Plus 2 estate?

[elansprint71]

It actually looked just as bad as we all expected, although the workmanship was excellent.

Outside was the Elite (original, not the wedge) hatchback; this is in a different league and looked like it was designed like that from the word go.

Cheers,
Pete.

[elanplustwo]

[thor]

I don't think the lines of the overall shape is too bad, but there is a big difference between good workmanship and good automotive design.

My main quibble is the fact that the new glass sections bear NO resemblance to the originals.
They have the thoroughly modern treatment of black inside edges and no outer chrome surround, which jars with the original side windows.
Also the top corner of the new rear side windows has no relationship with the angle of the existing side window top corners. I would have thought these two points to be fairly obvious design clues to follow when someone put this much money into what is an accomplished conversion.

[elanplustwo]

THOR ! That was my concern as well when we were building the car.
But worse would have been the case ....if we had gone down the route and found that we had problems with leaking windows.
Paul and I have spent countless hours discussing this and I took his correct advice and eliminated that problem. Not having unmimited funds We had to compromise on that.
I'm, sure someone would have complained had we put perspex instead of glass in the windows. I also wanted to keep the rear 3/4 vents so familiar to us on a plus two, but that proved difficult as well. But we kept the rear light clusters and indeed the car is still recognisable as that from the back including the lip on the boot lid.

As regards the shaping of the car windows, after discussions with Shapecraft who crafted the aluminium top by hand - Paul and I had to come to a decision that I could either shelve the project or accept their interpretation of the design we had given them. In the end it was my decision to accept the design of a company that works with shaping cars for far wealthier individuals than myself.

It may not be perfect but it is unique. My family and I like it, and to me that is what matters most! It will serve the purpose for which it was built and if you look at the shooting brake website you will perhaps find other designs you may not like much more.
Above all let's ALL enjoy driving our loti. I would hate to have to drive some boring mundane family saloon !
I look forward to enjoying our new family car.
Roger Makhlouf ,
(who commissioned Messrs Paul Matty Sportscars and Shapecraft with this project)

[thor]

Ah, this is becoming interesting;
i didn't pick up on the fact that you were the owner of this car, Roger.

Despite of the window treatment, I do like it, and find the inside boot area especially pleasing, and on par wth a DB4 shooting brake I remember from an article. If I can speak my mind, I find the quality of the work, and the pleasing line of the roof offsets my quibbles on the window treatment, though it might have been better with slightly narrower black edges on the inside of the glass. Certainly in another league than the Elanbulance. And the colour is good.

I would not like to guess at the costs...

[elanplustwo]

Let's just say - we were in uncharted territory (without the backing of a multi-natioanl company )!

[tower of strength]

I saw this car at Paul Matteys a few weeks back and i have to say i was blown away by it, I think it is stunning to look at and the finnish superb. I think we would all have done some detail aspects slightly differently and to our own tastes, but hats off to the guys involved.

Mark

[ElliottN]

Sorry but it looks a bit too much like a hearse to me.

[Emma-Knight]

....I like it very much. (also a fan of Volvo 1800 ES)

Anna

[Jens]

I really like the looks of the car as well, but do also in a way post the same arguments as Thor concerning the windows.

It is a pity that the rear windows are fitted using the black inside trim. The shape of the entire car and especially the windows otherwise seems super in my opinion, maybe the upper front corner of the rear windows could have been rounded off slightly more to produce a similar corner as the back upper corner of the door, hence creating an even T shape between the windows.

Just out of curiosity - what were the expenses involved for an operation like this and in what shape/state was the donor-car?
If I compare this with other cars around, I'd love driving one instead of driving an Alfa 159 or a Volvo C30 - not to mention the VW Golf TDi I am driving at the moment. Womder if it is possible to get a +2 Sport Brake as a leasing car...

By the way... In the event of dying - wouldn't this be the best hearse ever for your last trip?

//J

[bcmc33]

I was most impressed when first seen at Donnington.

The second look before comment, which was always my practice at design clinics, only really noticed that the upper front radius of the rear windows were a little too tight and the rubber needed a bright trim inserts.

As a one-off, it was a magnificent effort.



Brian Clarke
(1972 Sprint)

P.S. The photos don't do it justice.

[gordonlund]

Hi Roger,

Nice to see you at Donington. Your Estate caught me off guard I must admit and I was pretty impressed. Our Greg, you remember him from the Lakes had other opinions. Only to show that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Whether it will be as serviceable as my 407SW Estate is another thing, parhaps not, but for French touring for two is probably as good as it gets. The way things are going, +2's are going to be a rare commodity with everyone wanting to do something differant with them. Mine's not for sale and I will more than likely be buried in it.
Nice work though Roger and my compliments to the chefs.
Have another pic from another angle.

Gordon Lund. North West Club Lotus

[elansprint71]

Roger,
Did you speak with Ron Hickman? His original estate design looked more "of a piece", as one would expect, as he conceived it whilst drawing the various +2 proposals.

Cheers,
Pete.

[tower of strength]

Theres a picture of a plus 2 estate (Hexagon??) in the book "LOTUS: The Elite,Elan and Europa" by Chris Harvey, its got a webasto sunroof and Emerson Fittipaldi sitting on the roof!! Reg plate is SET 2 (page54) . The side glass seems to be flat and held in by rubber seals/chrome inset, however the picture is pretty poor quality.

Mark

[elanplustwo]

Yes shame about that picture in the book. Would have loved to have had a good look. Anyway check out pistonheads.com -- it's just hit the pages .