Lotus Elan and +2 Source Book

Providing all Lotus Elan and +2 owners, and enthusiasts, and purchasers the vital information they need to buy, maintain, or restore one of these iconic British sports cars.

Covering Elan S1, S2, S4, SS, S4 and Sprint models, and Elan +2, +2S, +2 S130, and +2 S130/5, produced from 1962 to 1974, this is your complete and comprehensive ownership guide. Revealing each model range’s features, and with up-to-date information, and high quality colour photography, it provides a unique combination of originality and restoration information, and practical advice on owning and running a Lotus Elan or +2.

The Lotus Elan was Colin Chapman and Lotus’ first affordable – not to mention successful – road car. Produced from 1962 and, along with its larger +2 variant, until 1974, as a replacement for the expensive Lotus Elite, the Elan and +2 were both successful sports cars, eclipsing the Elite in price and reliability, and carrying the Lotus brand through the 1960s and into the 1970s.

The Elan introduced the chassis/GRP body combination that would become a trademark feature on later generation road cars – cars like the Europa, +2, Elite, Eclat, Excel, and Esprit series. Combined with Lotus’ own Ford-based Twin Cam engine, and race engineering underpinnings, the Elan was marked as something rather better than many contemporary low volume sports cars, such as TVR, Reliant, and Marcos.

Beginning with a brief look at the history of the Elan models, Matthew Vale provides a detailed originality guide, from engine specs and gear ratios, to dimensions and capacities, identifying the design changes Lotus made to the models through their lifetimes. An ‘owners guide’ section dives into real-world ownership and maintenance, revealing how to keep the cars in tip-top condition, common faults, and worthwhile upgrades. A section on restoration – or rescue – gives any potential Lotus restorer the inside knowledge needed to bring an Elan or +2 back from the dead!

• Useful, practical, warts-and-all guide to owning and running a Lotus Elan or +2
• An invaluable source of real-world advice for existing owners
• Packed with up-to-date data
• Details Elan and +2 product history and chronology
• Guide to original features, and changes, through the life of all models
• Highly detailed specifications for all models
• Engine, transmission, suspension, steering, brakes, and dimension specifications
• Comprehensive restoration, renovation and preservation section
• Illustrated with high quality photos throughout
• The perfect guide for all Lotus owners, buyers, and restorers!

The Lotus Elan and +2 Source BookCovers the period 1962-1974, and includes S1, S2, S3, SS, S4 and Sprint variations, and the Lotus Plus 2, Plus 2S, Plus 2 S130 and Plus 2 S130/5