Lotus Elan and Lotus Elan Plus 2 Forums

I thought we might like to keep our eyes out for any Elan related magazine articles or features that we come across and report our findings on here. In that way others can be alerted to buy the relevant mag if they have an interest in the article.

A few years ago I was clearly very bored and tabulated the articles I had collected and have attached the document below.

As an example, the current issue of Classic Car Buyer (at least, I think it is that title) has a Lotus feature with some Elan content, related to potential investment values. I didn't buy the mag, but someone on here might be interested.

Tim

That's a top idea Tim.

Sometimes it does happen that a mention of an Article or Magazine is mentioned on here, but often to late for others to be able to source a Copy except via the very expensive "Back Issues" route.
Something like your idea would be a great resource for those of us that don't get to Shops like W.H.Smiths regularly or like myself, not even in the Country of issue.

Cheers
John

Great idea Tim.

The new issue of Octane has an "Octane Cars" update by John Simister on his S3 FHC (which I thought he had sold...?).

Adi

Another terrific idea launched on elan.net. This is the place to build the library.
I would like to add, from this date forth, that I doubt another article will be written that will add to Elan knowledge concerning performance or handling of a stock Elan.
Give it up, it's the best handling car, . , so far...

Hello challengers?

Mid engine car enthusiasts will be difficult to hold off !

I love MR2.
An Elise for Sure,

Eric

I have sold it (my S3 fhc, that is). And I'm wishing I hadn't. Its value has been converted into some much-needed house improvements and a Mk1 MX-5 to soften the blow, but I strongly suspect I'll be back. Why is it, though, that as soon as I sell mine the values seem to shoot up? Current asking prices - and I can't help looking at every one that comes up for sale - do seem to be on the rise.

Octane cars updates are often published some time after the event, and there's more to come re my Elan.

John

John, I must admit I was sad to see it up for sale a few months back. I do remember thinking that even then your asking price was a bit low for what certainly looked like a well cared for car.

Adi

What would interest me is a list of interesting articles on the elan, not a list of every single article. Now while this is obviously subjective, a very large number of articles just repeat known information etc., and can be pretty uninteresting. Interesting can be someone enthusing over the car, or finding it better than some well regarded other car, or maybe some really good pictures, or a super journey, etc. It's often just a super piece of writing.

eg:
Classic & Sportscar 9?.2003 Gordon Murray on the Elan and the McLaren
EVO Mag October 2009 6th Greatest Drivers' Car
Automobile Magazine 2/2007 Best Drivers Car
EVO Mag January 2009 Lotus big test with Elise, 340, Elite etc

Gordon

Our old car is written about so seldom now that I would argue any article about Elans is interesting to someone on here. Creating rules about what is and isn't interesting will just put people off mentioning what they've seen/read. I would suggest we all make our own minds up about what might interest us.

Adi

Adi,

Guess I put my point across badly.

>>Our old car is written about so seldom now
- I see articles quite often.
>>that I would argue any article about Elans is interesting to someone on here.
- Not to me. I guess we really do differ here - I quite often read completely boring articles.
>>Creating rules about what is and isn't interesting will just put people off mentioning what they've seen/read.
- Guess I was unclear here, rules are the last thing I'd like to see, and ...
>>I would suggest we all make our own minds up about what might interest us.
- Of course. That's what I meant, picking out the interesting ones.
But I think any list as such should leave out the uninteresting ones.
After all no one is going to read hundreds of articles.

Having said that, it could be that nearly all the articles in Tim's list are interesting - some of 'em sound as though they are!
I should have said that reporting a new article (the subject of the thread) is of course OK, I just felt as though any list as such should only contain the better articles - perhaps with stars?!
(I like to keep a special list myself - which is at the moment quite small - the list also contains certain phrases from the articles which refer to the character or greatness of the car).

Gordon

I have to say that personally I agree with Gordon - most months I look at the various magazines for an Elan-related article - then most of the time even if there is one I don't buy it because it doesn't say anything especially interesting that hasn't been written many times before. Some have a new angle and then I overcome my cheapskate tendencies and buy it. I'm much more likely to buy if there are good articles on something I don't already know about.

As an example, there was an article in one of the mags recently about the 26/R - about a page and a half including pictures, and nothing new or interesting. Copying out information that can be found in multiple books isn't really journalism IMO.

Paddy

freddy22112211 wrote:Adi,

Guess I put my point across badly.

>>Our old car is written about so seldom now
- I see articles quite often.
>>that I would argue any article about Elans is interesting to someone on here.
- Not to me. I guess we really do differ here - I quite often read completely boring articles.
>>Creating rules about what is and isn't interesting will just put people off mentioning what they've seen/read.
- Guess I was unclear here, rules are the last thing I'd like to see, and ...
>>I would suggest we all make our own minds up about what might interest us.
- Of course. That's what I meant, picking out the interesting ones.
But I think any list as such should leave out the uninteresting ones.
After all no one is going to read hundreds of articles.

Having said that, it could be that nearly all the articles in Tim's list are interesting - some of 'em sound as though they are!
I should have said that reporting a new article (the subject of the thread) is of course OK, I just felt as though any list as such should only contain the better articles - perhaps with stars?!
(I like to keep a special list myself - which is at the moment quite small - the list also contains certain phrases from the articles which refer to the character or greatness of the car).

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

do you keep an Eye open for Elan Articles on the German Magazine racks?
This is something I know I should do as I have missed some in the past.
If you do it would be good if you could post on here when something good appears.

Cheers
John

John,
Afraid I'm not very viligant nowadays, I'm guessing that there aren't many articles these days. I do have a few old ones, must look to see if there are any front cover pictures.
By the way we didn't ever meet once I suppose - 1st/2nd Royal Bavarian Lotus Meet perhaps? Probably not.
Gordon

freddy22112211 wrote:John,
Afraid I'm not very viligant nowadays, I'm guessing that there aren't many articles these days. I do have a few old ones, must look to see if there are any front cover pictures.
By the way we didn't ever meet once I suppose - 1st/2nd Royal Bavarian Lotus Meet perhaps? Probably not.
Gordon

Yes maybe, whatever & whenever that may be.
Alternatively Maisach one sunny Friday afternoon this coming Spring or Summer.
Possibly the Jim Clark meeting at Hockenheim, but my Elan won't be therefor legal reasons unless I can get it registered here (near on impossible) before then.

Cheers
John

Well it seems that Elans are all over the motoring press this month.

Latest edition of Classic Cars has an article on what is your favorite Lotus. Several pages comparing the Seven, Elan, Lotus Cortina, Esprit and Elise. The Elan just loses out to the Seven in their conclusion. The Elan featured is (of course!) a Sprint, in fact Richard Wilson's immaculately restored S4/Sprint, with forward facing Big Valve cam cover, as completed by, I believe, the late Mick Miller. It was certainly at Mick's funeral as one of a number of Elans in salute to him.

Then I spotted that Classic Car Mart has a dark green (S3?) Elan on it's cover, headlining an article comparing the Seven, Elan and Lotus Cortina, all driven in the US and all owned, as far as I could tell, by one man. I did not buy this mag but spotted it in WH Smiths. In this comparison they chose the Elan as the best of the bunch.

Finally, I just picked up my regular copy of Octane for March to find that in his column, Jay Leno is again waxing lyrical about one of the two Elans he owns. It's a great read, as usual!


Tim