1961 Lotus Elite Super 100

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Every once in a while, a car comes along that makes even the most seasoned enthusiast pause, smile, and whisper: “Wow.” The 1961 Lotus Elite Super 100 is precisely that sort of car. And the one we’re talking about today? It’s not just any Elite Super 100—it is the first one ever built, a fact officially confirmed in Dennis Ortenburger’s definitive book on the model. In the world of Lotus, that’s the equivalent of holding the very first draft of Shakespeare’s Hamlet.

The Lotus Elite Type 14, introduced in 1957, was already a groundbreaking machine. Peter Kirwan-Taylor’s sleek design, aided by Frank Costin’s aerodynamic genius, stunned crowds at the London Motor Show. Its fiberglass monocoque construction—an audacious departure from traditional chassis engineering—made it light, stiff, and futuristic. And then came the Super 100. Built in tiny numbers (only five in total), this wasn’t just an Elite with a few tweaks. It was the distilled essence of Chapman’s philosophy: simplicity, lightness, and racing pedigree all rolled into one.

This particular Elite Super 100 looks almost too good to be true. Its condition is superb—utterly original, authentic down to the smallest detail, and clearly cherished by careful owners who understood what they had. It feels like stepping back into 1961, when sports car racing was raw, glamorous, and sometimes a little dangerous. And speaking of racing: from new, this car was immersed in motorsport. It carries with it not just a history, but a legend written on tracks across Europe.

Technically, the Super 100 was a fascinating creature. Under its sculpted bonnet sat a 1.2-liter Coventry FWE engine, but with important upgrades: twin Weber carburetors feeding fuel with eager precision, a special exhaust manifold that made it sing at high revs, and a ZF gearbox for crisp, reliable shifting—far superior to the fragile units of earlier Elites. To keep it planted and stylish, it wore Borrani wheels, lightweight and elegant, the sort of rolling jewelry only the Italians could provide. And because this was a machine for endurance racing, it came with a long-distance fuel tank and a Monza filler cap, the kind of detail that makes purists grin from ear to ear.

Now imagine it: you’re at Le Mans in the early sixties. The night is dark, headlights streak down the Mulsanne straight, and in the mix is this very car. Lightweight, aerodynamic, efficient—an underdog fighting giants, yet often winning its class. That’s the true spirit of Lotus, and the Elite Super 100 embodies it perfectly.

Only five were ever built. This is the first. That’s a sentence you don’t get to say very often. When you stand in front of it, you’re not just looking at a car—you’re looking at history, engineering daring, and human passion crystallized in fiberglass and aluminum. The Lotus Elite Super 100 is more than a machine. It is a story, and one of the greatest stories in motorsport’s golden age.