1971 Lotus Elan S4

This 1971 Lotus Elan S4/Sprint is finished in what many believe to be the ultimate colour scheme, the iconic red, white and gold of Gold Leaf cigarette packets.

Fitted with the ‘Big Valve’ engine and boasting some sympathetic modern upgrades, our usually understated assessor describes ‘WBF 823J’ as being “close to concours”, which is high praise indeed.

The seller bought it from Paul Matty Sports Cars, the well-respected independent Lotus specialist, back in 2021. He’s thoroughly enjoyed his time with it but as he hasn’t used it much in the past eighteen months, he feels that he should pass it on to another enthusiast, someone with the time to enjoy it properly.

Originally painted blue and white, the Elan’s new colours suit it so well we can’t imagine anyone objecting to the change – and what a colour scheme this is; no matter what bans may have been put in place over the years with regard to cigarette branding, no-one could mistake these colours as being anything than an advert for Gold Leaf cigarettes.

And yet, iconic though it may be the colour scheme is only a part of the Elan’s presentation, albeit perhaps the most obvious one.

Because the condition of the panels and the way they’re fitted and aligned are just as important, and in this regard potential bidders need have nothing to fear because this one has been bolted together very well indeed.

The shutlines on the doors, bonnet, and boot lid are as good as we’ve ever seen on the model, and the front and rear bumpers have been just as carefully aligned.

The headlamps pop up and down as they should too, something that isn’t always the case. The rest of the light lenses are in good shape being bright and free of cracks and other damage.

The badges and all-important decals are all excellent too, and while many might have been tempted to fit a stick-on numberplate on the bonnet, we love the raised digits of the one that sits snugly under the front bumper.

Dry-stored in a heated garage, the fabric roof is a little rumpled but that’s only because it’s probably spent most of its life neatly tucked away under the tonneau cover; after all, who buys a convertible Elan to drive with the roof on?

Nonetheless, wrinkles aside, it’s in a very good condition with clear and bright plastic windows and no rips, rubbing marks, or loose stitches. The inner headlining is also excellent.

Probably more useful is the (very good) tonneau cover that’ll keep the lower half of your body warm when you’re driving in foul weather, and protect the cabin from that same weather – and prying eyes – when it’s parked.

Moving lower, the 13-inch alloy wheels have been painted black with silver rims, and they’re held in place by chromed spinners. All four are free of scuffs, scrapes, and other kerbing damage.

They’re also fitted with 165/70R13 Uniroyal Rain Expert tyres, all of which still have plenty of tread left on them.

As we will never get tired of telling you, experience shows that matching high-quality tyres are an infallible sign of a caring and mechanically sympathetic owner who is prepared to spend the appropriate amount in maintaining their car properly.

As for flaws, the Elan shows very light stone chipping to the front, and three or four microblisters around the boot hinges. The rubber windscreen seal has seen better days too but replacing that could also wait.

If you were impressed with the exterior, then the interior is going to blow your mind because it is in an even better condition. Virtually flawless, it’s in need of absolutely nothing other than continued love.

And you will fall in love with it, of that we’re sure because it’s as thoughtfully designed as that sublime chassis; there might be a bit more wood in here than you were expecting to find in your 1970’s sportscar but no one knew how to sprinkle a bit of lightweight luxury better than Colin.

Speaking of which, please don’t be deceived by the somewhat Spartan-looking seats. They‘re actually supremely comfortable and in a staggeringly good condition; with no visible wear we can see bar the gentlest of scuffs to the outer edge of the driver’s seat, their shape and size ensures they hold you tight, which is important because the Elan seems to pivot about your hips.

Dal in delicate pedals, a fat-rimmed Moto-Lita steering wheel, and a simple, round wooden gearknob and you’ll appreciate that no car offers a more intimate relationship than the Elan – or more information on what its chassis is doing and how much grip the thin tyres have.

The instruments are classic white-on-black Smiths jobbies, and they offer all the information any keen driver could ever need and nothing more.

“Simplify, then add lightness”, right?

The door cards, sculpted to add elbow room and fitted with Philips speakers, are in a genuinely excellent condition. Ditto the carpets, central armrest, sill covers, veneer trim, dashboard top, and boot.

The latter contains a Pro+Power Ultra battery, a scissor jack, mallet, tyre foam, fire extinguisher, and an immaculate spare alloy wheel that is fitted with a matching and barely used Uniroyal Rain Expert tyre.

