One of my favourite cars and it demonstrates exactly what’s wrong with modern performance cars

Harry gets to drive the most bonkers hypercars whenever he wants, here he is, madly in love with the tiny Elan, that's what I call an insider.

I really do find these classic cars more interesting than modern hypercars: cheap, fun and you can use the performance on the road.

I bought an all orange Elan Sprint in '72. It took me 8 days to build, 3 days trying to compress the rear springs to fit in. Eventually I loaded the boot with bricks whilst jacking in the springs. Driving it was a dream, it was like it was on rails sticking to the road. Wish I still had it!

I was lucky enough to drive an Elan Sprint at an auto test at an airfield in Oxfordshire. I was absolutely blown away with how quick and agile it was. There was about 20 different cars on the day ranging from modern Cooper S's to full fat 992.911's. To my surprise only a couple of track cars (trailered to the venue) (and the fastest of the 911's) were quicker on a tight 2 min course. It was incredible. I can't believe you don't see more on the road, as surely every petrol head needs to experience the purity of this little Lotus. I've been in a few decent cars, and very few put such a big smile on my face. Modern fast cars just don't compare for thrills.

What a great little car!!! The "snickt" sound of those gear changes is incredible! Thanks, Harry!

What a great way to share the enthusiasm of this terrific little car. It is like a good motorcycle. Zero weight. Lots of power and handling. Nothing to save you in a crash. Just pure driver joy.

My first ride in an Elan back in the '60s remains etched in my mind. Nothing since has ever made such an impression. These days I potter about in an M3, which is fun, but nothing like the quantum leap of that Elan.

What a fabulous review; nobody does it better! A million times better than those Top Gear efforts where the only thing they can do is trash a set of tyres in five minutes.

669kg! Wet! The comparison pics with the Yaris tell a huge story on their own. Thanks for sharing it.

A lot of people who make videos about well anything should watch this one and take notes. This gentleman knows from real first hand experience his subject matter. I know not everyone can acquire fifty years of experience before making a video. But it is a bonus when they do.

Who can forget Emma Peel ( Diana Rigg ) sprinting around in her Silver Lotus Elan, in the mid sixties, chasing or being chased by the bad guys in those wonderful episodes of The Avengers.

Oh to have my 1969 S4 again!!! Enjoyed it from 1976-88’. Totaled twice by friends and always came back to life. This is why I drive my 99’ Miata to this day.

The sound of the gearchange, and that "sizzle" took me back 40 years to when my best friend an an orange and white coupe Sprint. We were both primarily into bikes (Ducatis), but a year or so later, when I met the lady who was to become my wife and found she was terrified of riding pillion on a Ducati 900 MHR, I needed to buy a car. I wanted an Elan, but couldn't afford that and the Ducati, so the compromise was a Ginetta G15 with a 998 engine. Not in the same class as the Elan, but still a lot of fun.

You are the most proper car guy on KZfaq. Unadulterated petrolhead. Respect.

I think this may just be my favorite car of your entire garage. It's just wonderful in it's own right and there's the added story of you putting it together in the first place.

Put simply, that's what a sports car should be all about. I haven't had the chance to sample an Elan, as these cars are very rare here in Italy, but your video already shows how much fun it is. Now I want one myself, that's for sure :)

Respect to the camera man for managing to keep Harry and the car fully in frame when doing the walk around - some height difference there!

I bought my Elan S4 in 1980 and I still enjoy restoring, maintaining, and driving it. My son wants to be the next owner. :)

The Elan Sprint just has to be one of the best cars ever made. How nice to get a proper review. This is an official mug of tea video.

Back in late 60s this is the car (never owned a one) that made me into a petrolhead...a green version with dayglo orange bumper came through a road that ran through our farm in co durham you could hear it for miles up and down gears and the noise ....happy days🥰

There was a reason why Mazda used the Elan as an example of the perfect roadster when they developed the MX-5.

