Editing Lotus Elite (section)

==Type 14 (1957–1963)==
{{Infobox automobile
| image =Lotus Elite Reg 1962 1460 cc.JPG
| name = Lotus Elite Type 14
| caption = Lotus Elite SE
| manufacturer = {{unbulleted list
|[[Lotus Cars]]
|[[Bristol Aeroplane Company]]
}}
| production = 1957–1963
| designer = {{unbulleted list
|Peter Kirwan-Taylor
|[[Frank Costin]]
}}
| class = [[Sports car]] ([[S-Segment|S]])
| body_style = 2-door [[coupé]]
| layout = [[Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout|Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive]]
| engine = 1.2&nbsp;L ''[[Coventry Climax#FWE|Coventry Climax FWE]]'' [[Straight-four engine|I4]]<ref name="wilson">{{cite book|last=Willson|first=Quentin|title=The Ultimate Classic Car Book|year=1995|publisher=DK Publishing, Inc.|isbn=0-7894-0159-2|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/ultimateclassicc00quen}}</ref>
| transmission = 4-speed [[manual transmission|manual]]
| length = {{convert|3759|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1960/>
| width = {{convert|1506|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} <ref name=Motor1960/>
| height = {{convert|1181|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1960/>
| wheelbase = {{convert|2242|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}<ref name=Motor1960/>
| weight = {{convert|503.5|kg|lb|abbr=on}}
| predecessor = 
| successor = [[Lotus Elan]]
| aka = 
| related = 
| sp = uk
}}

The first generation of the Elite or ''Lotus Type 14'' was a light weight two-seater [[coupé]] produced from 1957 until 1963.

The car debuted at the 1957 [[British International Motor Show|London Motor Car Show, Earls Court]] bearing chassis number #1008.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/members-cars2/87-lotus-elite-members-cars/91-elite-1008 | title = Elite #1008 – The 1958 Earls Court Show Car | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170429101453/http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/members-cars2/87-lotus-elite-members-cars/91-elite-1008 |archive-date=29 April 2017 | magazine = Club Elite Newsletter | number = 31 | date = December 2011 | via = Lotus Elite World Register }}</ref> The Elite had spent a year in development, aided by "carefully selected racing customers" before going on sale.<ref name="Setright, p.1227">{{citation | last = Setright | first = L. J. K. | author-link = L. J. K. Setright | chapter = Lotus: The Golden Mean | editor-last = Northey | editor-first = Tom | title = World of Automobiles | location = London | publisher = Orbis | date = 1974 | volume = 11 | page = 1227 }}</ref>

The Elite's most distinctive feature was its highly innovative [[fibreglass]] [[monocoque]] construction, in which a stressed-skin [[Glass reinforced plastic]] unibody replaced the previously separate chassis and body components. Unlike the contemporary [[Chevrolet Corvette]], which used fibreglass for only exterior bodywork, the Elite used glass-reinforced plastic for the entire load-bearing structure of the car. A steel subframe for supporting the engine and front suspension was bonded into the front of the monocoque, as was a square-section windscreen-hoop that provided mounting points for door hinges, a jacking point for lifting the car and roll-over protection components.<ref>Setright, p.1226.</ref> The first 250 body units were made by Maximar Mouldings at [[Pulborough]], Sussex.<ref>{{citation | author-link = Gérard Crombac | last = Crombac | first = Gérard | title = Colin Chapman – The Man and His Cars | publisher = Patrick Stephens Ltd. | date = 1986 | page = 93 | isbn = 978-0850597332 }}</ref> The body construction caused numerous early problems, until manufacture was handed over to [[Bristol Aeroplane Company]].<ref name="Setright, p.1227"/>

The resultant body was lighter, stiffer, and provided better driver protection in the event of a crash. Still, a full understanding of the engineering qualities of fibreglass-reinforced plastic was several years off and the suspension attachment points were regularly observed to pull out of the fibreglass structure. The weight savings allowed the Elite to achieve sports car like performance from a {{cvt|75|hp|kW|0}}, {{convert|1216|cc|L|1|abbr=on}} [[Coventry Climax#FW|Coventry Climax FWE]] all-aluminium [[straight-four engine]] while returning a fuel consumption of {{convert|35|mpgimp|abbr=on}}.<ref name="wilson" /> All production Elites were powered by the FWE engine, except for one that acted as testbed for the newly developed [[Lotus-Ford Twin Cam]] engine. The FWE engine was derived from a lightweight (FW = Feather Weight) high-capacity water pump engine used for firefighting.<ref>{{cite magazine | url = http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/Newsletters/CEN/CEN_vol2_no1_april1972.pdf | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140727144752/http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/Newsletters/CEN/CEN_vol2_no1_april1972.pdf | archive-date = 2014-07-27 | title = Coventry Climax Industrial Water Pump Engine | magazine = Club Elite North America Newsletter | volume = 2 | number = 1 | page = 3 | first = Michael | last = Taverner | via = Lotus Elite World Register }}</ref>

The car had independent suspension all round with transverse wishbones at the front and [[Chapman strut]]s at the rear. The rear struts were so long, that they poked up in the back and the tops could be seen through the rear window.<ref name="wilson" /> The Series 2 cars, with Bristol-built bodies, had triangulated trailing radius arms for improved toe-in control. Girling disc brakes, usually without servo assistance, of {{convert|9.5|in|mm|0|abbr=on}} diameter were used, inboard at the rear. When leaving the factory the Elite was originally fitted with [[Pirelli Cinturato]] 155HR15 tyres.

