LOTUS
CarsColin
Chapman
Lotus
Cars
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ELITE
M50
TYPE
75
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TYPE 75 - Elite
1974 to 1980
Production GT
Car
Engine: Lotus
907 1973cc-140
bhp-------------------------------
Gearbox: Lotus
5-speed manual, or Borg-Warner 65----
Automatic.-------------------------------------------------------------------
Chassis: Central
box-section steel backbone---------------
Front Suspension:
unequal-length double wishbones,
& coil spring
/ damper units.-----------------------------------------
Rear Suspension:
Strut-type, with tubular lower------------
wishbones,-&
coil spring / damper units.-----------------------
Wheelbase: 8
ft. 1.8 in.--------------------------------------------------
Front Track:
4 ft. 10.5 in.-----------------------------------------------
Rear Track: 4
ft. 11 in.---------------------------------------------------
Length: 14 ft.
7.5 in.------------------------------------------------------
Weight: 2180
lbs.----------------------------------------------------------
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The new Elite
used the backbone chassis design to carry a four seat fiberglass body.
Power was provided
by Lotus' own twin cam, 4 valve per cylinder, all aluminum engine.
Designated
the 907,the engine was all Lotus designed.
It was an aluminum,
dual overhead cam, four cylinder design, displacing 1973cc's.
This engine was
the first engine to use a four valve per cylinder design for street use.
The 907
produced 140 horsepower and met the strict environmental requirements without
the use of smog pumps and catalytic converters.
As new
safety and environmental regulations came on line, Lotus anticipated the
need of a car that would address these future concerns.
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The new Elite
was a four place car with a glass-fiber body and a steel backbone chassis.
Ride and handling
was superb, because of a 4 wheel independent suspension system.
The M504 model
of this car was also the first Lotus to ever be offered with an automatic
transmission and air conditioning as options.
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The Elite
M50 was designed to compete against the Mercedes 350SLC in the marketplace.
It originally
was designed to be powered by a V8 engine, (the Lotus Type 909 V8), which
used the heads and pistons from the Type 907 engine.
That plan was
shelved when the first big Gas Crisis hit.
When General
Motors bought Lotus, they had the Lotus engineers develop the Type 909
into the LT- 5 V8, which was installed in the ZR- 1 "King of the Hill"
Corvette.
Lotus had no
problem with doing this, as they thought that they would be able to use
the engine in future Lotus designs.
However, GM was
only interested in raiding the advanced technology that Lotus was working
on, and quickly sold Lotus once they had what they wanted.
Because of this,
Lotus was never able to use the LT- 5 engine, and they had to develop a
totally new engine for the Esprit` V8.
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Lotus LV-240
2.0 liter Racing Engine
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Prototype Lotus
Type 909 4.4 liter V8 Engine
(Notice
incomplete Cross-Ram Intake Manifold)
This
V8 engine was developed by using components
from
the LV-240 Racing Engine.--------------------------------
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Prototype LT5
Engine for Chevrolet ZR1 Corvette
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Lotus Type 907
2.0 liter Engine
(This
production engine was developed from the LV-240 Racing Engine)
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1976 Lotus Elite
504 - VIN# 76/030463B
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1976 Lotus Elite
504 - VIN# 76/030463B
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