Brings back some great memories. A young man working at a Lotus Garage in Ramstein Germany. These things were just a blast to drive. Not that easy to work on, fragility was an issue. Customers could be interesting. I suspected one fellow was always high on drugs. 1970-1971,

Ageing really well from a style perspective. As beautiful now as it was on release. Lovely!

He has a great way of telling the story. Reminds me of my dad; passionate about cars and their engineering. Harry tells it as it is; no-nonsense. That little Lotus Elan shows me how pure and lovely a small and light car can be. The essence of a sportscar. Thank you Colin. And thanks to you Harry. Enjoyed this one.

Superb, Harry, one of the greatest sportscars of all time! I drove my brother's Sprint around Donington GP circuit flat out in 1994...it really shifted! 😱

Constructed by a genius! It's really fun to watch this car driven on wonderful britsh countryside roads. Thanks for sharing.

The greatest thing about cars of this era is the lightness and the agility. Also, the purity and sheer pleasure of driving get us a smile on our face. It's the complete opposite of how modern cars feel. It's okay when you are looking for safety and comfort, but this 'the more, the bigger the better' comes to an end when you are looking for pure joy and fun. This little tool is such an effective antidote to any kind of boredom that every car enthusiast must and will love it. Fantastic video again, Harry!

I love how you can effortlessly turn the wheel at 4:38 with the car stationary and with no power steering to help. Takes me back to my Austin/Rover Mini days. Lightness and compactness, unlike today. Another great video Harry, many thanks.

I experienced the joy of owning an Elise a few years ago such an involving car; an adventure in every drive. I recently purchased a Mazda ND 1,500, the last brand new one in Australia I'm told, sadly now discontinued I thoroughly enjoy it and have to say while it is different from my Elise in certain ways, it's thrilling to drive. I would have an Elan in a heartbeat.

What a beautiful little machine! I love it when you can hear everything!

Brilliant stuff Harry, thank you. Two pictures on my bedroom wall in 1969. The fold out Lotus sales leaflet with the Elan on it which I got when my dad took me to the Motor show and Diana Rigg as Emma Peel. These were the two loves of my life aged 11. It seems a lifetime away now.

Thanks for sharing this.....the closest to understanding an Elan without actually seeing one or getting in one. The images of it next to the Yaris really explain its size so well. I'd click 10 likes if I could.

Fanstastic car, fantastic episode. And you know what? I don't think I've ever seen Harry happier driving one of his cars. Good lord though - the picture with the Elan and Yaris from the rear, were it a thumbnail for the video you'd think it was a clickbait photoshop job.

Thank you Harry. A fantastic video. I have owned my Elan Sprint since March 1985. Your video shows exactly why I still own my wonderful Elan.

Thank you so much Harry for this absolute gem of a review giving one a sense of how it is to own one of these brilliant little cars. I grew up with my Dad's 71 S4 Elan FHC and have had my 69 S4 DHC for 4 yrs-I second everything Harry described much more eloquently than I could have. The feel of a Lotus is unique and once these cars get under your skin, nothing else will do. We have been having very cold days in Virginia recently and I haven't driven my car for 2 weeks and was unable to start it this am- cranked over but didn't really fire. Checked several things as one does, changed the plugs and put in a new rotor- put the battery on a charger for a couple of hours while I watched Harry's video. Came out to the garage and she started right up! Harry the magician with the timely video to get me going. As an aside I am replacing the battery-even though its a strong one it is about 8yrs old so its time. Cheers Harry-absolutely love this channel with the best, most intelligent reviews from the ultimate enthusiast.

Colin Chapman’s maxim of “Simplicate and add more lightness” shines! How refreshing to revisit and compare with the bloated cars of today.

Having been a child of the E-type and currently owning a concourse XK 4.2 convertible I must say that I would love and have always loved the lotus elan, take my hat off Harry, I salute you with a dram in hand, I am a Chapman and proud 👌👍

This is all you need to enjoy the UK's roads.....so pure, so alive, so perfect. You can keep your supercars, this is pure motoring. Best of all, it actually fits our country roads! Harry, when you stand next to it , (being tall), it looks like a pedal car, and yet you have plenty of room in it.

