Friday 19th October 2012

Time For Tea? Lotus Elan + Diana Rigg

How to celebrate half a century of the Lotus Elan? An Avengers/Diana Rigg/Lotus mash-up seems about right!

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So, it's (almost) exactly half a century since the Lotus Elan first debuted at the 1962 Earl's Court motor show. The exact date seems to be a matter of conjecture, some saying October 10, others October 12 and others still October 16. Lotus's PR man Alastair Florance mentioned it to us earlier in the week off the back of our Evora 414E drive story and reckoned it was today but let's not get too hung up on it - suffice to say we're to within a week or so. And after 50 years that's close enough.

Check out the C&SC vid of this shoot

Inspiration enough to find an Elan related video for a Friday Time For Tea? in our book. Now, our colleagues at Classic & Sports Car put up a little teaser for their definitive Elan 50th celebration back in July. See their vid here.

Nice bunch of chaps that they are they're nothing like as photogenic as Diana Rigg in her prime ragging about in an Elan in The Avengers. So that's our main feature and a more evocative celebration of the best of 60s Britain we can't imagine. Break out the choccy digestives and enjoy!

 

[matbat]

Mmmmmmmmmmm

[Jonny TVR]

like the car, the girl, the bentley and cottage mews.

Always thought the elan was a bit too small and cute, but ideal for mrs peel.

[sinbaddio]

Very entertaining but what's withe dodgy foreign dubbing?

[spaximus]

As a young lad Emma Peel was the sexiest woman alive at that time. Especially when she wore a leather one piece suit. oh yes.

[GranCab]

spaximus said:

As a young lad Emma Peel was the sexiest woman alive at that time. Especially when she wore a leather one piece suit. oh yes.

... what he says ....

[Mr_B]

GranCab said:

spaximus said:

As a young lad Emma Peel was the sexiest woman alive at that time. Especially when she wore a leather one piece suit. oh yes.

... what he says ....

What they both say, plus the fact no one has come along and been better since.

[LuS1fer]

GranCab said:

spaximus said:

As a young lad Emma Peel was the sexiest woman alive at that time. Especially when she wore a leather one piece suit. oh yes.

... what he says ....

No she wasn't. I never really saw the a-peel...see what I did there... but seriously, I never really liked that 60s stupid hairstyle look and still preferred Marilyn Monroe or Lesley Ann Down.

Loved the Lotus though but even at the age of 6 or 7 thought it was a girl's car.

[Blue62]

It was the Avengers that inspired me to undertake a very expensive car restoration project (Elan S130/5), that took 8 years and almost bankrupted me. Happy times and Ms Rigg was the best IMHO.

[kambites]

I almost bought an Elan a few years ago - prices have shot up since.

Still probably the best road car I've ever driven.

Edited by kambites on Saturday 20th October 11:17

[Prawnboy]

I loved her as a young lad,(with the repeats of course) and the car looks perfect with her in it.
....not sure i would fit....(so i will take Steeds broadspeed jag)

[Oddball RS]

She was fit enough but she runs like a duck! Feet should point forwards!

[LuS1fer]

Prawnboy said:

I loved her as a young lad,(with the repeats of course) and the car looks perfect with her in it.
....not sure i would fit....(so i will take Steeds broadspeed jag)

She never was a young lad...

The Jag was a later series with Hunt and Lumley, I believe he drove a Blower Bentley or similar.

[thinfourth2]

You have no idea how disappointed when the avengers film came out and it was full of americans in capes and st

[ianwayne]

spaximus said:

As a young lad Emma Peel was the sexiest woman alive at that time. Especially when she wore a leather one piece suit. oh yes.

Wasn't it Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) that wore the leather? Watching the re-runs when all the digital channels were created, I preferred the Tara King character myself.

[Bezza1969]

its about time someone noticed that its the Elans 50th anniversary. IMO, the Elan has aged much better and is much more relevant in 2012 than the 1 year older E type which always hogs the classic car headlines. If Lotus could only make a modern Elan, they'd solve most of their problems!!

Emma Peel, how can anyone not like a bit of proper posh british totty?!!

[C43]

mmmm very nice, did not notice an Elan though!

[markCSC]

ianwayne said:

Wasn't it Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) that wore the leather? Watching the re-runs when all the digital channels were created, I preferred the Tara King character myself.

Nope

[Atom Ant]

olly22n said:

/photowe

A great garage but why the large toilet roll on the Elan? ah ha it's to mop up the oil they burn or the broken water pump

Only kidding looks great and brings back memories, I had a Sprint then a JPS Europa Special, one of the last they ever made, I nearly met Colin Chapman in the Europa when I had it sideways in the wet

[Oakman]

I have virtually the same combo, sorry no photo though.

'71 Élan Sprint & '98 C4S.

To reply to some of the other statements re the Élan being somewhat "a girly car"......they obviously have never driven one !

Yes they are very a very pretty car and yes they can run and did run rings around all the other English sports car of the period.

There, that should hot it up a bit .....:-))

Oh yes and let's not forget the Clarkson acronym whilst were at it LOTUS - Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious .

Even got the jibe in first ;-)))

Enjoy

olly22n said:

/photowe

[RichB]

markCSC said:

ianwayne said:

Wasn't it Cathy Gale (Honor Blackman) that wore the leather? Watching the re-runs when all the digital channels were created, I preferred the Tara King character myself.

Nope

And she also looked good when not in leather.