Introduction
The 1973 Lotus Elite is a two-seat, mid-engine coupé built by Lotus Cars, the sports car division of the British automaker Lotus. It was the first Lotus to be built on a production line and was made from 1973 to 1982. The Elite was designed to compete with the Porsche 911 and Ferrari models and featured a unique fiberglass monocoque chassis and a lightweight aluminum powertrain. It was powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 140 horsepower and can reach a top speed of 135 mph. Its handling was renowned and it won several awards, including the prestigious European Car of the Year in 1975.
Design and Engineering
Chassis
The Lotus Elite was the first Lotus to be built on a production line. It featured a unique fiberglass monocoque chassis, which was both lightweight and strong. The chassis was designed to be aerodynamic and had a low drag coefficient of 0.36. The Elite was also fitted with a lightweight aluminum powertrain, which was the first of its kind for Lotus.
Engine
The Elite was powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 140 horsepower and can reach a top speed of 135 mph. The engine was mated to a four-speed manual transmission, and the car had a rear-wheel-drive layout.
Handling
The Elite’s handling was one of its main selling points. It featured a double wishbone suspension system that allowed it to tackle corners with ease and stability. The car also had a self-leveling system, which helped keep the car level at all times.
Awards
The Elite won several awards during its production, including the prestigious European Car of the Year in 1975. It was also praised for its design and engineering, with many automotive journalists praising its unique styling and handling.
Legacy
The Lotus Elite is remembered as one of the most iconic sports cars of the 1970s. It was the first Lotus to be produced on a production line and its design and engineering were ahead of its time. The car is still popular among classic car enthusiasts and is highly sought after in the collector’s market.
Variants
The Elite was offered in several variants during its production, including the Elite S, Elite S2, Elite S3, Elite S4, Elite S5, Elite S6, Elite S7, Elite S8, Elite S9, and the Elite S10.
Production Numbers
The Elite was produced from 1973 to 1982, with a total of 2,938 cars being made. Of these, only 2,490 were produced for the U.S. market.
Price
At launch, the Elite was priced at around £18,000, which is equivalent to around £100,000 today. Today, the Elite is highly sought after in the collector’s market and can fetch prices in excess of £100,000.
