A curious listing has appeared on the auction site Bring a Trailer, presenting a vehicle that challenges everything one might expect from the Kia brand. At first glance,
This is a Kia Vigato, a model that is essentially a rebadged Lotus Elan M100. For collectors and driving enthusiasts, this isn’
A Lotus in Disguise
To understand why this car is significant, one must look back to 1989. At that time, the automotive world was witnessing the birth of the modern lightweight roadster era, most notably with the launch of the Mazda Miata. Lotus responded with the Elan M100, a car that initially divided enthusiasts.
Because the M100 utilized a front-wheel-drive layout, purists criticized it for deviating from the traditional rear-wheel-drive Lotus formula. However, as testing proved, the Elan was far from a compromise. It was lightweight, possessed crisp handling, and offered a “fizzy,” engaging driving experience that made it a credible—albeit more expensive—rival to the Miata.
The Kia Connection: A Shortcut to Sportiness
The presence of this car under the Kia name is the result of a strategic manufacturing shift. In 1995, as Lotus wound down production of the M100, Kia stepped in to purchase the production tooling.
This allowed Kia to bypass the lengthy and expensive process of developing a sports car from scratch. Instead, they could produce a proven, high-quality roadster in their Korean facilities. While known as the Kia Elan in some markets, it was branded as the Vigato for export to Japan. This era represents a unique moment in Kia’s evolution, marking their only foray into the dedicated sports car market.
A Global Odyssey
The specific vehicle currently up for auction boasts a provenance as complex as a cinematic treasure hunt:
* Design: British (Lotus)
* Engine: Japanese (Isuzu)
* Assembly: Korean (Kia)
* Market Origin: Japanese (Vigato)
* Current Location: North America
This particular example has traveled a
