As a child of the early 1960s, I remember The Avengers well. The gorgeous (yes, my first crush) redhead Emma Peel, played so well by future Dame Diana Rigg, drove two Lotus Elans during her run on the series, and this second one was gifted to her after her last season. The car has now been thoroughly restored and is due to be auctioned on February 25th in Coventry, England. The auction listing here from Silverstone Auctions will give you more details. Thanks to Roger for sending in this cool vintage TV find!
By itself, a Lotus Elan S3 restored to this standard would be eye-catching, but to see that this is the actual car used in the show is pretty cool. Trivia time: Diana Rigg learned to drive just so she could play the part of Emma Peel. Her co-star, John Steed (played by Patrick Macnee) would also drive fantastic British cars in the show such as pre-Derby Bentleys. The popularity of the show (it has been shown in 90 countries) and Diana Rigg’s character are said to be largely responsible for the popularity of the Lotus Elan in the United States.
Although the car appears to be a different shade of blue in this screenshot from the show, we are assured that the little Lotus was originally painted Jaguar Opalescent Blue and has been restored in the same shade. SHJ499D appeared in 19 episodes, but as the car has spent most of its time in museum collections, it’s quite possible that the indicated mileage of 2,552 is correct! There’s a slightly odd compilation of the car being driven in the show posted here on YouTube. It’s worth viewing but is somewhat jarring as there’s no context to the clips.
Those are the original leather seats in the immaculate interior. Note that the backs do not recline; you were expected to conform to the Elan rather than vice-versa. Road & Track stated in 1967 that “…we’ve never driven a car that was more sheer fun to drive”! With a curb weight of 1,580 pounds and a 47/53 front-to-rear weight distribution, the Elan simply dances wherever you want it to go; the one I’ve driven was incredibly delicate to drive but very rewarding.
Naturally, there’s a 1558 cc Lotus twin-cam engine under the hood, and I don’t mind the liberty taken of refurbishing the valve cover in the Opalescent Blue. While the engine only made about 115 horsepower, its free-revving nature and tractability are plenty to make driving an Elan an exciting experience. This brings me to a dilemma; I can’t see this car being driven much, if ever, following the auction. What a horrible shame! Do you remember watching The Avengers? How about any Lotus Elan memories? Share them with us in the comments!
I agree with you about Diana Rigg I used to watch the Avengers all the time. I remember the car in the series. It is a shame that it won’t be driven a lot. The neighbor up the street had a Lotus, not sure which model, and it looked fast just sitting in the driveway.
Loved that show.What a piece of British TV history here.Should sell well.
Nice. Super-proves that the Miata was not a groundbreaking new design. With this one though, I’d remove those window tracks somehow…
The Miata was based on the Elan.Mazda bought
two of them to study.
Dat makes sense!
Not to say that 1st gen Miatas aren’t fun – indeed they are!
I had a HUGE crush on Diana Rigg when I was 16. And to think Emma Peel’s bottom sat in this Lotus’ seat…sigh.
In the early ’80’s,I traded my ’80 Suzuki 550-4 for a
’64 Elan S1-1/2 that had thrown a rod & broke the block.I
remember that,when loading it onto the trailer,we almost
pushed it off the other end,as it was so light. took it home
& disassembled it,amassing a lot of parts along the way.
The serial number was #3892.
After 14 years,I faced the sad reality that I’d never finish
it.I sold it (for a loss) to a guy who had it restored for close
to $80,000.I told him that I wanted to drive it when he finished
it,but when I heard how much he invested in it,I would have
been scared to death to do so,as I couldn’t begin to pay for
anything,if I damaged it.
I took $500 off of the sales price,on the condition that if
he did use that frame,he’d pay me for it,& no,I didn’t get that
in writing.Probably why he wouldn’t return my phone calls.
After I sold it,I bought a TR6,& had enough money left to
fix it up.I do regret selling it sometimes,but then I remember
how much I would have had to put into it,& that these are not
a low maintenence car.
“Emma Peel’s name was taken from the British movie industry expression “M-Appeal”, or “man-appeal”, which is what the show’s producers were looking for in her character.”
And now you know!
Diana Rigg was NOT a redhead, as you would know if you REALLY “had a crush on her.” Even on black-and-white TV one could tell her hair was dark brunette, and on colour TV it was a deep auburn brown. It’s true she coloured her hair a deep red “Scottish redhead, not Irish “orange”), for her role in the James Bond film “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”
The screenshot you provide, with Rigg looking like a redhead, shows a colour shift typical of screenshots from vintage telly replays and computer transmission. It’s part of why you never use a computer monitor to ascertain an auto’s paint colour!
I’ll tell you what. You can have your memories, I can have mine. There’s no need to be nasty about it.
It is interesting how there always is some car guy on the internet who needs to be insulting. I see it all over the car guy groups. (and everywhere else.)
I’m sad that I no longer have my ’59 Elan S2. That frog frame was torn and I didn’t realize that I could replace it. I gave the car away.
” ’59 S2″ ? If it was a ’69,then it would have been an S4.
“…The popularity of the show and Diana Rigg’s character” I also was a follower … but, not for her character — those costumes.
Also, yes. I have had an Elan … as with most Lotus products a true love/hate relationship
I, too, was a fan of the Avengers and Emma Peel. In the mid 1970s I worked at a heel factory where the superintendent had a 1967 Elan. British Racing Green. Such a beautiful car. The other British TV show I liked was Secret Agent/Prisoner. I think he drove a Lotus Super 7?
Great color, i think their estimate is a bit high.
We will always associate Diana Rigg with both the earlier white Elan and this blue one. However, even though she was given this blue one, her automotive heart seems to have been elsewhere. When she got her first pay cheque in 1968 for work done on On Her Majesty’s Secret Service she spent it on a white E Type Jaguar.
While in London, 19 December 1967, I took delivery of my new Elan drop head in British Racing Green, License GLT82C, at a dealer in Leighton Buzzard. Later drove thru Belgium enroute Stuttgart. Entered Germany at midnight in a pouring rain and wipers quit. Continued to Stuttgart by driving 100+ to blow rain off. Most fun to drive car I ever owned and I’ve owned over 100.
And then a decade and a half later we had the New Avengers with Patrick back with Purdy and some guy.
And a TR7.
Yeah….
Emma was not a redhead. Although I’m sure she could have pulled that off, pretty easily.
Don’t really remember the car……must have been Emma’s outfits.
Yep that was it !
From an automobile standpoint, the Bentley of Steed combined with the Elan of Peel made for a formidable combination. As far as the character of Peel played by Rigg: incomparable.
I had such crush on her, I named my bar in NYC after her character.
Maybe I’ll start a go fund me page and stage the car in the parking lot!
Diana Rigg was a redhead she has mentioned the fact herself and in an episode of The Avengers John Steed even says that when he met her he was attracted to her titian hair!
You’re welcome
I was just at a concert where the lead singer was wearing an Avengers T-Shirt with a pic of Emma Peel on it. My sister asked me who the lady Avenger was – I chuckled at that.
It’s a generational thing.