1960 Lotus Elite

Colin Chapman built lightweight racing cars with aerodynamic designs and small displacement engines. This marriage of efficiency and mechanical sophistication often resulted in performance that exceeded much more powerful machines. His company fostered an enviable reputation reinforced by numerous victories and podium victories, yet Chapman worried its longevity required a firm commercial foundation. Thus birthed the road-going Type 14 Elite Grand Touring Coupe, introduced in 1956 as the far-sighted forerunner of a new age of composite-construction, monocoque-chassised performance cars. Similar to his competition cars, Chapman endowed the Elite with lightweight construction, attractive bodywork, and a potent Coventry Climax FWE all-aluminum inline four-cylinder engine.

Construction

The Lotus Elite received fiberglass monocoque construction with the stressed-skin Glass reinforced plastic unibody acting as a load-bearing structure for the car. The front suspension and engine were supported by a subframe that was bonded into the front of the monocoque, along with a squared-section windscreen hood with mounting points for the door hinges. It provided roll-over support and protection, along with a jacking point for lifting the car.

The first two hundred and fifty examples were constructed by Maximar Mouldings at Pulborough, Sussex, but due to numerous problems, the manufacture was entrusted to Bristol Aeroplane Company. With modifications to the design and construction, the resultant body was stiffer, lighter and provided more protection in the event of a crash.

Mechanical Specification

The Lotus Elite had a wheelbase size of 88.3 inches, an overall length of 148 inches, stood 46.5 inches tall, and was 59.3 inches wide. The suspension was independent all round with transverse wishbones at the front, and Chapman struts at the rear. The suspension attachment points often pulled out of the fiberglass structure, and was one of the shortcomings of using fiberglass-reinfected plastic without a full understanding of its engineering qualities.

Stopping power was via Girling disc brakes, often devoid of servo assistance, positioned inboard at the rear and measuring 9.5 inches in diameter. The tires were Pirelli Cinturato 155HR15.

Engine and Transmission

All production Elites (except one that received a newly developed Lotus-Ford Twin Cam engine) were equipped with a Coventry Climax FWE all-aluminum inline four-cylinder engine. It displaced 1.2 liters (1,216cc) and offered approximately 75 horsepower. The transmission was a four-speed manual unit.

In 1960, the SE version was introduced and came with twin SU carburetors and a fabricated exhaust manifold, boosting engine output to 85 hp. Additional upgrades included a ZF gearbox, Lucas PL700 headlamps, and a silver-colored roof.

The Super 95 version received a higher compression ratio and a stronger camshaft with five bearings. A few Super 100 and Super 105 versions had Weber carburetors and were intended for motorsport competition.

Body Design

Without the aid of computers or wind tunnel testing, designers were able to pen a body with a low drag coefficient of Cd=0.29. Peter Kirwan-Taylor created the original Elite drawings, with Frank Costin contributing to the final design. Frank was the brother Mike (a co-founder of Cosworth) and Chief Aerodynamic Engineer for the de Havilland Aircraft Company.

Production

The Lotus Elite was produced from 1957 to 1963, with 1,030 examples built (as many as 1,047).

Performance

The Lotus Elite was capable of racing from zero to sixty mph in 11.4 seconds and had a top speed of nearly 112 mph.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe

Engineer Colin Chapman built a succession of very successful racing cars that won championships in Grand Prix racing as well as at Indianapolis. His Lotus Cars organization also developed road cars with remarkably deft handling characteristics, beginning in 1959 with the Elite, which featured lightweight fiberglass monocoque construction.

This 1960 Elite coupe has had the same owner for 42 years. It was raced in vintage motorsports events from 1974 through 1983, then returned to street configuration. It has not been restored and shows more than 175,000 miles on its odometer.

Coupe

Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus, designed this fiberglass monocoque Lotus Elite. 'The sports car of tomorrow.' It was the first car to be built without a chassis. All steering and suspension components are bolted directly to the body. It has four wheel independent suspension and four-wheel disc brakes. It also utilizes an all-aluminum Coventry-Climax engine.

This car was an early production design that was displayed in Detroit in 1959. Then it was shipped to a Jaguar dealer in Cleveland, Ohio where it was purchased by Mr. Timmons.

After 10 years, the car was parked and enjoyed only by squirrels for the next 38 years. After its restoration and return to use, it has once again seen action in autocross where the same car and driver have won trophies 50 years apart.

Coupe
Chassis number: EB 1402

Jay Chaberlain was the first Lotus dealer in America and sold the majority of Series I Elites. During his long career he raced several Elites. Most were painted in his racing colors, Red body with a silver accent scallop on the nose. He preferred number 52 (the number of cards in a game, because he liked to call life: 'a game of chance'), but depending on availability he would run 152 or even 153.

Coupe

This 1960 Series 2 Lotus elite was shipped from the factory on October 19, 1960 to Jay Chaimberlain, race driver and the first Lotus US importer, in California. It was initially sold to Jerry Golden. In 1966, the car was sold to Dennis Ortenburger who kept the car for 47 years. Dennis is the author of several books on Lotus, including 'Lotus Elite, Racing Car for the Road,' which is considered one of the best books on the Elite. Dennis showed the car in many concours events and extensively vintage raced it as well. Like many Elites raced in the United States EB 1461 is now equipped with a more powerful 1,500cc FWB Climax engine.

