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Lotus Elite Lightweight Breathable Car Covers
 Like several models from Lotus, the Elite is the name of two sports cars produced in different decades. The original Elite was designed in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, and was finally released at the London Motor Car Show in Earls Court in 1957. The car was a true innovation, with not only the body of the Elite comprising of a handcrafted fibreglass body but also several structural components were made from this somewhat futuristic material. This gave an excellent structural integrity to the vehicle as well as a very lightweight design.
The use of the fibreglass for internal structures led to the development of superb driver protection in the event of a crash. The chassis of the Elite was lighter and stiffer, producing excellent performance both on the track and on the British roads. With a top speed of 111 mph and acceleration from 0-60 in only 11.4 seconds the Elite was remarkable for its day. The car also had an additional trick up its sleeve with a fuel consumption of more than 40 miles per gallon.
The second generation of the Lotus Elite was produced between 1974 and 1982. These cars were designated the Type 75 followed by the Type 83 Elite II. This breed of the Lotus Elite had a front mounted engine combined with rear-wheel drive, which was a first for Lotus. To update the Elite Lotus added a range of luxuries such as air conditioning, independent suspension and power steering, giving it that extra special edge.
The new version of the car originally came with a manual five speed gear box. The option for an automatic transmission was added by Lotus in early 1976. The Elite became the first car form Lotus to use the Lotus 907 aluminium-block 4 valve DOHC. The success of this engine led to its use for the later produced Lotus Esprit.
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