BUYING GUIDE
This motor sport hero is as desirable as ever 45 years after it was launched. And we can help you to bag the best of them – here’s how to do it
There’s plenty of nostalgia for 1980s rally cars, and when it comes to desirability this one is up there with the best of them. Developed by Talbot Competitions Department manager, Des O’Dell, it took the standard family hatchback and turned it into a winner.
Launched at the 1979 Geneva Motor Show, the project saw almost complete cars despatched from the Linwood factory to Ludham Airfield in Norfolk where Lotus dropped in a 150bhp 2.2-litre twin-cam engine and ZF dog-leg gearbox. There were suspension upgrades, too, and with a distinctive black and silver paint scheme this was a car that made sure that it grabbed your attention. 1981 saw the Series 2 introduced, which bought mild external changes including larger headlights, and buyers could have one in Moonstone Blue with a silver or black stripe.
What hadn’t changed was the rapid performance with 0-60mph taking fewer than eight seconds, so it’s no wonder that period road-testers were impressed. In the region of 2200 were made with a pretty much equal split between left- and right-hand-drive cars. Fast forward more than four decades and the enthusiasm for this cracking hatchback is as strong as ever, with values very much on the rise. As for rallying success, Henri Toivonen won the 1980 Lombard RAC Rally in a Sunbeam Lotus with Talbot taking the manufacturer World Championship the following year, so you’ll be owning a car with proper motor sport pedigree. It doesn’t get better than that.
ENSURE THAT IT’S A REAL ONE
The side-stripe is plastic and expensive to replace, and some owners paint them on instead. Pattern body panels are out there but the Sunbeam Lotus Owners Club recommends fabricating sections wherever possible if you’re looking for a top-notch restoration. Badges are tricky to find but sourcing other exterior trim isn’t the problem you might expect it to be; there’s plenty of second-hand stuff around and the club can definitely help here. It can also assist when it comes to checking the provenance of a potential purchase; there are more fakes than real ones so be cautious. A proper shell should have a larger transmission tunnel, for example.
AVOID A ROTTEN SHELL
Corrosion was always this car’s biggest Achilles’ Heel, so careful checks will be needed unless you’re sure that it’s been restored fastidiously. Start with the extremities of the bonnet, doors and tailgate and pay particul
