To celebrate the British International Motor Show this year we picked our 100 best British cars. Check out our selection to help you choose your favourite home-grown motor.
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17 Lotus Elan (page 17 of 25)
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Initially conceived to replace the Seven, the little Elan with its fibre glass body and backbone chassis turned into an MGB/Sprite-beater instead: an affordable road-orientated roadster, good for 118mph and 0-60 in seven seconds in 126bhp Sprint form. Its independent suspension and ultra-rigid chassis gave it astonishingly good handling, ride and steering. Lotus sold more than 12,220 between 1962 and 1974, many made from kits by enthusiastic owners, plus a further 5,170 coupes with child-sized rear seats and a more luxurious interior. Cute pop-up headlamps, too, though these were invariably temperamental, like the Elan itself, which met an early demise due to a new tax regime and US safety regulations.
