Is The Lotus Elan The BEST British Sports Car? (1969 S4 Twin Cam Roadster Road Test)

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Think of Lotus and you’ll likely imagine fibreglass, lightweight sports cars with motorsport-derived engineering, sweet handling and surprising comfort. The Elan arguably best embodied Collin Chapman’s “simplify and add lightness” philosophy and today, could be the perfect, even best, classic British sports car! Jack went for a test drive…
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Chapters
0:00 The Perfect Lotus?
0:45 Great First Impression
1:26 Twin Cam Engine
1:51 Ride Quality
2:21 Handling & Driving Impressions
3:03 Lotus History
3:49 Elan - Not For Racing
5:21 Lotus’ First Volume Production
5:53 Objectively Better Than Rivals
6:16 Practicality
6:36 Simplify, Add Lightness

[@alexandrecouture2462]

What a nice little car! No wonder Mazda has took some inspiration for their Miata/MX-5.

[@secretsquirrel3793]

I find that you need to make excuses for almost all cars of that era when comparing to modern sports cars; whereas with the Elan you have to make excuses for the modern stuff that is too large, heavy, stodgy, cumbersome, detarched from the road, stiffly suspended etc. The Elan is a timeless gem!

[@robertlloyd7493]

❤ Always loved these.....that's why I bought an mx5 😊

[@alanthomson1227]

Ditto

[@paulelverstone8677]

I parked my MX5 mk1 next to an Elan once - couldn't quite believe how much smaller the Lotus was...

[@markwhitaker3673]

As a young person in my teens and twenties I was lucky enough to drive my father's 71 S4 FHC Elan frequently and have managed to relive those memories with my own 69 Elan S4 DHC over the last 6 years and can confirm these cars are an absolute delight to drive. The mix of light weight, steering response, power, and road feel is simply fabulous. In response to comments below, I have found more room in the cockpit with a better driving position than my prior 3 Mazda MX-5s, and near luxury features with a powerful heater, lovely walnut dash and electric windows-impressive for a sixties design. The fixed head coupe is more refined than the drop head coup/convertible and the top is a fair amount of work compared to the simplicity of the MX-5. The engine is great but not maintenance free with complex valve adjustment required periodically and a potentially fussy water pump to deal with. Stromberg carbs as fitted to US federal spec cars and Euro spec cars for 1-2 years only actually run quite well with excellent torque-Weber carbs look/sound great, have adjustability for racing but use more fuel,. On federal spec cars, ditch the cross over pipes and modify the timing to Euro specs. The home mechanic can deal with the majority of servicing with the water pump, rear wheel bearings, and valve adjustment most likely requiring specialist help. The lack of such help is a problem here in the US, but less so in the UK. Fortunately, the enthusiast network via elan.net can help. Parts availability is better than when the cars were newish. Finally, even though the Elan was pricy compared to a TR-4 or MGB, I don't recall it ever being more expensive than an E-type. If this car appeals to you, go for it. Take your time to find a well-cared for example or complete one if you fancy a restoration.

[@brianwilson245]

Looking through the comments I see that there is the usual gripe ( from 'someone who knows someone') regarding the reliability. I ran one of these for 15 years and it was completely reliable. In fact the only breakage suffered was the cable in the window lift mechanisim so I would say that if anybody was having reliability problems they were self inflicted.

[@roygardiner2229]

That was an outstanding, enjoyable, almost poetic review. i don't own car but I would really like one of these 🙂. Imagine building your own: that would be SO rewarding.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@kennedysingh3916]

In Jamaica, one of those first generation Lotus Elite use to race hear in the late 1950's to the early 70's and was the first car to repricent Jamaica in international compitition. I understand that that same car still exsice but is in the Cayman Islands.

[@lenhornsey2175]

Ran on 155 tyres but handled superbly. The popup headlights used vacuum from the inlet manifold...one person found a pint of petrol in their reservoir when servicing them!

