Reverberating 80s Futurism
The Lotus Excel - A British Icon
Lotus Excel Advert, 1983
New technologies, consumerism, capital expansion, MTV and the emergence of punk and new-wave subcultures define the 1980s.
It was a time of drastic change and revolt against conventions that influenced the evolution of the automotive industry. The decade marked a turning point in vehicle manufacturing history, forcing it to adapt to new realities at breakneck speed.
From fuel-efficient cars to
computerised manufacturing processes, designers and engineers had the limitless capacity to make anything. While some feared the digital unknown, opportunists thrived, creating out-of-the-box cars that were set apart from anything seen on the road before.
Emphasising speed, dynamism and motion, a common theme of the era was reinvigorated futurism. Designers reimagined the world with the overwhelming presence of computers and automation.
The results were cars that sported sleek, uninterrupted lines, brutalist blank panels, and hard-angled windows.
The most famous example is, of course, the DeLorean DMC-12 that played a starring role in the 1985 film Back to the Future. The stainless steel car with gull-wing doors and a built-in time machine was an iconic symbol of the decade’s vision of tomorrow.
Some boundaries that were pushed did not result in iconised fame but instead in fascinating amalgamations of the best components that the ten-year span had to offer. The pyramid-like profile of the Lamborghini Athon concept car from 1980 was simply abstract.
Almost lost to the past and the drawing board, it was made from a mix of aluminium, fibreglass and Kevlar to reduce weight. Inside, it tentatively featured an early effort at a touchscreen with videogame graphics.
Though it never went into production, many styling cues were later incorporated into the wildly popular Countach and Diablo designs.
Tesla Cybertruck
The 1980s was also a time of increased globalisation, generating a melting pot of crossovers and collaborations.
A success story was the partnership between Lotus and Toyota and the resulting Excel. Aerodynamic and straight out of a light-grid digital dream, the 1985 Lotus Excel was truly magnetic. Turning heads to this day, the slick 3-door fastback coupe was somewhat of an anomaly for Lotus.
It was originally launched in 1982 and was the last Lotus to be created under the leadership of the company’s founder Colin Chapman. Financial strife of this time led to Toyota joining as a shareholder, allowing Lotus to fossick through their parts bin.
The influence is palpable. It gained a Toyota five-speed gearbox, along with its differential, driveshafts, and disc brakes. Mixing the Lotus Esprit with Japanese features resulted in a perfected and dynamic balance, turning the Excel into one of the era’s best-handling cars. The futurism of the Excel feels incarnate of a neo-noir character, ready to slip through Tokyo’s reflective, glowing streets in a downpour. The design has undoubtedly been a catalyst of contemporary innovations.
Retrofuturism is now taking hold of new designs, harking back to the radical conceptual visions of the 80s but with the latest technology and features. Polygonal, as if loading and not yet rendered, Tesla’s Cybertruck is due to be released this year.
This all-electric vehicle has three motors and is all-wheel drive with a mind-blowing towing capacity of around seven tones. It is part pick-up truck, part alien, with a panoramic sunroof and a nearly impenetrable exoskeleton designed for ultimate durability.
From the time-travelling DeLorean to the synth- wave Lotus Excel, 1980s design continues to enthral with radical looks and engineering marvels. What lies ahead is shrouded in mystery. Only time will tell.
As we eagerly await the unveiling of new technologies and the emergence of new concepts, one thing is certain, the pulsing energy of the 1980s will continue to beat into an undefined age of electric and self-driving vehicles.
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