Lotus Elite
From Free net encyclopedia
The Lotus Elite name was used for two vehicles from Lotus Cars.
1958
{{Infobox Automobile
| image = Image:Lotus-Elite-'60.jpg
| boxcolor = darkgreen
| name = Lotus Elite
| manufacturer = Lotus Cars
| production = 1957 — 1962
about 1000 produced
| class = Sports car
| body_style = Coupé
| engine = 1.2 Coventry Climax
| transmission = Manual
| length = 3708mm
| width = 1506mm
| height = 1181mm
| weight = 503.5kg
| predecessor =
| successor = Lotus Elan
| aka =
| related =
| similar =
}}
The first Elite or Lotus type 14 was an ultra-light two-seater coupé, produced from 1957 to 1962.
The Elite's most distinctive feature was its highly innovative fiberglass monocoque construction, in which a stressed-skin unibody replaced the previously separate chassis and body components. Unlike the contemporaneous Chevrolet Corvette, which only used fiberglass for exterior bodywork, the Elite was the first to use this glass-reinforced plastic material for the entire load-bearing structure of the car. Though the front of the monocoque incorporated a steel sub-frame supporting the engine and front suspension.
The resultant body was both lighter, stiffer, and provided better driver protection in the event of a crash. The weight savings allowed the Elite to achieve sports car performance from a 75 hp (55 kW) 1216 cc Coventry Climax all-aluminium engine. Climax-powered Elite's won the "Index of Performance" six times at the 24 hour Le Mans race and many other races worldwide.
Advanced aerodynamics also made a contribution, giving the car a very low drag coefficient of 0.29 — quite low even for modern cars. This accomplishment is all the more notable considering that the engineers did not enjoy the benefits of computer-aided design and wind tunnel testing. The original Elite drawings were by Peter Kirwin-Taylor. Frank Costin, (brother of Mike Costin, one of the co-founders of Cosworth), at that time Chief Aerodynamic Engineer for the DeHaviland Aircraft Company, contributed to the final design.
Just over 1000 Elites were built.
1974
From 1974 to 1982, Lotus produced the considerably larger Type 75 and later Type 83 4-seat Elite II. Lotus's first saloon car was front engined with rear wheel drive. Like all production Lotus's the Elite II used fiberglass for the body shell mounted on an upgraded-to meet-Federal-collision-standards steel backbone chassis evolved from the Lotus Elan and Lotus Europa. It had 4-wheel independent suspension and used Lotus's all new all 907 4-valve DOHC aluminium engine; the first 4-valve per cylinder, 2 litre production engine. In both naturally aspirated and turbo versions the engine was the foundation for the Lotus Esprit powerplants. The Elite II was the basis for the Lotus Eclat, and later the Lotus Excel four seaters.