What a car! Lotus at it's 60's best! I love the small mods you've done to make the car pin sharp. Excellent video.

What a little beast that car is! The way it eats up the road even in the wet is unreal, even more so if you come to think how narrow those tires are. Also, the fact that is faster to 60 than something with 3 times the amount of cylinders is incredible! Really nice car and review, I think is one the best reviews I have seen.

Great video Harry, you bring to life just how exciting a car it is. And you can actually use it as intended on the road, unlike today's 500+bhp computers. Love the way the rev counter flaps around when you're pressing on - classic Lotus!

I built one from a kit, saving 45% Purchase Tax at the time! The fastest cross country car on the road and it used to do 40mpg on a trip (mine was an S4 with Stromberg carbs). The biggest snag was the rear disks hung inside the struts (towards the centre of the car) instead of inside the wheels, got wet immediately and did not dry out quickly, so wet braking was pretty scary. It was so light the disks barely got warm enough to dry the pads, so the front wheels locked up too easily. Lovely report thanks Harry, takes me back in time.

The quality that Harry brings to the automotive world is beyond words.

Loved my Lotus Elan Sprint! Its only archilles heel was those bloody rotten rubber donuts driveshafts!! Thanks to technology we have replacement solid driveshaft ones now!! Nice one Harry!

Many years back there was a Cosworth BDA powered kevlar bodied Lotus Elan race car in Western Australia. An absolute weapon, I remember it starting a race from the back of the starting grid of about 20 cars only to be in front in about 3 laps, before starting to lap the back markers. A trip to the drag strip netted a flat 11 second quarter mile. Awesomeness.

Love hearing all the mechanical bits and whatever else wants to be heard.

I have been madly in love with the Elan for 52 years. I was fortunate to have a coupe in my fiberglass shop for repair, about a year. The owner said "take your time", famous last words. I occasionally drove it around the block and then when my shop moved 100 miles, I drove it to the new location. Yours is perfect, with a great exhaust note.

Love the mechanical rifle bolt gearchange, had the same in my Elite, lacking in modern sports cars and a thing we will never see again.

That sound is addictive! It does make one yearn for the old days when cars were truly light and tossable, yet as you've shown not the safest car to drive. My SAAB Sonnet was like this in that there was very little protection. I'll hold on to my NA generation MX-5 as its the closest modern car to this. Hold on to this as long as you can Harry! Its beautiful. Cheers!

I owned a 1967 S/E which was apparently Colin Chapman's favourite. No bulges on the bonnet or wheel arches, and not much slower than the Sprint. I had it 18 years and finally sold it for more than 5 times what I had paid. Only major mod was removal of the doughnuts on the drive shafts. It was one of the better conversions and improved the gearchange dramatically, and surprisingly the ride, although I also fitted Konis all round (the standard shocks were only good for about 10,000 miles). I was lucky to get the right parts to install an alternator.

Thank Goodness it was Cold so we can See the the car with the Top Up! It looks great! Most people on these channels Think because the car is a convertible; the Top MUST be down/off! I for one, love driving with the Top Up and the Windows Down! I love the Look and Feel of the canvas! Thanks Harry. Namaste!!!!

Tremendous review, Harry, as always. Good lord that Elan is the epitome of driving purity. Beautiful machine, thanks for sharing with us.

I've got the Japanese copycat of this car and I can now see why there's so much hype about lightweight British roadsters. If I were trying to convert someone to a gearhead, a car like the Elan is what I would have them drive. This thing must have melted faces back in the day with its acceleration and handling combined with the open-air experience. Beautiful machine.

When I was 17, I got to drive an Elan Sprint on the roads around Mid-Ohio. Consequently, I now own an NA Miata... Not the same, but as close as one can get at the moment.

