Repair or replace
Cracks and breaks in composite panels can often be repaired with composite materials. Extensive damage, or damage around mounting points, can make a replacement panel the better choice.
Lotus repair guide
Bonded aluminum under composite skin
Starting with the Elise of 1996, Lotus's new road cars have been built around chassis made of extruded aluminum sections bonded with epoxy adhesive and riveted. The Exige, Evora and Emira followed the same principle, each with its own chassis design. On top sit composite body panels; on the Elise and Exige, the front and rear are large one-piece clamshells. The electric Evija hypercar is different again, built around a carbon-fiber monocoque, and classic models such as the Esprit used a steel backbone chassis.
This construction is light and stiff, and it sets clear limits for repair. A bonded aluminum chassis isn't pulled straight like a steel frame; damaged parts are replaced according to Lotus's repair information. Composite panels can often be repaired, but they're finished differently from steel or aluminum. We confirm the model and year first, then plan the repair around both materials. Our aluminum repair page explains why aluminum gets its own tools and work area.
Lotus · 01
The bonded aluminum chassis
The chassis is the heart of a Lotus. How it was joined decides how it can be repaired.
01
Glued and riveted
Extruded aluminum sections are joined with structural adhesive and rivets. The adhesive is structural, so separating and rejoining parts follows Lotus's procedures for preparation and curing.
02
No pulling, no heating
Bonded aluminum can't be straightened with heat and pulling like steel. Damaged components are replaced, and some damage can mean a replacement chassis or a major section of one.
03
Crash structures
Front and rear crash structures are designed to absorb an impact and be replaced. Whether the load stopped there or reached the chassis is the first question after a hit.
04
Clean aluminum work
Aluminum is worked with separate tools in a separate area. Steel contamination causes corrosion that appears later.
Lotus · 02
Composite panels and clamshells
Lotus body panels are composite. They don't dent; they crack, craze or break.
Clamshells
On the Elise and Exige, the front and rear clamshells are single large panels. A repair to one corner affects how the whole clamshell is refinished and fitted.
Finishing composite
Composite needs its own preparation, so repairs don't show through the paint later. We match the color with a spectrophotometer and test cards and blend across the panel.
Lotus · 03
Low, light and close to the road
Undertrays and splitters
A low Lotus meets speed bumps and driveways. After an underbody scrape we check the undertray, the splitter and their mounts, and the radiator area at the front.
Suspension geometry
On a light car, small changes in geometry are easy to feel. After any wheel or suspension impact, mounting points and alignment are checked.
Parts from a small maker
Lotus builds in small numbers. We confirm parts availability before giving you a timeline, and we use OEM parts wherever Lotus's procedures require them.
Model guide
Lotus models and their construction
A general guide by model. We confirm your car and its build from the VIN.
Bonded aluminum, composite body
- Elise, Exige
- Bonded aluminum chassis with composite clamshells (1996 to 2021 for the Elise).
- Evora
- Bonded aluminum chassis with composite body panels.
- Emira
- Bonded aluminum chassis with composite body panels.
Classics
- Esprit
- Steel backbone chassis with a composite body.
- Elan (M100)
- Steel backbone chassis with a composite body.
Hypercar
- Evija
- Electric, built around a carbon-fiber monocoque; case by case.
Construction notes are general. Lotus repair information for your exact car is what the repair follows.
Good to know
Before you book a Lotus repair
Classic Lotus cars
Older Lotus models combine steel backbone chassis with composite bodies, and decades of use can mean corrosion or previous repairs. We assess each car individually before agreeing on a plan.
Low-volume parts
Some parts, especially clamshells and chassis components, can take time to arrive. We confirm availability before giving you a timeline.
Inspection
What we check on every Lotus
Photos show what's visible. These checks happen at the in-person inspection, before a repair plan is written.
- Model and year, and the chassis type that goes with it
- Crash structures and chassis around every mounting point near the damage
- Composite panels and clamshells: cracks, crazing and mounting points
- Undertray, splitter and the front radiator area
- Suspension mounting points and alignment
- Paint over composite and the blend a match needs
Repair cost guide
What Lotus repairs cost: planning ranges
These are the ranges from our repair cost guide for a Lotus. They help you plan; they are not a quote. Year, model, materials and hidden damage can move the final price, which follows an inspection.
| Repair | Planning range |
|---|---|
| Small dent, paint not damaged | $400 to $1,500 |
| Scratches, scuffs or a dent that needs paint | $1,500 to $4,000 |
| Bumper repair or replacement | $3,000 to $8,000 |
| Door, fender or quarter-panel damage | $4,000 to $12,000 |
| Major collision or structural damage | $15,000 to $50,000+ |
| Hail damage | $6,000 to $20,000+ |
| Full respray or color change | $15,000 to $40,000+ |
Low-volume parts, carbon or aluminum construction, bespoke finishes and model-specific procedures can change the number fast. Final pricing follows an inspection; confirm tax and all inclusions in your written estimate. Ranges last reviewed October 2026.
Compare repair types in the cost guideHow it works
How a Lotus repair works with us
- 1
Send photos
Photos of the damage, the year and model, and the VIN if you have it. We reply with a free first estimate. You can do this today.
- 2
In-person inspection
From January 2027, at our Round Rock workshop. On a Lotus, the first question is whether the impact stopped at the crash structure or reached the bonded chassis. Structural damage is measured on our frame bench against factory dimensions.
- 3
Written repair plan
Repair method, parts and paint, written down before you authorize anything. OEM parts wherever the manufacturer requires them. Driver-assist calibrations are done by a dealer or calibration specialist and listed in the plan.
- 4
Repair and handover
Repairs follow the manufacturer's procedures. Color is read with a spectrophotometer and sprayed in our paint booth, and you review the finished car with us before you take it home.
Insurance claim?
In Texas you choose the repair shop, not your insurer. We are independent, not part of an insurer's direct repair program. We write the supplements and push for OEM parts where the manufacturer requires them. How we handle claims
Warranty and timing
Warranty terms are given in writing before any work starts. Parts lead times vary by model, so we confirm timing once parts are ordered rather than promising a date up front.
Lotus repair questions
Can a bonded aluminum Lotus chassis be straightened?
Not like a steel frame. Lotus repair information calls for damaged parts to be replaced, and some damage can mean replacing a major section or the chassis. We tell you what the inspection shows before any work is authorized.
Can a cracked clamshell be repaired?
Often, yes. Composite can be repaired with composite materials when the damage is limited. Large breaks or damage around mounting points can make a new clamshell the better option.
Is the Emira body aluminum or composite?
Both, in different places. The chassis is bonded aluminum, and the body panels on top are composite. Each material is repaired with its own methods.
My Exige scraped its splitter. Is that serious?
Often it's a cosmetic or bolt-on repair. We check the splitter mounts, the undertray and the radiator area behind it; if those are fine, the repair is usually limited to the damaged parts.
Is Agnelli Bodyworks a Lotus approved repairer?
No. We're independent and don't claim Lotus approval or certification. We work from Lotus repair information and use OEM parts where it requires them.
Do you work on classic Lotus cars?
Send photos and the model. Classic Lotus cars use steel backbone chassis with composite bodies, so we assess each one individually, including corrosion and previous repairs.
