The Rotus 7 isn’t a spelling error, but a 1980s attempt to bring some modernization (or, rather, reliability) to the classic Lotus 7 shape. And here’s Motorweek‘s 1984 review of it.

Motorweek thought this Lotus 7-based car – with the engine out of a Corolla and with components from Japan and all devised by a U.S. Toyota dealer –  would appeal to young people with disposable money and not interested in the hassles of British sports cars. So, people who would’ve liked the Mazda Miata that was five years away, as it too, according to John Davis, crossed “classic British styling with Japanese reliability.”

But this was the mid-’80s and the days of MGs and Triumphs were long gone. People took what they could get.

While the Mazda is the ubiquitous modern roadster, the Rotus remains an interesting footnote in Lotus history. Just a few were made for U.S. consumption, but the idea of squeezing in a small V8 sounds like a riot.

Enjoy the sensible review of the Rotus here. Oh, and “Beefeater ZX” is a great name for a car or a band or really good gin. Can I use that?

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