A pure and simple drivers car. I always wanted one back when they were new but could never afford one. Beautiful car.

One of my favourites too, A friend had two Elan kits which four of us built over a weekend and he drove back to his RAF camp on the Monday, after those to he got a Sprint ready built, Great cars. great memories. Thanks Harry.

I can't help but appreciate this channels content. Harry's commentary, and explanation of the cars experience and charm, makes me appreciate and lust for older cars. It makes me appreciate the feel and sensation these cars offers, rather than focusing on a spec sheet!

Nice car. Makes me glad to own my '97 Miata.

The first thing I do whenever Harry puts up a video, I give it a 👍,then I sit back and enjoy.

Harry, have you ever thought of installing a garage lift? A lift would be awesome for your car walk-arounds to show and explain chassis and suspension components in detail, providing an additional dimension to your great presentations!

I've always admired the Lotus when i got into the motortrade in 76 , such a sweet design and a usable vehicle. Also as a bodywork / painter love the colour combinations Lotus put togeter.

What a great car love that engine and you can’t beat a busy axle,nice to see the reference to Jim Clark brilliant driver, cheers Harry for the video. More on your car collection please 👍🚗

Absolute simple automotive perfection! How marvellous that it’s never been bettered. Thanks for sharing Harry 👍

It is an amazing car. I always loved these cars, it's a purest sport car lover's dream. It's art, engineering, style, and a great car, thanks Harry.

Awesome review Mr. M. In the early noughties I worked as a program manager at Hethel (as a GM liaison) on the VX220 program. I worked for Mark Vinnels (of MP4-12C fame at McLaren). This video has made me a little ashamed that I didn't appreciate the time more. Great Car. Great review (as they all are)!

These were the first car I ever wanted as a boy, and seeing this video has made me want one all over again. I wanted the paint job that was on his first one. It is still a fantastic looking car and still able to embarrass supposedly superior cars. Chapman was so demanding in weight saving and when you see what a giant killer this is, you see his point. I’ve be fortunate enough to drive the Elise, which is possibly the Sprint’s grandson and absolutely loved it, but I think I’d love this even more. A hero that wouldn’t disappoint if you meet it! Very good video, thanks!

What a wonderful little car! Has so much character and looks so much fun 👍

Really lovely. Wasn’t this the inspiration in many ways for the Mazda Mx5 Miata…. Its so nice to see these cars instead of the bloated over sized over powered electronic excess of today’s sports cars and super cars. I wish we could go back to those simpler times…

700 kilos is crazy light, but throws into perspective how much of an achievement the current 4th gen MX-5 is- just over 1058 kilos in soft top form and still meets modern regulations.

A friend of mine had one of these, a 72 Elan. I borrowed it as often as possible as it was the most fun, I ever had the privilege of driving. In this exact colour as well!

Harry keeps mentioning the damp conditions, yet he keeps on it at what looks like a pretty fast pace. Meanwhile he talking like crazy, and gesturing like an Italian. I love him!

Love this review, what a fantastic little car and it looks pukka in yellow. Highlights what a proper drivers car is all about. Would like to see a review of the new MX-5 to follow this up due to it being the modern equivalent and designed with the same ethos. Great work Harry

Thank you, Harry. Lovely too see the Elan out and about and great to hear your knowledge and seemingly undiminushed enthusiasm! How wonderful too to have a car that's featured in in one form or another in most of your adult life. A very enjoyable snapshot of the car's life. Another watch is in order I feel!

Thank you, Harry, for producing this review of your Elan. I saw my first Elan (series 3) in 1975. It was love at first sight and to this day I long to own and drive one. This video is the best and most in-depth I have seen. Even my wife and son stayed interested through it!

That's a happy man there. Great video Harry.

Thank you Harry for this great review of the Elan. I am lucky enough to own a 1965 S2 Elan and I can only echo your thoughts of this brilliant little sports car. It really does put a smile on my face every time I drive it as it connects with the driver in a way that no other modern car does in my view.

