1965 Lotus Elite Series 2

Offered by Historics Auctioneers | Ascot Racecourse, U.K. | May 27, 2023

The Lotus Type 14 – sold under the name Elite – was a small, lightweight, classically British sports car sold between 1957 and 1963. Why this one is listed as a 1965 is beyond me. A two-seat coupe, the car featured a fiberglass monocoque and a steel sub-subframe for the engine and front suspension.

It was a pretty wild concept in the day and fraught with some issues, including the suspension pulling out of the fiberglass. Power came from a 1.2-liter Coventry Climax inline-four that made 75 horsepower in standard form and 85 horsepower in twin-carbureted SE spec.

This car has had quite a bit of work done, and its swoopy lines look great in white. About 1,030 Elites were produced before the name was re-used on a 1970s wedge-shaped 2+2 shooting brake. The estimate here is $43,000-$62,000. Click here for more info.

Update: Sold $61,689.