Lotus is one of the most renowned names in the automotive world. They are famous for producing some of the best handling cars in the world, as well as some of the very best looking — cars like the Esprit and the Elan and more modern machines like the Exige and Elise.
One classic Lotus that gets overlooked though is the stunning Elite. And listed on Bring a Trailer right now is this 1960 Elite Series I, presented in truly immaculate condition.
A Right-Hand Drive Series I
This particular Elite is a right-hand drive model, and one of just 1,000 made over a five-year production run. The listing states that this car has seen use in vintage racing competitions before the current owner acquired it some 11 years ago.
The Elite has a monocoque body shell, and was one of the first production sports cars to have glass-reinforced plastic for the whole of its load-bearing structure. The beautiful shape was originally penned by Peter Kirwan-Taylor, and production of the bodywork was first done by Sussex boat builders Maximar Mouldings. The Series II bodies were then made by the Bristol Aeroplane Company.
An Elite In Immaculate Condition
This Elite Series I is chassis 1146. It was fully repainted in its current shade of dark green during its previous ownership. Some of the car’s notable exterior features include the chrome bumpers, bullet-style side mirrors, the dual exhausts and the removable plexiglass side windows.
The gorgeous exterior details continue with the silver-painted 15-inch wire wheels, with their two-eared knock-off spinners and the staggered Dunlop Racing tires. The Elite also comes with a full-size spare in the trunk, and for its braking power it has Girling four-wheel disc brakes with inboard-mounted rears.
Under The Hood And The Interior Of The Classic Sports Car
The cabin was also reupholstered some time ago according to the listing, and the seats are in a gorgeous tan Connolly leather with matching door panels, Wilton wool carpets and a black dashboard. The interior also has Deist latch-and-link four-point harnesses for both of the car’s occupants.
There is a classic wood-rimmed three-spoke steering wheel with a Lotus center cap. Under the hood of this stunning classic car is a 1.2-liter Coventry Climax FWE inline-four engine, which had a full rebuild in 1992 by SascoSports of Stratford, Connecticut. The odometer shows just 59,000 miles, and only 700 of those are during the current ownership of the car.
Source: Bring a Trailer