Lotus Elite

Lotus Elite Type 75, 1974–1982 Not the 1950s Elite coupe but its very different successor: proof that a shooting brake can come from a company famous for featherweight two-seaters. Oliver Winterbottom designed the striking wedge, a four-seater with a glass rear hatch over the cargo area and the 1,973 cc Lotus 907 four-cylinder up front. Only 2,535 were made, and the Elite went on to become the basis for the Eclat. It suits a reader who wants a bold 1970s design with room for four people and their bags; like any Lotus of the period, it rewards a buyer with a good specialist nearby.