Lotus Elan Sprint (1971 – 1973) Review

The Lotus Elan Sprint was introduced to boost flagging sales. It justified its name thanks to a substantial boost in the engine department. A big-valve head with high-lift cams and a raised compression ratio raised output to 126bhp and the drivetrain was suitably toughened and braced to cope.

Both coupé and roadster versions were built, with gold-painted bumpers and two-tone paint to set them apart from other Elans. Single colour paint was also available, but as an extra cost option. With a list price approaching that of the Jaguar E-type, only around 1000 were sold, some of the last with five-speed gearboxes.