Lotus Europa, Elite, Eclat y Excel: libros - historia, modelos y técnica

The Lotus Elite was a turning point for Lotus. First produced at the end of the 1950s, it marked Lotus' transition from a maker of small racing cars, which had limited utility on the road, to the producer of a highly sophisticated road and race car.
In the Elite, Lotus exploited its knowledge of new technology and racing pedigree to produce a car which, with its glass fibre monocoque and Coventry Climax engine, had the potential to be a world beater.

This book gives an insight into the reasons the car was produced and its importance in Lotus' history, especially in the production of lightweight innovative cars. Through interviews with Elite owners, first hand accounts provide a good overview of owning one of these iconic cars, covering its foibles and quirks as well as its exemplary roadholding, handling and performance.
Illustrated with many colour photographs, along with period advertising material, the book provides a valuable insight into owning, running and racing these iconic cars.

Un livre de Brooklands consacré aux voitures Lotus Elite des années 1957-1964.

• Les articles, parus à l'époque dans la presse automobile anglo-saxonne, sont une bonne source d'information sur l'histoire, l'évolution des modèles et la technique.
• Cet ouvrage contient aussi des impressions de conduite, des tests routiers et comparatifs, des données techniques, etc.

Lotus introduced the Type 75 Elite in 1974. Being a full four-seater coupe with an opening glass tailgate, it was designed to carry a family in comfort while retaining Lotus' trademark, excellent road holding and handling. Perhaps most importantly, it was the first - and successful - step in Colin Chapman's plan to move upmarket and away from Lotus' kit car image.

The Elite gave rise to two derivatives, the Eclat and the Excel. The Eclat was a restyled coupe version, sacrificing the Elite's unique rear styling and good rear passenger headroom for a more stylish exterior. With its conventional coupe styling, the Eclat was more mainstream than the Elite, and it was in the end the better seller. In turn, the Eclat spawned the Excel, the last of the Elite-inspired family.

Matthew Vale looks at the history of these unusual Lotus models, and gives a thorough guide to buying and owning the cars today.

Un livre de Brooklands consacré aux voitures de sport Lotus Elite et Eclat des années 1974-1982. Description des modèles Lotus Elite 75 et 83, S1 et S2.2 ainsi que des Lotus Eclat/Sprint 76 et 84, S1 et S2.2.

• Les articles, parus à l'époque dans la presse automobile anglo-saxonne, sont une bonne source d'information sur l'histoire, l'évolution des modèles et la technique.
• Cet ouvrage contient aussi des conseils pour l'achat d'une Elite ou une Eclat en occasion, des impressions de conduite, des tests routiers et comparatifs, des données techniques, etc.

The Lotus Europa was Colin Chapman and Lotus's first mid-engined road car, and was produced from 1966 through to 1975. Originally designed to slot into the Lotus range below the Elan as a low cost replacement for the Lotus 7, the Europa eventually sat alongside the Elan and Plus 2 as a comparable sports car in its own right.

Starting with the design philosophy behind the development of the Europa, this book provides detailed technical descriptions of all the major versions of the model, starting with the Renault-powered Series 1 through to the Lotus Twin Cam powered Special.

It looks at the cars on the road and the racing Type 47 derived from the road cars which competed in the small capacity Group 6 class, as well as featuring in historic racing today.
With owners impressions and interviews with ex-Lotus employees, the book provides a valuable insight into owning running and racing these iconic cars.

Un livre de Brooklands consacré aux voitures de sport Lotus Europa des années 1966-1975. Description des modèles Lotus Europa Type 46, S2, GKN 47, V8, Twin Cam et Special.

• Les articles, parus à l'époque dans la presse automobile anglo-saxonne, sont une bonne source d'information sur l'histoire, l'évolution des modèles et la technique.
• Cet ouvrage contient aussi des impressions de conduite, des tests routiers et comparatifs, des données techniques, etc.

Originally intended to be a cheap and basic Lotus Seven replacement, during its development the Lotus Europa morphed into a miniature supercar, described by Colin Chapman as a "working man's GT40," which sat alongside the Elan in the Lotus line-up. Its mid engined configuration gave it exceptional balance, and its handling and roadholding were second to none.

Initially produced for export to Europe in late 1966, the Renault-powered car evolved into the Series 2 in 1968 when it was released to the UK and US markets, and, in its final iteration, gained the Lotus' own Twin Cam engine in 1971. Production ended in 1975 with around 9200 cars completed.

This book has been written to provide the prospective owner with all the information they need to establish if the car is for them, and what to look for when viewing an example.
All aspects of the cars are examined, including paperwork, mechanical issues, bodywork and interior with many photos of example cars to assist in the assessment of an individual car, and understand the implications of many of the common problems that a car can exhibit.
The author is a Lotus enthusiast, and has been working on and writing about classic Lotuses for a number of years.

First launched in 1976, the Lotus Esprit was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and based on a Lotus Europa chassis. The following year, the car made its debut in the Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me, where, after a car chase, it metamorphosed into a submarine.

In this comprehensive book, the authors use their first-hand knowledge from twenty years of ownership to cover essential information such as how to buy, own and keep a Lotus Esprit as well as unpublished research and history of the various models, including the original "Essex" turbo models.
They describe the development of the new designs for the Esprit in 1987 by Peter Stevens and in 1993 by Peter Thomson. They also explore the story of the Bond film cars, both terrestrial and aquatic, and where they are now.

The book explains how to maintain an Esprit on a budget and also lists the suppliers, businesses and clubs that can help keep an Esprit on the road while also adding a social dimension to ownership.
Packed with original illustrations, this book is a must-have guide to one of the Lotus company's most famous models.

Un livre de Brooklands consacré aux voitures de sport Lotus Excel des années 1982-1992. Description des modèles Lotus Excel, SE et SA.

• Les articles, parus à l'époque dans la presse automobile anglo-saxonne, sont une bonne source d'information sur l'histoire, l'évolution des modèles et la technique.
• Cet ouvrage contient aussi des conseils pour l'achat d'une Excel en occasion, des impressions de conduite, des tests routiers et comparatifs, des données techniques, etc.