1961 Lotus Elite Mk. 14 #38 Pilots: W. E. J. Allen, T. Taylor Team: Lotus Engineering Race: 12th overall (1st in GT 1.3 class) at Le Mans in 1961 Spark - S8205 (resin)
Published 09/22/23
Designed by Colin Chapman, the Lotus Elite came out in 1957. Also called the Mk. 14 / Type XIV, the idea behind the Elite was to make a light and nimble car. The Elite was unique because it had a radically different fiberglass monocoque body. And covering the monocoque was a stressed-skin GFRP unibody, increasing the car’s rigidity. That construction technique was unheard of at the time. For instance, the Chevrolet Corvette had a fiberglass body over a regular steel chassis. The Elite only had a steel sub-frame to support the engine and front suspension, bonded to the monocoque. All that resulted in a light and rigid body, and even offered better driver protection in case of a crash. Since the body was so light, it didn’t need a big engine. Consequently, Chapman chose the Coventry Climax FWE, a 1216 cm³ all aluminum inline-4 that delivered 56 kW (75 hp).
Though 56 kW doesn’t sound much, on a car that only weighed 503.5 kg (!), that was plenty. Moreover, the Mk. 14 had a very low 0.29 drag coefficient, aiding in final speed and fuel economy. The Mk. 14 could get up to 180 km/h and reach 97 km/h in 11.4 seconds. And with those numbers it had racing potential. So for 1961 Lotus Engineering assembled a racing team and arrived at La Sarthe with two Elite Mk. 14. One of them was the Elite Mk. 14 #38 (chassis #EB 1610), piloted by William E.J. Allen and Trevor Taylor. There were also three other Mk. 14 in that race, in the hands of privateers. Nonetheless, the Elite Mk. 14 #38 managed the best result, finishing in 12th overall. They also came first in class, winning the GT 1.3 class.
In 1:43rd, the Elite Mk. 14 #38 here was previously available from Spark and Ixo. Though you could find the Ixo on eBay, the model is a bit rough, being an old mold. The Spark version on the other hand was much nicer, yet impossible to find. Fortunately in early 2023 Spark reissued the model and I immediately pre-ordered it with my trusty dealer. A few months later it arrived, and I’m glad I didn’t go for the Ixo version. Compared to my 1960 Elite Mk. 14 #44, this is a much better refined model. Well, that was kind of expected, coming from the folks at Spark, and besides, the Ixo is an old mold. Even so, both models are quite similar, apart from the color and finer details, of course. Therefore, if you’re going to get only one, the Mk. 14 #38 is the one to get.