This One Doesn't Snarl
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| Magazine Title: | Road & Track |
|---|---|
| Published: | 1964 |
To the buff who's become accustomed to the fierce sounds and exotic forms of the current hairy breeds, the Lotus Elan may come on with a bit of a jolt. There are no ear-tweaking screams or Jungle like roars, even when turning full crank. The Elan moves quickly, but without fanfare. The body form is also a modest understatement, totally lacking in toothy overhangs and embossed lumps. The design is functional, and handsomely finished, but by no means overpowering. If you're just looking for something to park in front of the apartment-forget it. On the other hand, if you're the kind who seeks those inner qualities that come with quiet types, you will find the Elan an attractive packet of enduring pleasures. Powered by the same Lotus Ford twin overhead cam engine used in the Lotus 23B race machine, the Elan is a very honest performer. Acceleration is 0 to 60 in eight flat, without surgery, or stimulants, arid it will hit 100 in just a shade over twenty seconds. In the area of cornering, tracking, braking and handling, the Elan is unmistakably a Lotus. No production machine, regardless of price, can match the sure-footed road holding of the all-Chapman suspension. Elan brakes are even bigger and better due to Lotus mods on the basic Girling discs this machine is anything but a sloppy stopper. The Elan is a car for the enthusiast; it storms, it sticks and it stops, and it should not be wasted on motorized pedestrians.
$3,922 WEST COAST P.O.E.
Exclusive distributors for Lotus Cars throughout the Western United States
ECURIE SHIRLEE DISTRIBUTION CORPORATION 2409 Sepulveda Blvd. Manhattan Beach, California
SHOWROOMS AND SERVICE FACILITIES
BOB CHALLMAN-ECURIE SHIRLEE 2301 Sepulveda Blvd., Manhattan Beach
BRINEY-GRAY IMPORTS, INC. 3515 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach
BOB COLE MOTOR IMPORTS, LTD. 444 El Camino Real, San Bruno
ROD CARVETH ENTERPRISES, INC. 770 El Camino Real, San Carlos
FOREIGN MOTOR SALES 310 Blackstone Ave., Fresno
PHIPPS MOTORS 233 W. Carrillo St., Santa Barbara
WESTLAND MOTORS, INC. 20021 Ventura Blvd., Woodland Hills
ESCONDIDO IMPORTS 183 E. Washington, Escondido (San Diego Area)
VON HOUSENS MOTORS 1729 Fulton Ave., Sacramento
IDAHO THOMPSON MOTOR COMPANY 1112 Bannock St., Boise