[@jimmyquinn9639]

Lovely car 👍👍👍👏👏⭐️⭐️⭐️

[@wadehampton4499]

Absolutely wonderful little cars but you wouldn't want to have a serious prang in one ! I think they're much better on twin Webers or Dellortos (the intake noise is fab) whereas the one in the video is using twin Strombergs which looks like an American spec. A well sorted Elan Sprint with the big valve 130 bhp engine and preferably a 5 speed box is just about the perfect example of a sports car, ever.

[@alastairwatson3201]

Is there an equivalent to British Heritage making Elan shells, other main panels and chassis? I’m thinking that a “new” Elan powered by a small Japanese engine with a five speed ‘box would be a fabulous proposition.

[@ClassicsWorldUK]

Absolutely epic idea!

[@melvynwoodman5787]

Yes it is possible to buy an all new body and chassis for these cars. Not as cheap as the average kit car though an excellent base.

[@loveisall5520]

I am wearing that same little Casio as I type this. I actually prefer it to my gold Rolex. Like this beautiful Elan, it does what it needs to without excess.

[@paulelverstone8677]

When I think of Lotus I think of creative accounting but that might be for another video. But would happily agree that the Elan is the greatest British sports car. ISTR Gordon Murray agrees with me... :o)

[@geoffclarke3796]

Cracking little cars and I agree the greatest British sports car just ahead of the E Type. I would have one in my dream cars garage, probably the later, slightly more powerful, Elan Sprint.

[@markynorthy1878]

It made me thought seeing you in the lotus but you never see many or any at all any lotus europa my dad had one in the early 70s it was talk of the town and you hardly ever see them on the street

[@georgemarks]

Come on! You have to give credit where credit is due...would it have done nearly so well if EMMA PEEL hadn't owned one?!

[@peterriggall8409]

John Steed and Emma Peel were the Avengers I remember. Back when TV was worth watching.

[@alancrisp1582]

🤔 Yes its true that Diana Rigg drove one of these cars in the classic 1960s Avengers series. But there is much more to the story than that .The company was so pleased with the publicity, that after filming had finished. The company give the vehicle to the late actress. She had so many problems with it, she quickly got rid of it !!. True story...😂

[@peterriggall8409]

@@alancrisp1582 Oh dear!

[@davidpenney1273]

Yes my maths teacher built one with his brother in 1964-5 and took the whole class out in it gaining 40 kids with a Lotus following you could also follow the plans in the Eagle comic

[@davidhayes4814]

They were pretty pricey though, maybe with good reason. The Sprint version cost more than an E-type and therein lies a problem.

[@lazerblu]

They were not cheap cars in period, but when was the Sprint more expensive than a E Type? I've checked a few old car mags and even after VAT came in the cheapest E Type was over 40% the price of the Lotus.

[@secretsquirrel3793]

A standard E-type would be dropped like last week's shopping by a standard twin cam Elan on a twisty road. As would pretty much anything else short of a modern hot hatch with much greater bhp.

[@3ducs]

Lovely car! What is that music in the distant background? Kinda annoying?

[@GarryMcGovern]

'Lotus equals lightweight cars......... I'm sure that is what Lotus will keep on doing'. Alas, with the colossal EV monstrosities like the Eletre and Emeya....... I fear those days are well and truly numbered.

[@oibal60]

My sister's BF, back in 1969, had a white Elan. Yummy.

[@johnrobinson8340]

5:59

[@user-te4bz2ji8t]

Owned both , mx5 better.

[@grahamhaynes7658]

Might save me some money,I've a nice mk1 mx5 and keep thinking about a elan as people say they so good,mx5 is massively reliable for 30 Yr old.

[@user-te4bz2ji8t]

@@grahamhaynes7658 mine was good for 23yrs new owner drove it away . Tears 😭

[@grahamhaynes7658]

​@@user-te4bz2ji8tsorry to hear that.

[@mikeyc6563]

owned a ND for a year also own an elan 1969.You cant compare the two as one is 50 years newer .Hated the electric steering on the mx5 no feel really let the car down

[@sanseijedi]

Talks over the engine sound. Please, take a breath, lad.