Lotus Club Queensland
Dedicated to the promotion and enhancement of the Lotus experience
Login
Register
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Membership
    • Member Login
  • Events
    • Calendar
  • Motorsport
    • Lakeside DTC Timed Laps
    • LAKESIDE DTC RESULTS
  • Magazine
  • For Sale
    • Merchandise
    • Classifieds
  • Posts
  • Galleries
  • Directory
    • Suppliers & Parts
    • Advertisers
  • Archives
2014-lotus-elan-1

2014 Lotus Elan

Lotus revives one of its most hallowed badges, adding a few pounds in the process

Avert your eyes, stringback-gloved purists: A new Lotus Elan is set to debut at the Paris auto show, and, for the first time, the model will not be available with an open top.

First, a bit of history: The Elan badge dates back to 1962, when Lotus was a fledgling concern known largely for its motorsport success and an impractical sports car called the Mark VII, or 7. That year, it launched a gossamer wisp of a rear-drive roadster, one that weighed just over 1700 pounds and sprinted to 60mph in 7.1 seconds. It would prove to be one of the defining moments in sports-car history.

The Elan was a massive success, injecting much-needed cash into Lotus’s coffers and serving as the benchmark for the modern sports car. A host of derivatives followed, both in-house and out (the first-generation Mazda MX5 was an unabashed Elan tribute), and although Lotus revived the name in the late 1980s for a front-wheel-drive convertible with an Isuzu-sourced powertrain, the first-generation Elan is widely hailed as Lotus’s masterstroke, and one of the greatest cars ever built.

In short, the Elan is Lotus, and Lotus the Elan, and we can therefore assume that the resurrection of the name was not taken lightly. The ingredients for success—if not an accurate recreation—are present: The car that will be shown in the Paris 2014 show is a 2900-pound, rear-wheel-drive coupe due for production this year. Power comes from a mid-mounted, 4.0-litre Toyota-sourced V6 that spins to 7800 rpm and uses forced induction—no word on what type—to produce 444hp and 343lb-ft of torque.

Top speed is claimed to be 193 mph, and Lotus says that 60mph comes up in 3.5 seconds. Two seats are standard, but as with the first Elan, a 2+2 configuration also will be offered. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is the only available gearbox, and a “push to pass” F1-inspired hybrid system will be optional. Price is said to be around £75,000, which we hear will also be the approximate price in $US.

Like the original, the ’14 Elan will sit in the bottom half of Lotus’s product range, perched above a lighter, cheaper, and more focused model (the all-new ’14 Elise, which fills the slot once occupied by the 7) but below heavier, faster, and more expensive cars (the Paris-announced Elite, Esprit, and Eterne, which recall early high-dollar Lotuses like the 1970s Elite and original Esprit).

If nothing else, the parallel is interesting—Lotus founder Colin Chapman used the first Elan’s success and volume to fund the company’s growth, moving upscale and chasing profits through costly, low-volume offerings. More Lotuses are always a good thing; here’s hoping this one lives up to its name.

Lotus Cortina Mk1: A history Part 1 Lakeside July 2013

Related Posts

duratec-banner

Articles, Homepage, Technical

Duratec Elise – better late than never

marburg-banner

EMRs, Gallery 2022, Homepage, News

Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022

plus2-banner

Articles, Gallery 2022, Homepage, Technical

Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane

Random images

IMG_6505
13-All-eyes-left
MG_7969
MG_6561
Rob-and-Clive
9-Coffee-at-the-Bellbird
MG_9512
20130511_101604
117_1799_IMG
IMG_8796
IMG_4893
IMG_3900
117_1744_IMG
122_2205_IMG
IMG_6750
IMG_7621
IMG_8893
IMG_7413
197_197
Church before breakfast__
20220220_093649
Track-Day-Winners
IMG_0479-2
IMG_9824-Different-generations-at-Lakeside-6
20180916_072314
Mica Steenstrup 2006 BMW I30 - 2
John Flynn 2014 Lotus Elise - 1
Daryl
Scott-Darryl_gw
P1020651
Mt-Cotton-Hillclimb-Sep17-04
20161106_083813
dtc-14
10. Vintage vehicle 1
Ormiston-12
_MG_4680 as Smart Object-1
concours-1
Shane-on-the-straight
image003
IMG_4294
HCtW3
Passing-open-paddocks-and-man-made-lakes
More-mountain-views-before-lunch-at-Canungra
Time-is-up
Greg's-Elise-Cup-240
Attendees-at-the-meeting-2
main-1
main-48
Club_Lotus_Dec_08_002
IMG_0744
2006_08_27_Gympie_Skid_Pan0043
Map_of_Lotus_60th_Anniversary
Ploughman's Lunch
IMG_0218
IMG_0344
IMG_0330
IMG_0329
Group_Shot
Club_Lotus_Dec_08_007
IMG_4067
IMG_3908
P1010002
IMG_6365
IMG_0525
IMG_0524
0078
IMG_8591
IMG_6398
IMG_0030
IMG_8483
IMG_7313
IMG_7315
IMG_7320
IMG_7322
IMG_7363
Steve-Lennox-Europa-S-2
Mal-Gray
Whered-They-Get-To
main-56
Wet & cold start
Jasons-Exige
A bit of banter
Display-2
IMG_4358
Beautiful-Sevens
The pointy end
Mt Mee
Mike-Maggie_gw
IMG_8649
Shane
Paul T
Ready-for-Action
The Crew
Lunchtime Raffles
restored-wooden-framework
IMG_9085
Martin
IMAG5945
Jag
John awaits the go

Recent Articles

  • Morgan Park Sprints R4
  • Kev’s Big Day Out
  • Duratec Elise – better late than never
  • Gold Rush Hill Sprint – 2022
  • Marburg Pub Run – 4 Sept 2022
  • Unique +2 Road Trip to Brisbane
  • Leyburn 2022
  • August 2022 DTC

Latest Gallery Images

20220220_093834 20220220_093818 20220220_093827 20220220_093743 20220220_093812 20220220_093730

Search articles by category

Archived articles

Lotus Club Queensland
© Lotus Club Queensland   |   Site by Black Eye Studios