Lotus Elan Sprint Fixed Head Coupe
The Lotus Elan Sprint, introduced in 1971, represented the zenith of Elan development and one of Colin Chapman's finest achievements. This final evolution of the Elan featured a 'Big Valve' version of the twin-cam engine with larger valves, revised camshafts, and Dell'Orto DHLA carburetors that boosted power to 126 horsepower. Combined with the Elan's featherweight 1,519-pound curb weight, this gave the Sprint a power-to-weight ratio that allowed it to humiliate much more expensive machinery. The Sprint could reach 60 mph in just 6.7 seconds and top 120 mph, astonishing performance for a 1.6-liter car in the early 1970s. What made the Sprint truly special was its handling. The sophisticated Chapman strut suspension, backbone chassis, and perfect weight distribution gave it telepathic steering, neutral balance, and grip that seemed to defy physics. Contemporary road testers praised its ability to carry ridiculous speeds through corners while remaining perfectly controllable and communicative. The Sprint featured distinctive gold-painted wheels, 'Sprint' side stripes, and a front chin spoiler that gave it a purposeful appearance. Inside, the Elan offered a surprisingly comfortable environment with supportive bucket seats, excellent visibility, and comprehensive instrumentation. Build quality, while better than earlier Elans, still reflected Lotus's kit-car origins and could be variable. The Sprint's light weight came at the cost of minimal sound insulation and a fairly harsh ride. The fiberglass body was mounted to a steel backbone chassis, an innovative construction method that kept weight low but required careful maintenance to prevent chassis corrosion. Production of the Sprint ended in 1973 as Lotus moved on to the Elite and Eclat models, but the Elan Sprint's reputation as one of the greatest-handling cars ever built has only grown over time. Today, it's recognized as a landmark sports car that influenced generations of lightweight performance cars.
Check backbone chassis for rust and corrosion thoroughly. Fiberglass body can hide chassis problems. Verify matching numbers and Sprint-specific components (Dell'Orto carbs, wheels, trim). Engine rebuilds are expensive. Check for oil leaks and proper oil pressure. Suspension bushings wear. Original unmodified examples command premium prices.
Final and most powerful version of the Elan. Featured Big Valve engine with Dell'Orto carburetors. Available in roadster and fixed-head coupe versions. Limited production of just 1,353 examples. Many were campaigned successfully in racing and rallying.