Lotus Elite

The story

Colin Chapman wanted to leave kit cars behind and sell to wealthier buyers. The Elite was a wedge-shaped hatchback with four proper seats and Lotus's own new engine. It was the most expensive four-cylinder car in the world.

Inside

A cabin styled by Giugiaro's studio, with four individual seats divided by a tall backbone tunnel.

In period colours

Tap a colour to respray the drawing.

Meanwhile, in 1974

The three-day week, two general elections, and Abba won Eurovision in Brighton with Waterloo.

Best-selling single of 1974: Tiger Feet by Mud

Before you buy a 1970s car

• Rust is common in sills, wheel arches, front panels and the bottom of the doors.
• Check the wiring and electrics carefully, as they age badly.
• Many volume-selling cars still have good parts support, but badge-engineered and low-volume models can be harder to source.

General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.

Rivals of its day

Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.

See the real thing

These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.