the car to be a convertible the go ahead was given in 1984 to make a single prototype. It was built to a high level of finish, but by that time most of the company's engineers were concentrating on the new front wheel drive Elan and the prototype was warehoused at the company's factory. In 1998 it was auctioned off along with several other rare Lotus cars, and sold to a private collector, and shipped to the United States
.
The M90 makes use of a front mounted 1.6L 123 bhp 4 cylinder Toyota engine, as well as a Toyota built 5 speed transmission. The suspension is also from Toyota, using the same setup as is found in the Excel. The instrument cluster is from an Opel Monza and the radiator is from an Austin Allegro
. The tail lights are borrowed from the Aston Martin Lagonda
and the turn signal indicators are from the Ford Fiesta
. The body is made of fiberglass
and the roof is lowered in two pieces. The top is removed separately and fits in the trunk, to create a 'targa' style roof, and the rear portion folds down like a typical convertible.
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
that was developed by Lotus
Lotus Cars
Lotus Cars is a British manufacturer of sports and racing cars based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and fine handling characteristics...
using many Toyota parts. Rumors were circulated that it was the initial design for the MKI MR2
Toyota MR2
The Toyota MR2 is a two-seat, mid-engined, rear wheel drive sports car produced by Central Motors, a part of Toyota, from 1984 until July 2007 when production stopped in Japan...
, but, though sharing an engine, it bears very little resemblance to the mid-engine roadster.
In 1981, Oliver Winterbottom
Oliver Winterbottom
Oliver Winterbottom is one of Britain's most famous automotive designers. Winterbottom worked directly with Colin Chapman who appointed him to lead the design and safety engineering projects at Lotus Cars...
was brought back to Lotus, after a stint developing the Tasmin for TVR
TVR
thumb|right|240px|TVR No.2, the oldest surviving TVR, located at [[Lakeland Motor Museum, Newby Bridge, Cumbria]]TVR was an independent British manufacturer of sports cars. Until 2006 it was based in the English seaside town of Blackpool, Lancashire, but has since split up into several smaller...
, to design a new car to complement the Excel
Lotus Excel
The Type 89 Lotus Excel, built from 1982 to 1992, is a front-engined, rear-wheel drive sports car designed and built by Lotus. It was based on the design of the earlier Lotus Eclat, which itself was based on the earlier Lotus Elite II....
and the Esprit and bring some profitability to the lineup. The new car was to resurrect the Elan
Lotus Elan
Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coupé produced by Lotus Cars. The original Type 26, 26R Racing version , 36R Racing version , 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans...
name which had not been used since 1975 and, like the Excel, make use of the company's close relationship with Toyota to use already well engineered suspension and engine components. Initial designs were a coupe
Coupé
A coupé or coupe is a closed car body style , the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time...
that didn't get much of an enthusiastic response from the board of the company. The project stalled when company founder Colin Chapman
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
died in 1982, as Lotus found itself in financial trouble. David Wickens of British Car Auctions ended up taking a controlling interest in the company, and the project was started up again, but renamed to the X100 (the Elan later being known as the M100). After redesigning the car to be a convertible the go ahead was given in 1984 to make a single prototype. It was built to a high level of finish, but by that time most of the company's engineers were concentrating on the new front wheel drive Elan and the prototype was warehoused at the company's factory. In 1998 it was auctioned off along with several other rare Lotus cars, and sold to a private collector, and shipped to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The M90 makes use of a front mounted 1.6L 123 bhp 4 cylinder Toyota engine, as well as a Toyota built 5 speed transmission. The suspension is also from Toyota, using the same setup as is found in the Excel. The instrument cluster is from an Opel Monza and the radiator is from an Austin Allegro
Austin Allegro
The Austin Allegro is a small family car manufactured by British Leyland under the Austin name from 1973 until 1983. The same vehicle was built in Italy by Innocenti between 1974 and 1975 and sold as the Innocenti Regent...
. The tail lights are borrowed from the Aston Martin Lagonda
Aston Martin Lagonda
The Aston Martin Lagonda was a luxury four-door saloon built by Aston Martin of Newport Pagnell, England, between 1974 and 1990. A total of 645 were produced. The name was derived from the Lagonda marque that Aston Martin had purchased in 1947...
and the turn signal indicators are from the Ford Fiesta
Ford Fiesta
The Ford Fiesta is a front wheel drive supermini/subcompact manufactured and marketed by Ford Motor Company and built in Europe, Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Venezuela, China, India, Thailand and South Africa...
. The body is made of fiberglass
Fiberglass
Glass fiber is a material consisting of numerous extremely fine fibers of glass.Glassmakers throughout history have experimented with glass fibers, but mass manufacture of glass fiber was only made possible with the invention of finer machine tooling...
and the roof is lowered in two pieces. The top is removed separately and fits in the trunk, to create a 'targa' style roof, and the rear portion folds down like a typical convertible.