One of my all time favorite cars. It amazed me back in the 90's when Mazda made a great job of recreating the Elan then Lotus themselves tried but failed abysmally. The gear change reminds me of my days with MK1 and 2 escorts which also had gear sticks screwed directly into the gearbox.

OMG. What a beautiful car!! I am completely in love with everything about it. Its delicacy. Its astonishing performance. Its beautiful handling. The experience of travelling in it. The gear change. The noise. It’s amazing. I love it!

looks and sounds far better than any current modern offerings - a timeless classic all in proportion and relative to its function. You are so lucky to have one in your collection.

Dianna Rigg in Lotus Elan - my idea of heaven.

Superb review again, they are such a fun and unique experience and way ahead of their time. I am trying to sell a Sprint for a customer that has owned it since 1981 and all people look at are minor flaws in the paintwork, they need to drive it. Hopefully there will be some anniversary events this year.

Of all the cars in his garage and all the cars he tests, this is the one I’d pick

Pure bliss. And I’ve only watched the first half so far ....

Still a stunningly beautiful car and a wonderful driving experience. Thanks for sharing Harry 👍

Great review Harry, and what a great little car, I remember years ago back in the mid 1970's my boss had one and some times he would let me use it to collect parts locally but I am afraid I always took the long way round and came back with a big silly smile on my face (at the time my car was a Vauxhall Viva) but my boss didn't seem to mind. I love the fact that yours is not a pampered car, never used unless the sun is shining and there is absolutely no chance of rain.

Love this Harry, this car is now on the 'want' list as a car to own before I'm 50!

I got taken out for a burn in a tin top one of these in 79 and it was phenomenal. Thanks for the reminder

Great video Harry - love the photos - the Elan looks great & then when you see it next to other modern day cars you can’t quite believe how small it looks! #pocketrocket

Great review Harry. I had an S4 SE for 7 years and loved the steering precision. I got the head modified to the big valve set up. When the chassis needed replacement I got a spyder spaceframe fitted (like yours I think) It increased the cabin noise greatly which was the only downside. Bought it for £1850 and sold it for £9000. The only car I've ever made money on!

Hi Harry,I had an Elan S130+2 back in the late 70's which I absolutely loved.

Harry, again, reminds us of the specialness of Chapman era Lotus’s… So many good comments, great!

I had a Europa twin cam back in the day, all it lacked was the Elan gear change. Best fun I ever have had in a car, and surprisingly reliable, had a valve conversation done on it by Vegantune in Spalding - that was to prevent oil going down the guides. Great to see this one getting a work out. Next one to be send for cosmetics perhaps. ? 😀

Fantastic Harry ! I loved the gear change on my Esprit S1 but this sounds even better with that direct linkage. Definitely want to add one of these to my Garage when I can.

That Elan is such a weapon!! No joke i can definitely see it run circles around my 2012 V6 Honda Accord Coupe all day long and not break a sweat at all! 👍

That brought back memories of driving down my "test route" and the noise, balance, snickety snick of working the magical mechanics which brought more driving pleasure than any giant of the time makes your channel so appreciated. Thank you.

Thumbs up! Fantastic episode, still remember the EVO diary one with your little yellow Elan Sprint.. I wonder if you'd fancy making a video on the Elan +2. I am from Czech Republic, so quite far away, otherwise would proudly borrow to the test my one ( a red 1967 early Elan +2, the series still with Alfa Romeo (Carello) rear lights and interior with toggle switches) . +2 is an interesting Elan, it is much wider and longer, but as good proportioned as the little Elan and i wonder what would be your thoughts on this car. There aren't many video reviews on Elan +2 on youtube...

OMG i have been waiting for this video for such a long time! Im building my own Lotus Elan myself as I cant afford a real one at the moment, and would love insight into Harry's. Thanks!

Great car. You can definitely see the influence the Elan had on the designers at Mazda who did the MX-5.

Nice video H. Your first Elan video is still one of my favourites.