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- 1963 Elan Introduction

An advertisement introducing the Lotus Elan to the American market: Along about mid October, the first boat load of U.S. bound Elans will drop anchor in San Pedro... more... - Lotus 63' A Vintage Year

An advertisement from 1963 for the Lotus Elan: This year the season dawned with bright promise for the green cars from Cheshunt (it always starts that way) and after wins at Holland, Belgium, France and England, Lotus had shown enough... more... - 1964 Lotus Elan Ad

Dimension in driving. more... - 1964 Lotus Racing Ad

1964 Racing advertisement more... - 1964 Naturally Lotus

Elan S1 ad. more... - You Can't Please Everyone

It is quite impossible to build a motor car that will please everyone, so the next best thing is to build one that will have particular appeal for a few. The Lotus Elan will accelerate to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds and push 100 in 20 seconds and that's with the stock factory layout and standard tune. The twin cam Lotus engine is undoubtedly the quickest and quietest 1600cc engine ever offered in a production roadster and the handling, suspension, and braking clearly reflect Lotus experience more... - Watch our for the Girls

There was a time when the ownership of a high- performance motor car was exclusively a masculine prerogative. Young ladies participated in sports motoring only upon invitation and displayed appropriate feminine demeanor and grace. But with the coming of such civilizing influences as socialized medicine, barbed-wire and universal suffrage, many great have been grievously eroded. Unless bold measures are taken this last bastion of male domination may succumb to the malignancy of togetherness. In the past, the Lotus people have staunchly upheld established traditions by building vehicles that required a degree of masculine expertise more... - Some Like It Wet

When nature's violent forces drive timorous souls to fireside and telley, the roadsterman is out and flying, sloshing through the groundwater, boring gleefully into the writhing curtains of rain. If the truth be known, the roadsterman is quite at odds with his contemporaries. In an age of supergadgets and creature comforts, he finds satisfaction in the genuine and spurns ostentation. His pleasures are empirical, rather than vicarious. He's the type who would make his mother-in-law sleep in a motel. more... - This One Doesn't Snarl

To the buff who's become accustomed to the fierce sounds and exotic forms of the current hairy breeds, the Lotus Elan may come on with a bit of a jolt. There are no ear-tweaking screams or Jungle like roars, even when turning full crank. The Elan moves quickly, but without fanfare. The body form is also a modest understatement, totally lacking in toothy overhangs and embossed lumps. The design is functional, and handsomely finished, but by no means overpowering. If you're just looking for something to park in front of the apartment-forget it. On the other hand, if you're the kind who seeks those inner qualities that come with quiet types, you will find the Elan an attractive packet of enduring pleasures. more... - Inverted Start For Lotus

To us, the relationship between the touring sports car and the pure racing machine has always seemed much closer than the kinship between sports cars and their more prolific cousins, the passenger machines. However, the swelling surge of mass interest in sportier vehicles is a tribute to the persuasiveness of the world's leading passenger car builders. In fact, the starting grid of the local supermarket is already a glut with vehicles bearing exotic nomenclature once reserved for the Grand Prix circuit. While this pot of passion, pleasure and commerce has been a-brewing overseas, the folks at Lotus have been busily tunneling from the other end. Since their beginnings, the Lotus works has been principally concerned with out-and-out competition machines more... - Lotus Race Sets Revisited

Last year's introduction of the Lotus race sets was so enthusiastically received that we feel compelled to make a similar offer this season, the Mark II Set featuring the most contemporary offerings from Cheshunt.
It is comprised of one each of four popular models; a Lotus 30, a Lotus 23B, a Lotus 7 American, and a Lotus Elan Roadster. Enthusiasts will note that the particular mix provides suitable vehicles for both over-the-road touring and genuine "Let's not dawdle about" racing. more... - Enter The Day Of The Frog

When the old alchemist of motor car design, Colin Chapman, starts tinkering about in his dungeon, even the most hallowed concepts of form and construction are vulnerable. This is most clearly demonstrated in the frog-like chassis of the Lotus Elan. Devotees of the bird cage may mourn the passing of that forest of tiny tubes which has typified the space frame chassis, but the day of the frog is surely upon us. The new form is made up of welded deep-channel sections. Both efficient and functional, it provides exceptional torsional rigidity at very low weight. more... - Glassy-eyed

Most people who test-drive the LOTUS ELAN come back from their first ride glassy-eyed.
Car and Driver remarked on that in their Road Research Report on the Lotus Elan We've noticed it, too. Some of them are quite voluble. Car and Driver put it this way: "The Elan very simply represents the sports car developed in tune with the stale of the art. It comes closer than anything else on the market to providing a Formula car for ordinary street use. It fits like a Sprite, goes like a Corvette, and handles like a Formula Junior more... - Leash It

It's a great feeling taking out the LOTUS ELAN even when you have to keep it on the leash.
We've arranged for test drives of the Lotus Elan in all kinds of places.
One of the most unlikely is especially revealing: New York City streets.
Most sports cars don't like the city, but the Lotus Elan doesn't mind it a bit more... - Care And Feeding For The DOHC

The sportsman who acquires any device of a high-performance nature, often finds himself host to an endless parade of maintenance expense. This traditional truth seems to apply equally to horses, dogs, women, and motor cars. As a result, the knowing enthusiast displays understandable concern when appraising any creature of uncommon capability. In the case of the Lotus dohc engine, there appears to be a happy departure from this tradition. This exotic performer has a most conservative more... - No Car Peddlers

We're a very young group. In fact, when we went down the list of names in our dealer organization we came across one fact--it is made up of car enthusiasts ONLY. The group is bounded on the south by the finest repair center in San Diego, Dale Shoupe's Quality Foreign, and on the north by Geno Tomasie, who we consider to be the finest in Washington. None are without liberal experience around performance cars, either around race tracks, slaloms-or day to day driving enjoyment. They all drive competitively or maintain competitive cars more... - Lotus Elan S4 Coupe Ad

'You and a few friends could create your own Lotus Elan in less than a week-end of simple constructive pleasure. I did.' says Dr. Hammond.
The body-chassis unit arrived fully trimmed and painted with all electrical components, wiring, steering, brake pipes, etc. already assembled... more... - Fly Lotus

How about an Elan +2, A Piper Cherokee and a bicycle for less money than a Rolls Royce? Few people would disagree that a Lotus will get you from A to B by road more quickly than almost any other car. The compactness of the car coupled with a power output of 118bhp and a superlative road holding have seen to that. With today's motoring conditions the stage has been reached when the light executive aeroplane is an essential adjunct to a car for fast, long distance travel. The Directors of Lotus have long recognised this and there are company aircraft for the executives to fly where they want to go, whether it is in this country or abroad. The saving in man hours is enormous. more... - Lotus Elan Ad

The Lotus Elan hand-built by World Championship & Indianpolis winning craftsmen, is the most outstanding sports car of this decade. Quiet and reliable, it is the fastest car in its class in terms of maximum speed and acceleration, at the same time it is the most economical, the most aerodynamic and the best hadnling car made anywhere in the world today. This is a strong claim - your Lotus dealer is ready to let you YOU prove it. more... - Dunlap SP Sport Tire / Elan Poster

Poster for the Dunlap SP Sport tire showing a Lotus Elan Sprint. more...
