Description
Brooklands Ultimate Portfolio, Compiled by R.M.Clarke, Softbound, 216 Pages, ISBN: 9781855205512
There are some cars for which enthusiasm never seems to wane, and the original Lotus Elan is certainly one of them. So when stocks of our Gold Portfolio on these cars became exhausted, we decided against a simple reprint; instead, here is an enlarged Ultimate Portfolio, with extra material found in our archives. We hope it will satisfy Elan enthusiasts everywhere.
Traditionally, Brooklands Books have drawn upon pre-published material to fill books like this one. So we are delighted once again to acknowledge the generosity and understanding of those leading magazine publishers who originally commissioned the material which appears between these covers.
The material is drawn from Autocar, Autosport, Car and Driver, Car South Africa, Cars and Car Conversions, Classic Cars, Modern Motor, Motor, Motor Sport, Motor Trend, Practical Classics, Road Test, Road & Track, Sports Car Graphic, Sports Car World, What Car?, Wheels and World Car Guide.
R.M. Clarke
The Elan is one of the all-time great British sports cars. It was the car which turned Colin Chapman's small company from a specialist manufacturer into a significant motor industry player, and it was the car which amazed buyers and the motoring press alike with its astonishing combination of acceleration, roadholding and comfort.
The Elan was always built on a backbone-type chassis, to which was added a GRP body shell. This basic construction principle was followed on all models, including the later "+2" cars built from 1967. It made for an astonishingly solid motor car, which was strong enough to pass the 30mph barrier crash test demanded by new US regulations for 1968. All this was allied to all-round disc brakes and the famous 1558cc twin-cam Lotus engine in states of tune varying from the original 105bhp twin-Weber type to the 128bhp big-valve model with either Dellorto or Weber carburettors.
There were four separate series of Elans. The original S ls introduced in 1962 lasted until 1964, when they were replaced by S2 models with bigger front brakes, centre-lock wheels and a polished veneer facia. Early S2s came only in fixed-head form while problems with the soft top were sorted out. Then the S3s from 1966 had electric windows, taller final drives and a close-ratio gearbox option, and this series also brought the SE (Special Equipment) model with more power, the close-ratio gearbox and servo-assisted brakes. The S4 made its bow in 1968, bringing wider wheel arches to take the latest low-profile tyres, and a few other modifications. The 128bhp Sprint arrived as a fifth-generation car in 1971, and the final examples had the five-speed gearbox from the new Elite.
This latest Brooklands volume covers the whole of the Elan story, and the articles in it make clear why the car was such a success when it was available new. For owners and would-be owners alike, it represents a fascinating and valuable reference source.
James Taylor
