Equipment
1558/126hp Twin Cam with dual Zenith-Strombergs, centerlock wheels, Dunlop tires, sunroof, power windows, wood shift knob, radio. Also comes with original books and tools, spare, MSO and window sticker.
Condition
Represented as a two-owner car with 6,051 miles from new. Special ordered in solid colors (most Sprints were two-tone). Used as a dealer demonstrator, then put into careful storage until the consignor bought it in 2014 and freshened it mechanically. There are a few chips and touch ups on the front bumper, some stress cracks on the hood and a few other chips throughout plus some stress cracks below the rear bumper, but mostly impressive original paint. Good, lightly worn interior. There are some cracks in the dash but for an old Lotus it isn't bad at all. Remarkably clean underneath for an unrestored Elan. Commendably preserved and too good to restore.
Market commentary
Six years ago, Gooding & Company sold this car (with 6,029 miles) here for $88,000, an eye-popping price that even surpassed its ambitiously high presale estimate. The price it brought in 2020 is very strong, too, just not excessive, and they were an expensive 22 miles. The car's preservation and originality are impossible to replicate, not to mention impossible to find elsewhere since most Elans deteriorated and deteriorated quickly. Many even have a replacement chassis by now, so this is probably one of the best original Elans in the world, and its top-spec Sprint equipment is icing on the cake.