Sell Your Lotus

Lotus is a niche manufacturer with a relatively small market share, and that makes selling through traditional channels challenging. Dealers often do not know the brand well enough to offer a fair price. On classifieds, you reach a broad audience, but the vast majority do not understand why a stripped Exige Cup is worth more than a fully equipped Elise.

Reaching a dedicated community

Lotus enthusiasts are a tight-knit and passionate group. They know the model variants by heart, understand which engine versions are the best, and appreciate the subtle differences between an S1 and S2 Elise. These are buyers who purchase a Lotus because they want to drive, not because they want to show off.

The auction format at Octane reaches this specific target audience effectively. Through focused presentation and the competitive bidding process, you get fair market value for your car, instead of advertising for months to an audience that is largely uninterested.

The Lotus market is shifting. The Elise and Exige are out of production (the last ones rolled off the line in 2021), causing availability to decrease and values to rise. Classics like the Esprit and Europa have been popular with collectors for longer. The auction format offers the ideal way to benefit from these market dynamics.

Chassis condition is everything

The aluminium chassis of the Elise and Exige is the core of the car. Buyers carefully check for corrosion, especially on the S1 Elise which is more susceptible to galvanic corrosion than later models. Chassis damage (from speed bumps, track incidents) is expensive to repair and can drastically reduce value. A chassis inspection by a Lotus specialist is a prerequisite for many buyers.

Engine and drivetrain

• Rover K-Series (Elise S1, early S2): Notorious head gasket issues. Preventive upgrade to MLS head gasket is a major plus
• Toyota 2ZZ-GE (Exige S2, Elise 111R): Very reliable, but check lift bolt (VVTL-i) operation. Oil consumption at higher mileages
• Toyota V6 (Evora, Exige V6): Solidly reliable. Buyers check supercharger condition on charged versions
• Classics (Esprit, Europa): Lotus-own engine condition, parts availability, fibreglass body condition

Track use and modifications

Many Lotus models are used on track, and that is not necessarily negative. Buyers do want honesty: how many track days has the car done? Has there ever been an incident? A well-maintained track car with documentation can actually be attractive to the right buyer.

Modifications are common in the Lotus world and often appreciated. Sport exhausts, stiffer engine mounts, reinforced engine covers, and track-focused suspension setups are commonplace. What matters most is quality and documentation. Keep original parts where possible.