The Lotus Elite was brewing in Colin Chapman’s mind long before it finally hit the tarmac. By 1967, the Lotus line-up had marched upscale, that berth being occupied by the newly launched Elan +2. An almost-four-seat coupe, featuring a… more»
Elite
Mar 7, 2024 • For Sale • 33 Comments
71k Original Miles: 1976 Ford Elite
Some classics tick so many right boxes that it becomes impossible to pinpoint their greatest attribute. Take this 1976 Ford Elite as a perfect example. It is a spotless survivor that has been with its current owner since Day… more»
Dec 21, 2023 • For Sale • 32 Comments
Forty Years Hidden: 1974 Lotus Elite
Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus Cars, was an interesting fellow. Obsessed with racing, Chapman’s creations won races in everything from amateur hill climbs to Formula One. His design principle was simple: the lighter the better. Sometimes too light… more»
Jul 8, 2023 • For Sale • 53 Comments
Triple-Black 1-Of-1! 1976 Ford Elite 460
Something I regularly meet with skepticism is when a seller claims their car is a 1-Of-1 example, as it’s often simply not the case or sometimes difficult to verify. But the seller of this 1976 Ford Elite here on… more»
Mar 27, 2023 • For Sale • 35 Comments
Low-Mileage Personal Luxury: 1976 Ford Elite
It hasn’t been that long since American auto manufacturers had personal luxury cars in their lineups, but the thought of them having such an offering today feels rather archaic. If you yearn for those times, this 1976 Ford Elite… more»
Dec 26, 2022 • For Sale • 57 Comments
18k Original Miles: 1974 Ford Gran Torino Elite
The original owner of this 1974 Ford Gran Torino Elite drove the car regularly before placing it in storage when it was less than two years old. It remained in hibernation until recently, when the seller revived it, returned… more»
Sep 27, 2022 • For Sale • 11 Comments
Batch of Brits: Three Lotus Elites
As if one Lotus was not trouble enough, here’s a guy with three of the most under-doggy 1970s Lotus cars ever created. On craigslist are this set of Elites – two 1974s and one 1976. The package deal is… more»
Aug 29, 2022 • For Sale • 28 Comments
Junior T-Bird! 1974 Ford Gran Torino Elite
The Elite was introduced in 1974 as something of a junior Thunderbird, giving Ford another asset to compete with in the growing personal luxury market segment. It was the top-of-the-line mid-size Torino and looked a lot like the T-Bird… more»
Apr 5, 2022 • For Sale • 8 Comments
155 hp DOHC! 1974 Lotus Elite Type 75
In 1974, Lotus Cars was looking to change up its image and created a 4-seat sports/touring auto called the Elite Type 75 (later replaced by the Type 83). These cars were produced through 1982 and are not a common… more»
Sep 24, 2021 • For Sale • 22 Comments
Carnival Red Classic: 1976 Lotus Elite 503
This is a Lotus Elite. No, really. Although the name was originally used on the Type 14 coupe, Lotus’ first production street car, it was revived for the Type 75, a shooting brake intended to serve as the four-seat… more»
Apr 30, 2021 • For Sale • 36 Comments
Long-Term Storage: 1974 Lotus Elite
The Type 75 Lotus Elite shooting brake and its fastback variant, the Eclat, were released in 1974 as a replacement for the Elan 2+2. Like their predecessors, the Elite and Eclat had a fiberglass body mounted on a steel… more»
