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Click on the image to download a free Lotus Elan screensaver and desktop for your PC

Standard Equipment

Carnival Red with Cirrus White and Aztec Gold Paint Work, Black Centred Wheels with Chrome Rims and Chrome Knock Offs, Black Vinyl Bucket Seats, 4 Point Harnesses, Wooden Dash, Electric Windows, Lotus 3 Spoke Leather Steering Wheel, Lotus Wooden Gear Knob.

Additional Equipment

Nothing to speak of!

Model history

The original Elan was introduced in 1962 as a roadster, although an optional hardtop was offered in 1963 and a coupé version in 1965. The two seat Lotus Elan replaced the elegant, but unreliable and expensive to produce Lotus Elite. It was the first Lotus road car to use the now famous steel backbone chassis with a fibreglass body.  At 680 kg the Elan embodied the Colin Chapman minimum weight design philosophy.  The Elan was technologically advanced with a twin-cam 1558 cc engine, 4-wheel disc brakes, and 4-wheel independent suspension. The Lotus-Ford Twin Cam engine was based on Ford's Kent, with a Lotus-inspired Cosworth alloy twin-cam head. This Lotus-Ford 4-cylinder engine would go on to be used in a number of Lotus production and racing models.  An Elan +2 was introduced in 1967 with a longer wheelbase and two rear seats. The Elan +2 embodied the Lotus spirit: It was a fast and agile sport coupe, with very elegant lines. It combined the performance and reliability of the Elan "Coupe" with genuine 2+2 passenger comfort. Their relative rarity, beautiful lines, impressive performance and practicality are the main factors for the rising interest on these cars among collectors. The Elan ceased production in 1973 and the Elan +2 in 1975. An estimated total of 17,000 original Elans and Elans +2 were built and because of its successful design and technological sophistication, the Elan went on to become Lotus' first commercial success, reviving a company stretched thin by the more exotic and less commercially successful Elite, and enabling funding of the Lotus success in racing over the next ten years. This generation of the two-seater Elan was famously driven by the character Emma Peel on the British television series The Avengers. In 2004, Sports Car International named the Elan number six on the list of Top Sports Cars of the 1960s.

There is a fantastic website dedicated to the Sprint to read more follow the link... www.lotuselansprint.com

Exterior

The duo tone paint livery was introduced to reflect the sponsorship of Lotus’ Formula One team by cigarette manufactures Players.  Gold Leaf (a well-liked brand of Players at the time) had a  red over white was a colour combination and Lotus hid the join between the two colours with gold sidewinders. Apparently the line between the two colours was not always as sharp as it should have been when it came out of the paint shop, so the sidewinders covered any quality issue. However, it should also be borne in mind that the gold stripe was a feature of the Team Lotus Gold Leaf livery any way, though not as wide as the Sprint sidewinders. An optional extra cost, single (mono) colour paint scheme was also available.  The glass fibre  body work on this particular Elan is in good condition.  There are no big chips or marks and the gel coat still has a deep luster.  The door and bonnet shuts are good and the pop up headlamps work.

Wheels Tyres and Brakes

Fitted with an original equipment set of Black Steel Wheels with a Chrome rim there is a matching set of Dunlop SP Sports each with over 5 mm of tread.  The all round disc brakes stop this light sports car very effectively and were one of the cars best features when it was new wiping the floor with much heavier MG's that were using drums at the same time.   Manor Garage have given the suspension an overhaul as part of our usual preparation.

Engine and Transmission

The 1600cc engine was based on the Ford Kent using a Lotus inspired cylinder head produced by Cosworth.  These modifications allowed the engine to breath better and rev higher than the standard Ford lump giving a better power output  and a longer rev band making them ideal for racing.  They breath through twin weber carbs and produce over 125 BHP.  We have had the engine checked over by Manor Garage who specialise in classic British sports cars who have told us the engine is in good order.  The gearbox is slick and all ratios work even when the car is being hurried.

Interior and Equipment

The interior is all in good condition with the dials and switch gear all working as they did in the 60's.  The Black Vinyl is with out rips and the black carpet in similarly good condition.  The seats are supportive hand hold you tight as you barrel down the road.

Road Test

So often when you get to drive a car that you have lusted after for as long as you can remember you find yourself slightly disappointed when it actually happens, but in the case of the Elan I got out at the other end thinking just one thing, master piece! Like every great sports car you sit deep within an Elan, all the controls come immediately to hand and everything just seems so intuitive.  The rev happy four seems to give up more and more power as the car screams up to the red line and above 5,500 RPM as it comes on cam for the second time there is a shove deep in your back.  The handling is typical Lotus being very precise and light but you have to respect that when the grip runs out you will need to be very quick to catch it.  I can't wait to drive it when the engine is finished and run in.

History File

This car has passed through a total of 9 hands since she left the Hethel factory in 1972. Each of which is outlined in a History report and backed up with DVLA print outs by the 7th owner who owned the car between 1986 and 1996.  During this time the car was MOT'd every year and very well maintained.  There is a thick batch of invoices covering this time as well as every MOT certificate which documents the car turning over 99,999 miles in 1997 bringing the total mileage to 102,119 miles.

Since passing on to the eighth and ninth owner the car has covered few miles and has only been on the road once since between 2005 and 2008.  We have had the car taken to our specialist mechanics, Manor Garage who have recommissioned the car giving the engine a full fluids service and going through the suspension.  She is now in good mechanical health and deserves to be with someone that won't just stick her away in the garage.