Besides Lotus Elans.....

[pereirac]

Hi Martin,

Always wanted a Biturbo (as well as my Sprint) as a day to day car but have always been concerned about the cost of running one and the fact that they seem to rust (in the UK at least)? I am happy pullling my Elan to bits but don't know if a Biturbo would be so easy to work on. Is it or does it need to be serviced by a 'specialist' all the time...?

The other car I always wanted is a Renault Alpine (any of them). Alpine was similar to Lotus being a small manufacturer who made performance cars using bits from other manufacturers, the main difference being Lotus ended up in F1 racing and the Alpine was more of a rally car...

[nebogipfel]

Does no Elan owner have (or hanker after) an Eclat (or the others of this breed)? I always imagined (after riding in one) that they would make a great partner car to the Elan.
Gordon

Nah! Rather have a Reliant Robin

[twincamman]

or a 2cv ed

[triumphelan]

I had an Eclat as a winter car ,what a joke you could paddle in the back ,it leaked more oil than my S4,The S4 electrics are upmarket compaired to the Eclat nothing worked .The parking was impossible untill the spoiler fell off ,with no power stearing you needed to go to the gym to build up your arm muscles.

[cliveyboy]

Not much point spending money on Elite/Eclats when for similar amounts you could buy an Excel.
My first ever Lotus an Excel SE is still in my mind one of the best 2+2s for the money.
Clive

[steveww]

I have previously owned MGB 1800 and V8. The 1800 was a bit slow but the V8 was fun My favourite was a Porsche 911 (964 RS) but it was too quick for the road, as it only felt fast at around 130mph so I only go to really use it on track days. I also have owner a SAAB 93 Viggen, masses of torque steer but a great sleeper

My current S4 Elan is great. Fast enough to see off most modern traffic but not too fast that you can't use it on the road. It is also the best handling car I have ever driven. Makes a ham fisted amature like me appear to be a driving god

[bengalcharlie]

can not agree more with you Steve,


the fun with our cars is that you have a lot of fun at road legal speeds.
any modern sportscar is too sophisticated and the thrill begins at speeds that far exceeds the speed limit.
or if there is no speed limit like certain stretches of autobahn in germany there is too much traffic anyway.
that is why I like the elan and any other sporty small engined cars like renault alpines, lancia fulvia's, alfa romeo's etc...
you do not have to have a big 6-8-12 cylinder to have fun!
My neighbour has a cosworth, about 300HP but he never drives it because he can not use the power!

Robin

too many cars, not enough time

[Old English White]

... Far beside the Elan ...
Younger I use to drive "hot hatch" 205GTI's ... had seven(!) of them(all white with white stripping) , it was my everyday's & everyrace 's car ...
Then the familly grow up and need a second car ... guess what ? I choose a 1st hand 81' Spitfire !(BRG ,tan inter , HT,one of the 1000 last's , pecco's , 1" lower as visible mods)
I still have this car , we have wonderfull holidays cruising on the french Riviera ...
An 92'XJ40 4l Sovereign joint in 99' (Westminster blue ,parchemin with blue pipping inter, twin headligths & XJR frt spoiler as mods) .This "big long range motorway offshore" has been our familly sedan until 03' , replaced by a pair , an SW 307(cool & roomy !) and "Old English White"(at last , I can have one !)...
In my garage there's still a place for one : this time it should be a "real racer" : depending the money , something between a Lola (every model with 4 cyl, from mk1 to T296 !) and a Ford formula!
Oups ...! , I forgot the one I have to follow my friends from the "GORDINI Troph?e" on trackdays & rallyes : a 77'Renault 5 Alpine (white with red inter, alloy's & Trophee wheels, assembled on brand new body shell)... something to match the 205's from the debut !
Christian.

[twincamman]

WHAT??? no 2cv??? ---ed

[Old English White]

... How can I say ?
I drove many (nearly all in fact , olderies apart) Citro?n from the Traction avant 15six to the last C6 (already, yes , don't ask how, please) and for me the most disturbing Citro?n was the M?hari , in summer without windscreen and doors ... a kind of flying carpet same as the 2CV but more funny!
Christian.

[Dag-Henning]

WHAT??? no 2cv??? ---ed

- don't diss the 2cv ! It's a great car that opens your eyes to a new dimention of driving ...( ) I have got a 2cv6 ( powerfull.. ) and can't keep from smiling each time I take it for a ride ! Different from Elans and anything else, but quite an astonishing car !!

Dag

[marcfuller]

don't diss the 2cv ! It's a great car that opens your eyes to a new dimention of driving ..

And you can use it to build a Lomax 223!


http://www.3wheelers.com/lomax.html

[M100]

- don't diss the 2cv ! It's a great car

It is along with a few other Citroens the only thing that is good about France.

[Dag-Henning]

- don't diss the 2cv ! It's a great car

It is along with a few other Citroens the only thing that is good about France.

- so you haven't tried a full bodied white Burgundy ( - or a "Loire" )on a warm summers day....??

Dag

[Elanintheforest]

Not only the wine, Dag, but the cuisine, the art, the style, the culture, the architecture, the women and of course, the language of love.

At least France has a car industry. Britain went from biggest producer in the world to zero in just 40 years! And all due to the stunningly incompetent management who couldn?t manage let alone lead, admirably supported by the myopic and intransigent engineers who were firmly stuck in the 1930s.

So, if Christian is to have a 2CV, and presumably a German must have a Beetle, what must a Brit have in the garage that represents the countries mass production engineering and commercial prowess?

It must come down to one car, and it?s not the Morris 1000 or the Mini?they were designed by a Greek chap. I would suggest that it can only be the Austin Allegro?the pinnacle of the British leaders vision and the very zenith of British engineering integrity. Hoorah.

Wasn?t the Elan designed by a Kiwi and have a French name too?