Revered East Anglia-based builder of hardcore lightweights still basically true to the ethos by which Colin Chapman originally made them famous. Pleasingly unsullied by the governance of Proton and the odd run-in with GM, Lotus stands alone as the flag-carrier of scalpel-sharp, track-biased performance icons.
-
Elise
£23,995 - £31,995
Rarely achieved mix of track cred and lusty looks. You can scare the pants off your girlfriend and then get a glimpse of said pants while she's struggling to get out.
-
Europa
£32,995 - £34,245
Lotus gives us its definition of the Grand Tourer - which is ‘grand' by virtue of a cupholder but still shakes loose the contents of your tooth cavities and your wallet.
-
Exige
£29,995 - £39,950
Too easy to get in and out of the Elise by taking the roof off? Here's the answer - a fixed-head, bewinged mega-version. Not even Houdini could have got in here.
Advertisement
The Cupholder - BBC Top Gear
Don't be fooled by the blase commentary - a 60ft vertical whip on a dirtbik ...
The Foreman - BBC Top Gear
When you write a column for TG magazine, a charming but steely lady called ...
Advertisement
Open Car Bar