With its rear-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout, the original Smart ForTwo was basically a Porsche 911 for enthusiasts who park in the tiniest spaces imaginable. Things really got good, though, when Smart turned the ForTwo into the Crossblade, freeing owners from the hassle of that pesky roof getting in the way. Neither was really the best in the corners, parked, or in a straight line, but if you want a Crossblade that’s actually fun to drive, look no further than the Lotus 340R that’s currently for sale on Cars & Bids.
Of course, the downside of buying a Lotus 340R instead of a Smart Crossblade is that it’s mid-engine, so it’s no longer basically a 911. That said, I would argue the 340R looks even more ridiculous than the Crossblade, and that makes it the best car that’s been mentioned in this particular post. Plus, by starting with an Elise and hacking off everything that wasn’t absolutely necessary, Lotus allegedly managed to get the 340R’s weight under 1,600 pounds. That would be heavy for a motorcycle, but for a car, it’s practically weightless.
Then again, a car needs to be light if it wants to tear up the track with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder under the hood, making only 177 horsepower and 126 pound-feet of torque. You also don’t get a sixth gear with the manual transmission, but at least it’s a manual that only spins the rear wheels. Even if you’re not wowed by the performance numbers, just look at it. How could you not have a blast driving this thing? You probably won’t see another one on the road, either, because Lotus only ever built 340 of them.
Ridiculous cars should be more valuable
You could, of course, buy several Hayabusas for way less money than whatever this one-of-340 Lotus will eventually sell for, but not everyone wants a Hayabusa. Some people have kids and partners at home who would miss them if they died. Some people want a little bit more metal between them and other cars. Heck, four wheels means twice as much rubber gripping the track, and you never have to worry about damaging your 340R if you forget how long your right leg is.
Most importantly, though, the 340R looks like nothing else on the road. Calling its styling ridiculous earlier was probably an understatement. Just look at the aero treatment Lotus gave the front end. Look at how the taillights hang suspended off the car. Most of the exhaust system is just out there for the world to see. Even though the body is painted gray and black, half the interior is bright blue. If it had a sixth gear, it would be a perfect car, and even without the ability to shift into low-rpm highway cruising mode, I just love it so much.
Cars & Bids
At the time of writing, bidding has already topped $72,000 with six days left on the auction, so sadly, no one’s picking up an ultra-rare, 1,500-pound Lotus for even new-Honda-Prelude money. I’m sorry, but if we live in a world where cars are expensive, it’s only fair that the best Elise-based sports car ever sold is one of them. Buy a Maybach, and some people might not even realize it isn’t a regular Mercedes. Buy this 340R, and you’ll never go unnoticed again.
Forget buying a supercar. Just buy a 26-year-old Lotus. Toss the keys to the valet, and the Lamborghini in the front will have to move to make room for you. Is that not what most supercar owners buy their cars for anyway? And the best part is, if someone doesn’t know what a 340R is, you can tell them it’s the Smart Crossblade of Lotus Elises, and they’ll immediately know what you mean. After all, even normies who don’t care about cars yearn for a Crossblade. That’s just a cold, hard fact.