The current owner purchased the car in 2013. It underwent a thorough restoration in 2014/15.

Coupe
Chassis number: 1081

This 1960 Lotus Elite has had only a single owner since new. After several decades of use, the car was treated to a complete restoration, including an engine rebuild. The body was refinished in British Racing Green, and the interior was done in tan leather. The suspension was completely renewed with all new bushings, mounts, and dampers. Currently, this Lotus Elite has 26,954 original miles.

The Lotus Elite

Colin Chapman introduced the Lotus Type 14, better known as the Elite, at the Earls Court Motor Show in 1957. The first two hundred and fifty examples were fitted with fiberglass from Maximar Mouldings at Pulborough, Sussex, before being judged as too problematic and a subsequent switch to the Bristol Aeroplane Company. Beneath the graceful bonnet was a 1.2-liter Coventry Climax FWE, an all-aluminum inline-four-cylinder engine developing 75 horsepower.

Among the accolades achieved in motorsport competition by the Lotus Elite were class victories at the 24-hour of Le Mans six times and overall victors of the Index of Thermal Efficiency twice.

by Dan Vaughan

Founded by Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, whose ACBC initials appear in the famous green and yellow emblem of his company, Lotus was still a fresh car manufacturer in 1957. For a while prior to that year, Lotus offered the Seven, a seminal sports car with sparse construction and an undiluted personality. The Seven was revered for its lightness and simplicity, and it was a very capable car offering as much fun and involvement as a sporty motorbike. Of course, given its diminutive size and cramped cabin, it wasn't any more practical than a motorbike, either. That's why, in 1957, Lotus began production of the Elite.

While the Seven may have had the requisite four wheels of a car, its cycle fenders and lack of doors suggested that it was a different machine altogether. The Elite, then, was the first 'traditional' car offered by Lotus. Well, maybe traditional isn't the right word. The Elite had two doors, two seats, a conventional trunk, and a closed body. But that's where the tradition ends.

Using revolutionary body construction, the pretty Elite was a featherweight. Its unit-body construction, already impressive for its day, was built entirely of fiberglass. As opposed to the more common fiberglass-body-on-steel-frame design, the entire structure of the Elite was composed of the fibrous material. The results? A curb weight of about 1,300lbs and the unrivaled handling of a Lotus Seven, wrapped into a more presentable and usable package.

This first modern Lotus had impressive mechanicals as well. The engine, developed by Coventry Climax, displaced 1,216cc and produced from 75-105bhp, depending on the tune. Though it was a fairly conventional, single overhead cam four-cylinder, the engine achieved impressive horsepower figures for its size and was lightweight. The four-speed transmissions on the Elites were manufactured by both MG and ZF during the car's production run.

The Elite's capable handling was made possible by an excellent suspension setup in addition to the car's lightweight construction. It had four-wheel independent suspension, with wishbones and coils upfront. At the rear, a MacPherson-like strut, dubbed the 'Chapman strut' by its designer, suspended the car.

Aside from the Elite's obvious innovation, the car was a serious looker. Its long nose and short tail lent the tiny Lotus the gorgeous proportions of a much larger grand touring car. The lines of the car were soft and delicate, with no superfluous curves. The look was purposeful and practical, with a simple yet unmistakable beauty. Its tasteful lines were unmatched by other sports cars of its size.

The simple, gentle curves and quality of the Elite's body followed through into the interior, a welcome surprise in such a lean auto. The cabin was airy and comfortable with nice materials. An attractive, three-spoke steering wheel with a light wood rim sprang out of the simple dash, which itself was designed to mimic the line of the car's body and consisted of neat, legible gauges and several evenly spaced switches.

Lotus, never a company to build cars just for looks, had more in mind than fashion when they designed the Elite. The car's graceful lines allowed its coefficient of drag to stand at a scant 0.29, an excellent figure today that was unheard of in 1957. By combining these outstanding aerodynamics with lightweight body construction and peppy mechanicals, the lovely Elite became the definitive formula for the modern Lotus.

Sources Used:

Wilson, Quentin. The Ultimate Classic Car Book. First. London: Dorling Kindersley Limited, 1995.

by Evan Acuña

The Lotus Elite was produced from 1958 through 1963. The Elite was Colin Chapman's first real production, road-worthy, closed automobile. The road-going vehicles provided the funds to finance the racing program. Constructed of glassfibre monocoque comprised of eight box sections, the vehicle was both light and strong. Under the hood was an aluminum four-cylinder 1216 cc OHC engine courtesy of Coventry Climax. Zero-to-sixty took around twelve seconds and top speed was achieved at 115 mph. Disc brakes were placed on all four corners and the gearbox was a four-speed manual. The suspension was a four-wheel independent setup.

In 1957 the first prototype was debuted at the Earls Court Auto Show. During its production lifespan, around 1050 examples were created. It was replaced by the Elan in 1963.

The Lotus Elite was a road-worthy car, nevertheless, many owners decided to race the vehicle. Examples were entered in the prestigious 24 Hours of LeMans where it captured many class victories.

by Dan Vaughan