Which means flaws are few. There is a small tear on the back of the passenger’s seat and two more on the offside and nearside of the cover for the hood frame (interior shots 29/72 and 34/72 refer).

The Elan’s most recent service history has all been with Paul Matty Sports cars, from whom the seller bought the car:

· 11.08.2014 and 80,030 miles – service by Paul Matty Sports Cars

· 27.07.2016 and 81,190 miles – service by Paul Matty Sports Cars

· 03.07.2017 and 81,539 miles – service by Paul Matty Sports Cars

· 27.02.2019 – engine oil and filter supplied by Paul Matty Sports Cars

The Elan has had its driveshafts converted to run CV joints, a not inconsiderable investment and one that’s highly regarded in the enthusiast community.

The Elan’s owner tells us that he’s had “no issues at all” with his Lotus bar the need to fit a new battery recently. He also says that “it handles like it should” which is good to hear because that’s why we buy ‘em, isn’t it?

As you can see in the video, it fires into life with the typically gruff engine note we’ve all come to know and love. It idles nicely too and does it all with good oil pressure displayed.

It also revs every bit as well as we’ve come to expect from the Lotus twin-cam engine, and leaves the traffic in its wake with a nicely fruity exhaust note.

The engine is a joy to behold, isn’t it? One of the famed ‘Big Valve’ engines, the combination of the valve cover and twin Weber carburettor sets your heart racing, doesn’t it?

The Lucas HT leads have been neatly labelled too, and the coolant elbow has been painted red. There’s an electric fan in there too; everywhere you look are signs of thoughtful engineering and careful curation. It’s mightily impressive.

The underside, which is protected by a nicely applied coat of underseal, looks just as good as everything else. There is a small scuff on the underside of the front valence but this looks to have done little more than smear the black protective coating off in one isolated place.

We’ve described this car as an Elan S4/Sprint because this is how Lotus itself does so, as the following extract from an email we received from its archive department explains:

“Unfortunately the build records for this car were lost over time.

The VIN breakdown 7007170246G shows:

7007 – date of manufacture 1970, July

17 – production batch number

0246 – unit number

G – Type 45 Elan S/E or Sprint DHC.

Given the Elan Sprint was not in production at the time of manufacture, the car would have been factory built as a Elan S4 S/E DHC.

As these cars were sold to the domestic market in component form (hence no engine number on the VIN plate), it meant when the big valve Sprint was

Launched, it was easy to modify cars in stock to Sprint specification, it is possible this is what happened to this car.

These cars are referred to as Elan S4/Sprint to identify the difference between how they left the factory and how they were sold.”

The recent Vehicle History Check is clear, and the history file includes an Elan 4 Sprint handbook and a large selection of expired MoT certificates. There’s a wealth of old invoices and bills too, some of which go back as far as the seventies.

The Lotus doesn’t have a current MoT certificate, and while it is exempt by virtue of its age, we would strongly encourage the new owner to have it MoT’d at the earliest opportunity. The cost of an MoT is a small investment when offset against the purchase and upkeep of any classic vehicle, and it gives an independent, third-party assessment of the car’s condition, which not only provides reassurance to the owner (and any subsequent purchasers) but might also be invaluable in the event of a bump when negotiating with the police and any interested insurance companies…

But the last expired in May 2022 and there was clear run of advisory-free MoT passes stretching back to 2010, so it’s got previous for acquitting itself very nicely when it is tested…

​Most of us have hankered after an original Lotus Elan at one time or another, yet many of us have been put off by the high prices good ones fetch – and the potential for bankruptcy offered by the cheap ones we could afford.

And Goldilocks cars, the Elans that are both attractively priced and well maintained, have been a bit thin on the ground in recent years as folk rushed to jump on the appreciation bandwagon by tarting ‘em up on the cheap before flogging them off to unsuspecting petrolheads.

But prices have settled a little now, which means you can buy nigh-on concours cars like this, a car that also happens to be finished in what is arguably the best colour scheme AND is powered by the most desirable engine, for sensible money.

How sensible?

Well, our guide price is between £27,000 and £32,000, which is practically the same as stealing it.

Even better, the seller has sufficient faith in his Elan to offer it with no reserve, so it’s going to sell from the very first bid.

Viewing is strongly encouraged, and this lot is located at Bonhams|Cars Online HQ. Viewings are STRICTLY BY APPOINTMENT and we are open weekdays between 10am - 12pm or 2pm - 4pm. To make a booking, please use the Enquire About This Vehicle button at the top of the listing. Feel free to ask any questions, or try our ‘Frequently Asked Questions’.