LOTUS
ÉCLAT
Grand touring sophistication
FAST, REFINED AND EFFICIENT
The 1970s was a period of reinvention for Lotus and the daring Éclat and Elite represented a bold new vision for the future for the brand. Lotus founder Colin Chapman was keen to develop a new range of more practical sports cars that would take Lotus into the mainstream and in essence, these new cars would be more adapted to grand touring and everyday driving rather outright track performance.
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY
Released in 1975, the Éclat utilised the now familiar steel backbone chassis with a glass reinforced composite bodywork. In-house designer Oliver Winterbottom sketched a brand-new shape for the Éclat, extending the Elite Type 75’s angular profile that he had previously penned into a novel fastback coupe.
UNIQUE COMBINATION OF BRILLIANCE AND BRAVADO
Externally, the most obvious modification for the Series 2 Éclat was to the front spoiler, which now blended in more smoothly with the bodywork as well as the new sills beneath the doors. The vacuum mechanism on its pop-up assemblies were replaced with a new electrically operated system and at the other end of the car, there were many small detail changes including a new external locking catch for the tailgate.
TREMENDOUSLY ENJOYABLE
As on the Elite S2, the new Lotus 912 engine in the Éclat S2 gave the same 160bhp power output as its predecessor the 907, but gaining the additional torque it needed across more of the engine’s range also improved the car’s overall fuel consumption at a time when the cost of petrol was an increasing concern.
ÉCLAT STATISTICS
Lotus Type No: 76
Year of production 1975-1980
Volume 1,299
Engine 1,973cc Lotus 907, 4-cylinder
Power output 160bhp
Transmission 4-speed
Weight 980kg
Lotus Type No: 84
Year of production 1980-1982
Volume 223
Engine 2174cc Lotus 912, 4-cylinder
Power output 160bhp
Transmission 5-speed
Weight 1,152kg
SPECIAL
EDITIONS