( Stock number 200040R ) In UK Stock , UK Registered A very Low mileage of 42051 kilometers ,When the Elan was getting ready to end production, Lotus was apparently approached by Kia, then a fledgling South Korean automaker with a shallow product lineup, to see if Kia could buy up the rights to the Elan and sell it as a Kia. Presumably because sales weren't especially brisk, Lotus agreed to this, and a new car was born: the Kia Elan, also called the Kia Vigato in Japan and (apparently) the Kia Roadster in Germany. . The Lotus Elan, known as the M100 amongst Lotus enthusiast to differentiate it from the early Elans, was built to "Allow 100 per cent of its owners to use 90 per cent of its performance 90 per cent of the time." Introduced in 1989, the Elan was the first all-new Lotus since 1975. The Elan was intended to please drivers moving up from a "hot hatch". Extract from classicandperformancecar.com/lotus/elan "The front-wheel-drive Elan was so over-engineered that Lotus never really stood a chance of making any money on it. Indeed, just to break even the firm would have needed to sell twice as many cars each year as it actually did. The whole episode was partly responsible for General Motors getting rid of Lotus in 1993 and the restart of production under Bugatti. Such over-engineering is great news if you fancy dipping your toe in the Lotus waters, but don’t want something older and potentially more fragile. You can now pick up a high-mileage Elan (with around 100,000 miles on the clock) for £5000-6000. It’s surprising how many of these cars are around; the front-wheel-drive model is so usable that many owners rack up high annual distances. There aren’t many normally-aspirated examples about, but if you do find one you can expect to pay a little less than for an equivalent turbocharged (SE) edition. Most cars for sale will be priced at £8000-£11,000; the latter figure will net a 50,000-mile example from a specialist. Really exceptional Elans can fetch more though. " This vehicle is not a Barn find , Not a restoration project nor has it undergone any restoration , This vehicle is an ideal investment opportunity , You could put this car away and your money will grow , Classic cars are better investment than property in this current financial climate . We believe we have the best variety of the most unusual cars that you will find in the UK A down payment / Payment of intent will secure this vehicle All of our vehicles are imported direct from their country by us personally , They are all handpicked and we try to find that special , unique or limited number of produced vehicles , All vehicles are Pre Inspected in Japan and an Export Certificate is always available for viewing, This will show previous mileages in Japan . The advertised prices includes all shipping & Import duties , UK Registration , UK number plates , UK MOT , Oil and filter service , Clear Waxoyl under sealant for protection against UK winters if requested ( free of charge including materials ), 3 Months UK nationwide warranty . All you need do is tax and insure your vehicle and we can also help with that if you ask . Also your vehicle will be valeted and detailed if any scrapes or dents are apparent when it arrives at our warehouse . With the vast number of people we have in Japan and access to 100'000's of cars we can also offer the service of sourcing , Inspecting and importing a vehicle of your choice , Email or call us with your requirements and we will start to look instantly for you , We take all the hassle and stress from the process and make the car ready to drive away , From being registered in Japan to Registered in The UK for you ! Please always call or email before coming to view a vehicle as some of our stock may have a deposit taken , be at the port , On the vessel , In one of our storage yards in Japan or the UK , This way you will not arrive disappointed and we can make the vehicle available for viewing when you do arrive Do not miss this chance to buy a rare car at a very reasonable price . This vehicle is very competitive priced against UK models that will have suffered from the rust attracting climate ..