Lotus were moving into a new market with the 2 and knew they were soon to be up against strong competition as Jaguar's E type 2 2. With it 130 mph top speed and ability to hit 60 mph in around 8 seconds the Jaguar was every bit as quick as thelighter Elan two seater. It was clear that the extra weight in the 2 left it behind the two seater when it came to acceleration,although as events were to prove the superior aerodynamics of the 2 allowed it to reach pretty much the same top speed. To ensure favorable performance figures the first press car, registration LPW 120 E, had its normal engine removed and a replacement fitted. Unremarkable from the outside this heavily modified Twin cam, taken from Sales Director's personal Elan, provided enough extra power to make up for the extra weight burden. Armed with the 'demon' engine the car was now ready to meet the press and to receive a reception few cars have ever enjoyed. Motor magazine's review - September 67. The work that had gone into the press cars paid of spectacularly, with a review of the Elan in the September 2nd edition of Motor magazine. This was a thorough review of one of the first cars, registration LPW 120E (chassis number 0001), and it is hard to think of a review more likely to stoke up demand from the public. from the first paragraph Motor heaped praise on the Elan 2. How about this for an opening .... Elan plus a lot This report is something of a landmark in the history of Motor road tests. Ignoring the fact it is the only one you can read about the new lotus Elan today, it is one of those rare and memorable tests that have dictated a reappraisal of some of the standards by which we must judge and assess all future cars. It got better... Let's be specific. The uncanny cornering powers of this remarkable machine equal and probably exceed those of any production car we have driven before: similarly the handling and brakes are certainly not bettered. Greater performance can be bought elsewhere, but according to our records no other four seater is capable of reaching 60 mph in only 8.2 seconds or a maximum of 125 mph on a mere 1,600 cc. They liked its looks... Not many people are going to contradict us, either, if we suggest that this is one of the finest looking cars to be designed and built in Britain, confirming that aerodynamics and fashion are not incompatible. Yet already a few niggles were emerging... Our test car certainly had a few detail faults. There was a rattle in both doors, a slight smell of petrol whenever the windows were open and the clutch was absurdly heavy.....The only things we didn't like were the gear ratios and the excessive and disturbing surging (caused by wind up in the rubber joints of the drive shafts) which could only be suppressed by extreme delicacy on the throttle. The publicity brochure for the 1967 launch of the Elan 2 was eagerly sought out by those whose appetites had been whetted by the favourable road tests. Unfortunately for Lotus, most of the print run were probably snapped up by small boys, for whom Lotus owning was not a practical proposition for some years. Of course some fathers were interested as well, for here was an opportunity to get onto the road in a Lotus which actually had room in the back for the little perishers! This was a point not overlooked by Colin Chapman in his introduction, this was to be a family man's car: Now I am confident, both as an engineer and as a family man that in the new " LOTUS ELAN 2" we have one of the finest cars available for the discerning motorist who demands safety, performance, styling and comfort in a motor car which reflects his own taste and ideas. The Lotus ELAN 2 was conceived over three years ago and given a simple, basic design concept by Mr. Chapman: "it must combine the very best features of the Lotus Elan Coupe with reliability and yet be able to carry two adults and two children on a long holiday-in comfort". While the chassis and power train engineering technicians were hard at work perfecting the chassis and running gear we were making a study of the "package requirement" we wanted to retain the now classic Lotus driving position with its easy accommodation for the short or tall driver but we also wanted to make absolutely certain that the two rear seats really would accommodate children. To be certain on this point we did the obvious thing, we covered many hundreds of miles with children in the car. One tester made the sensible report that "of course children don't sit in seats, they stand on them, kneel on them and fight on them." So we have made certain that the whole rear area is right for the antics of children as our design requirement specifically stated that "children should be comfortable". Safety was stressed, both in terms of active and passive measures. Finally we wanted to make certain that the vehicle was safe. Safety to us is two different but important factors. The first is making certain that the car handles and brakes so well that it keeps out of trouble the second is to be sure that everything has been done to insure passenger protection. We are confident that attention to safety in this model has been of the highest order resulting in one of the best handling and impact resistant vehicles on the road today. Now of course development continues as progress never stops. And of course, as everyone knows, a wife plus children needs an awful lot of luggage, even for the shortest trip away... The ELAN 2 boot swallows luggage without problems and when the rear seats are not in use there is space to spare. The spare wheel and tools are stowed conveniently away from your luggage and the whole boot interior is carpeted for added protection. Bearing the caption For Modern Living the 2 is shown parked in front of the latest in modern housing and meeting a light aircraft. Produced between 1967 and 1974 the 2 evolved through four main incarnations, adding further refinement, more power and eventually a five speed gearbox, before being phased out and replaced by the unloved Elite and Eclat models. Within each model there was further variation in detail, most notably "Federal" cars intended for export to the US, which featured emission reduction modifications and additional safety features. |
Lotus Elan +2
