The choice between Emma Peel or Eva Kant can be a complex one. In car form, the choice is even trickier. Alfa Romeo Spider or Lotus Elan? Time to find out.
Clash of the Classics: Lotus Elan vs Alfa Spider.
Back when bowl cuts were cool and Rock music made you a nuisance to the nation, sports cars had performance to match their swept-back looks - with six-pot engines, sturdy gearboxes and nimble handling. Often based on saloons or popular family cars, removing the roof and adding in an extra carburettor was a cost-effective way to produce a good-looking roadster - even if a bit crude.
However, there was a better way to craft an ideal Sportscar, bringing weight loss to the party, alongside elements of touchy handling and high revs. The Alfa Romeo Spider and Lotus Elan are two such vehicles- but which one is better?
Styling and Interior
The Elan may look tiny compared with the Spider, but it’s not a car to be bullied. Holding taut lines and painted bumpers during the decade of chrome work, this little work of art almost appears butch when sat alongside the Italian rival. With the hood up, the Elan doesn’t hold the awkward ‘hunched child in a raincoat’ look like so many roasters do, and genuinely appears to look timeless in any form. Pop up headlights are a cool bonus, but several panels gaps remove the sparkle from its presence.
The Alfa is seen by many as a design classic, the faint peaked crest above the grill and minimalist styling creating a perfectly balanced look straight out of Pininfarina’s Ferrari bravura manual. Its interior supplies comfortable seating with a driving position unlikely to provide disappointment to your future partner. Only the switchgear provides a slight tinge of disappointment, with fragile feeling stalks, switches and windscreen wiper settings that require constant concentration when raining.
The Elan’s interior is no better, with cheap carpet and black vinyl spoiling the elegant look created by the lavish wooden dashboard. The seats do support very well, but you are left to feel the ridges in the seatimg material. The ventilation system is also breathless to the point steamed-up windows take substantial amounts of time to clear.
Power and Handling
The Elan offers exceptional agility and firm grip in tight bends at speeds seemingly impossible to rivals. On a twisting road, very little will keep up with an Elan, let alone catch it. There is a distinct feeling of body roll with the Alfa but don’t think its uncomfortable, it won’t throw you about in any form and offers exquisite balance throughout any driving experience.
When it comes to power it’s almost stalemate, with the Lotus capable of 118mph thanks to 126bhp, while the Alfa can top 119mph from 122bhp. Undertake a straight-line drag race and the Lotus will trounce the Spider by an entire 2.2 seconds. Although the Lotus holds a mere 4bhp over the Alfa Spider, it’s the lack of weight - 321kg less - that helps the Lotus clinch this victory.
Verdict
The Elan is a driver’s treat, with a superb chassis and outright speed that will guarantee surprises. The Alfa revs sweetly and allows easy placement on the road thanks to softly sprung suspension and nimble steering.
If there has to be a winner however, it’s the Elan. Nothing has yet managed to captivate the excitement and reward offered from driving an Elan hard. It mops the floor with modern sports cars - and we would highly recommend one.