Advanced [[aerodynamics]] also contributed to the car's low [[drag coefficient]] of {{cd|0.29}}<ref name="wilson"/> considering the engineers did not enjoy the benefits of [[computer-aided design]] or [[wind tunnel]] testing. The original Elite drawings were by Peter Kirwan-Taylor. [[Frank Costin]] (brother of Mike, one of the co founders of [[Cosworth]]), at that time Chief [[Aerodynamic]] Engineer for the [[de Havilland]] Aircraft Company, contributed to the final design.

The SE was introduced in 1960 as a higher-performance variant, featuring twin SU carburettors and fabricated exhaust manifold resulting in engine power output increasing to {{convert|85|hp|kW|0|abbr=on}}, [[ZF Friedrichshafen|ZF]] gearboxes in place of the standard "cheap and nasty" MG ones,<ref name="Setright, p.1227"/> Lucas PL700 headlamps,<ref>[http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/elite-technical/83-installing-pl700 Lucas PL700 headlamps] Lotus Elite World Register.</ref> and a silver coloured roof. The Super 95 model<ref name="Setright, p.1227"/> had a more powerful engine with raised compression ratio and a stronger camshaft with five bearings. A limited number of Super 100 and Super 105 cars were made with Weber carburettors, for racing use.

Among the Elite's few faults was a resonant vibration at 4,000&nbsp;rpm (where few drivers remained, on either street or track)<ref>It was cured by substituting a diaphragm clutch spring. Setright, p.1227.</ref> and poor quality control, handicapped by an overly low price (resulting in Lotus losing money on every car produced) and, "perhaps the greatest mistake of all", offering it as a kit (with a substantial reduction in price and Purchase Tax), exactly the opposite of the ideal for a quality manufacturer.<ref name="Setright, p.1227"/> Many drive-train parts were highly stressed and required re-greasing at frequent intervals.

When production ended in 1963, 1,030 cars had been built.<ref>Ortenburger, Dennis "The Original Lotus Elite, Racing Car for the Road" Newport Press, 1977 p.135.</ref> Other sources indicate that 1,047 were produced.<ref name=scm201404>{{cite journal|last=Trummel|first=Reid|title=1960 Lotus Elite Series II|journal=[[Sports Car Market]]|date=April 2014|volume=26|issue=4|page=71}}</ref>

A road car tested by ''[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]]'' magazine in 1960 resulted in a top speed of {{convert|111.8|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} and a 0–{{convert|60|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} acceleration time of 11.4 seconds. A fuel consumption of {{convert|40.5|mpgimp|L/100 km mpgus|abbr=on}} was recorded. The test car cost £1,966 including taxes.<ref name=Motor1960>{{Cite journal |title=The Lotus Elite |journal=[[The Motor (magazine)|The Motor]] |date=11 May 1960}}</ref>

=== Legacy ===
The ownership and history of the more than 1,000 Elites is maintained by the Lotus Elite World Register.<ref>[http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/ Lotus Elite World Register] Lotus Elite World Register</ref> There are several active clubs devoted to the Lotus Elite.<ref>[http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/elite-clubs Lotus Elite Clubs] Lotus Elite World Register</ref>

===Motor sport===
[[File:Lotus Elite at Mallory Park.JPG|thumb|left|A Lotus Elite in racing trim]]

Like its siblings, the Elite was campaigned in numerous formulae, with particular success at Le Mans and the [[Nürburgring]]. The Elite won in its class six times at the 24 hour of [[Le Mans]] race as well as two ''Index of Thermal Efficiency'' wins. Les Leston, driving DAD10, and Graham Warner, driving LOV1, were noted UK Elite racers. In 1961, [[David Hobbs (racing driver)|David Hobbs]] fitted a Hobbs Mecha-Matic 4-speed automatic transmission to an Elite,<ref>[http://lotuseliteworldregister.com/elite-technical/127-hobbs-mecha-matic-automatic-transmission Hobbs' Mecha-Matic Automatic Transmission] Club Elite Newsletter, Vol 1, No. 1; Motor Sports, December 1962</ref> and became almost unbeatable in two years' racing – he won 15 times from 18 starts. [[New South Wales]] driver [[Leo Geoghegan]] won the [[1960 Australian GT Championship]] at the wheel of a Lotus Elite.<ref>[http://www.camsmanual.com.au/01_about.asp Australian Titles] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090302135923/http://www.camsmanual.com.au/01_about.asp |date=2 March 2009 }} Retrieved from www.camsmanual.com.au on 16 April 2009</ref> After winning ''Index of Thermal Efficiency'' prize, Lotus decided to go for an outright win at Le Mans in 1960. They built a one-off Elite, called the LX, with a {{convert|1964|cc|L|1|abbr=on}} [[Coventry Climax#FPF|FPF]] engine, larger wheels, and other modifications. In testing, it proved capable of a top speed of {{convert|174|mph|kph|0|abbr=on}}. Unfortunately, the lead driver withdrew the night before the race, so the car did not have a chance to prove itself in competition.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/article/december-1998/44/lotus-should-have-won-le-mans|title=The Lotus that should have won Le Mans|last=Lawrence|first=Mike|date=December 1998|work=[[Motor Sport (magazine)|Motor Sport]] magazine archive|access-date=7 October 2017|page=44}}</ref>
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