LOTUS ELAN S4/SPRINT

2-door 2-seater sports car/ coupé.

Fourth and fifth generation respectively of famous Chapman design. Small, neat, with amazing soft ride but leech-like roadholding, and that wonderful (so healthy!) twin-cam engine. All-independent, all-disc, and a rugged backbone steel chassis with glass-fibre body shell. Spring, with 'big valve' 126bhp engine and 120mph-plus top speed, was most desirable, and coupés were surprisingly snug and civilised. Last few Sprints had new-Elite type of five-speed gearbox. Much sought after today, and rightly so.