The 1961 Lotus Elite was a British sports car that was first introduced by the Lotus car company in 1957. It was designed and built by Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus, and was produced until 1963.
The car was a front-engine, rear-wheel drive coupe that was notable for its lightweight construction. It was built using a fiberglass monocoque body, which was both lighter and stronger than traditional steel-bodied cars. The chassis was also designed to be very light, which helped the car achieve excellent handling and performance.
The powertrain of the 1961 Lotus Elite was a 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 75 horsepower. While this may not sound like much power by modern standards, the car’s lightweight construction made it very quick and agile on the road. The engine was paired with a four-speed manual transmission.
One of the most notable features of the 1961 Lotus Elite was its aerodynamic design, which helped to improve its performance on the road. The car had a very low drag coefficient of just 0.29, which made it one of the most aerodynamic cars of its time.
In total, around 1,000 Lotus Elites were produced between 1957 and 1963, and they remain highly sought-after by collectors today. They are often considered to be one of the most important sports cars of the 1960s, due to their lightweight construction, excellent handling, and aerodynamic design.
