Lotus Elan: You Know You Want To
It's won at the Bahamas Speed Week twice, what more do you need to know?
Pretty car
Prestigious racing, too. In 2009 a full restoration was undertaken and it was subsequently granted an FIA Appendix 'K' Historic Technical Passport, making it eligible for all sorts of exciting historic events. Is this another classic that could be raced and still appreciate in value? Possibly! Just don't crash... It's still road legal as well; just the thing to take for a pub lunch. With an understanding passenger, of course.
The Lotus Elan is the definitive lightweight British roadster, with so many sports cars since owing their existence to the Lotus. We haven't mentioned the Mazda yet, right? It's easy to forget how advanced the Elan was, particularly against its contemporary rivals, with Chapman's inclusion of independent rear suspension a big step at the time.
Fun car!
But what if you fancy a more modern Lotus? The current road car range is arguably the finest it's ever been, and this Exige Sport 350 is essentially brand new. Would you trade the Elan's delicacy for the Exige's power? Isn't there nearly as much to be had in a roadgoing Elan? We'd love to hear your thoughts. And don't buy it before the Lotto on Saturday, as it may then have a buyer...
LOTUS ELAN S2 TYPE 26
Price: £59,995
Why you should: A Lotus icon with a glorious history
Why you shouldn't: Erm, er...
See the original advert here.
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[Words: Lee Stern]
And yes, it was a brilliant little car which I've regretted selling ever since. Nothing I've owned since has come close in terms of responses and sheer speed in relation to size. It remains the only car I've owned that would leave passengers who asked for a demonstration open mouthed and speechless at the end of a country lanes blast. Sadly, the grass is always greener somewhere else and since I'd had the Elan for some time and I fancied a return to rallying, the Elan had to go. In the 70s it was just another 10+ years old car and not worth much since most cars in that era had either rusted to nothing and/or were knackered by the time they reached their 10th birthday. Mine wasn't especially smart but it was in very good mechanical order. Later I bought a +2 but it wasn't the same!
Having said which, I doubled my money in 3 or 4 years when I sold my last Elan Sprint FHC at £24K, just a few years ago, and I thought I'd done really well. If I'd hung on to it, I'd have made another £15K by now.
But brilliant as they are to drive, knowing how they're built, I'm not sure I could stomach paying the sort of prices that are currently being asked.
It is a cracking little car to drive, I will be sad when it goes but unfortunately plans change and I am trying to get down to the number of cars I own that need to be garaged actually matching the number of garage spaces I have!
I really need to stop scouring the Classifieds in case an Alfa SZ or something comes along......
Regards,
Robin
Bought a s4 in the early '90s for £10k, a real beauty with 140 bhp vegantune engine.
Handled like a dream,lacking in outright grip due to 165x13 tyres but beautifully balanced. As a famous muttering rotter said 'you didn't drive an elan,you wore it'. Very true. Had a mx5 years later,not a patch on the elan.
Shame I wrote it off by being rear ended in a queue of traffic,while stationary.
Thought I'd have a few elan free years,then have another. Bad move as they more than doubled in price overnight.
It's surprising how muhc grip they give, but it also means that you find yourself in perfectly balanced, throttle-steerable 4 wheel drifts at relatively sensible road speeds, whereas with most modern cars you've got to be driving like an anti-social lunatic to be working the tyres at all.
THE best balanced wet weather car I have driven, not grippy but four wheel drifts are just so easy and at easily accessible speeds. Not shabby In a straight line either, little wonder they are so desirable today.
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