Lotus Elan I (Type 26) gallery (1962–1975)
The original Lotus Elan is an iconic lightweight British sports car renowned for its backbone chassis, fiberglass body, and pop-up headlamps.
The first-generation Lotus Elan (originating as Type 26) was introduced in October 1962 and produced through 1975 across multiple series (S1, S2, S3, S4, Sprint, and the extended 2+2 Type 50). It pioneered the legendary steel backbone chassis paired with a lightweight fiberglass-reinforced composite bodyshell, four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, rack-and-pinion steering, and fully independent suspension with Chapman struts at the rear. Power came from the famed 1.5-liter and 1.6-liter Lotus-Ford Twin Cam inline-four engines producing between 105 hp and 126 hp, paired with a four-speed or optional five-speed manual transmission driving the rear wheels. Available as an open two-seater roadster, drophead coupe, and fixed-head coupe, the original Elan delivered unmatched handling purity and agility, selling strongly in the UK, Europe, and North America while cementing Lotus's engineering philosophy of adding lightness.
