► Lightweight, agile philosophy
► The car that put Chapman on the map
► Gavin Green on why the Elan matters so much
Colin Chapman, Lotus’s founder, knew that driving enjoyment was dependent on swiftness more than brute strength. Thus his mantra: ‘Simplify, then add lightness’. He also memorably stated: ‘Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere.’
If more car company bosses followed Chapman’s philosophy, today’s bloated blighters would be a good deal more enjoyable to drive, as well as far more eco friendly.
Chapman gave us the championship winning F1 Lotuses of the ’60s and ’70s, plus some of the finest driving cars of all time, not least the first Lotus Elan. Light (under 700kg), small (closer in length to an old Mini than a new Boxster), the Elan is a little bundle of joy to drive, and the chief dynamic inspiration for the first Mazda MX-5 25 years later. Powered by a throaty and gutsy Lotus-developed twin-cam version of a Ford four-cylinder engine, the Elan was eager, agile, and as nimble down a B-road as a terrier down a rabbit hole. Drive an Elan today, after any modern sports car, and it’s quite shocking how heavy and anaesthetised the ‘modern’ feels by comparison.
Best of all is the steering. So sharp and linear, it feels as though there’s a direct link between fingertip and front tyre. Lotus cars, of course, are still celebrated for their handling, steering and ride quality, so the Elan’s legacy lives on. Sadly, the rest of the car industry has forgotten its other lesson: that less mass invariably means more driving enjoyment.
The specs
Produced: 1962-1973
Price at launch: £1499
Value now: £35,000
Engine: 1557cc 8v 4-cyl, 105bhp, 108lb ft
Performance: 8.7sec 0-60mph, 115mph