- Believed genuine 55,000 miles, Oatmeal trim, MOT'd till July 2016
Lotus first applied the Elan name to its small two-seater Roadster of 1962. It comprised a steel backbone chassis clothed in a lightweight fiberglass body. Power came from a 1558cc Cosworth twin-cam version of Ford's ubiquitous 'Kent' engine. With independent suspension all-round and four-wheel disc brakes, the Elan was both light and nimble. It was, however, rather lacking in space and in June 1967 Lotus introduced the Elan +2 Coupe for those that needed more accommodation. Based on a suitably lengthened/widened version of its smaller sibling's chassis, the newcomer enjoyed both better aerodynamics and superior grip (thanks to a 0.30 drag co-efficient and six-inch wider track/fatter tyres). And, as the name suggests, it offered two extra seats - in the company's own words, "The +2 is designed to carry two adults and two children on a long holiday in comfort." The +2S 130/4 version went on sale in February 1971, bringing with it a welcome a welcome boost in performance. Powered by a 'Big Valve' version of the same twin-cam engine, the +2 was now capable of 121mph and 0-60mph in a spirited 7.4 seconds.
This right-hand drive +2S 130/4 vacated the Hethel factory in 1973 and is finished in the tasteful combination of Silver over Deep Red. The vendor informs us that it has had just three keepers to date, including himself, and that the condition of the original interior trim is commensurate with the odometer's low indicated mileage of just 54,800 over 43 years. Recent recommissioning that followed a period of storage included replacement brake callipers and drive shaft doughnuts. The vendor advises that the Lotus currently 'runs and drives very well' and that he considers the bodywork, paintwork, Oatmeal-coloured interior trim, 'Big Valve' engine and four-speed manual gearbox to all be in 'good' order.
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