I am writing a small article about various GT's. Would you classify an Elite as a GT. I think it has the credentials.

 

Any comments?.

If it gets it into your article, then yes, it's a great little GT

GT stands for grand turismo or Grand tourer, a type of car for travelling long distance very fast in high style (originally) with the passengers' luggage - at least that what Wikipedia say's.

 

since Colin Chapman used to take his to Monarco I would say that an Elite qualifies.

 

Great. Just as I thought.

 

Thank you Gentlemen.

London-Harrogate and back in my 2.2 last year . Does that make it an EBGT ? (Eeeh bah gum Tourer)

Excellent Dan.  : )

I remember reading an article - I think it was an extract from Tony Rudd's autobiography, about how Colin Chapman took all the execs either to his house or to Ketteringham Hall, and outlined his "vision" for the new range comprising four new cars (which ended up being the elite and eclat, 2 litre and 4 litre)  and the phrase "GT" was in there from the start, the intention was it should be a GT car, in order to move Lotus up in the market away from the kit car image.

 

The car definitely comes at it from the sports end rather than the luxury end, if nothing else just because of who is behind it and the design philosophy of "add lightness", and the way Lotus built cars, but it was intended as a range of GT cars.

 

Mat.

It was always a GT car; the power output might cast doubt on that categorisation now, but who could have foresaw today's mass produced 500hp mega saloons back then?

 

It should also always be pointed out to ill-informed historians that the Eclat was not a "watered down" version of the Elite for people who didn't like the shape, but was part of the original model plan

Where are you in London Dan, would be a great photo opportunity for two GT's to be photographed together. Any other local takers?.

London-Harrogate and back in my 2.2 last year . Does that make it an EBGT ? (Eeeh bah gum Tourer)

No

Eeky Thump - It does!