In the early to mid 70s, Lotus launched a whole new lineup, moving away from the tiny (and beloved) Elan and the bizarre (and beloved) Europa. The first all-new car replaced the four-seat Elan +2 and was our feature car, the Elite. It was a larger more practical Lotus, but still weighed next to nothing when compared to most other four-seat cars.
While the Elite and its sister car the Eclat are highly regarded for performance, their styling is another matter altogether.
This was a thoroughly modern design at the time, but, like the Europa before it, has odd proportions, probably dictated by the chassis, as well as a low drag coefficient target. We generally regard these as ugly, but we still want them.
Also significant here is the first use of the famed Lotus twin-cam engine in a Lotus-badged vehicle. This engine was the basis for many a Lotus four-cylinder for over two decades.
The seller provides a lot of model information, but almost no information on this example. It appears to be in great shape and the ad does show claimed mileage of approximately 32K.
Click for Craigslist ad
Los Angeles, CA
$8,000
The profile is certainly unique. To me, this shot defines the concept of ‘so ugly it’s cool.’
Front end is very sporting and much cleaner.
Rear has a chiseled look and is all business.
Interior looks like a great place to spend some time on twisty roads.
Yes, there are rear seats! The high center tunnel is a reminder that this car is low.
It appears that some literature is included in the sale.
Ad text:
Reluctantly offering for sale my classic 1970s Lotus. The Elite was produced in England from 1974 to 1982 and marked a turning point for the Lotus company, as they moved away from the budget-priced Elan and Europa models to compete with more upscale sports cars such as the Maserati Bora and De Tomaso Pantera; indeed, the Elite’s design is very similar to the Giugiaro styling of mid-70s Maserati cars. And unlike their earlier cars, Lotus powered the Elite with their own indepently designed and built engine, the all-aluminum 2-liter 16-valve DOHC “907” which delivers 150bhp. When sold new, its asking price was $28,000 – an enormous amount in 1974, more than a Rolls Royce, and nearly double the price of a Jaguar XKE or Aston Martin DBS; not surprisingly perhaps, sales were modest and when it ceased production in 1982 less than 3,500 had been produced. Still, this car was an important bridge for the Lotus company and transformed them from a maker of cheap kit cars into respected makers of World-Championship winning Formula One race cars and their most successful model, the Esprit of “James Bond” fame. This car features power windows, power brakes, Blaupunkt stereo, power antenna, independent rear suspension, 5-speed manual transmission, stainless steel dual mufflers, new leather upholstery, alloy wheels, and more. Included are the original shop manual and parts list binders plus two sales brochures. The car is fitted with the gas-sipping Zenith-Stromberg dual carburetor which gives it 25 to 27 mpg, amazing for this type of car. Adding to the car’s practicality is its 2+2 seating arrangement with spacious back seats for either passengers or cargo (e.g., groceries) – something that no Elan, Europa or Esprit can boast! This is a very special machine and as you can tell I don’t really want to sell but medical bills make it necessary let it go, and I cannot take any trades. The car is currently in Southern Arizona but I will gladly transport it to LA it if sells. If interested please email with phone number, I will not reply without a phone number.
UPDATE: I have been overwhelmed by the response to this listing! Because of the unusual nature of this car I figured I would get 3, maybe 5 people interested in it…So far I have received over 20 emails about, from people in CA, AZ, NM, and even MI! Please be patient, I will be following up with your messages, will try to get caught up by Monday. Thank you all very much for your interest! 🙂