THE NEW TYPE 50 WAS NAMED SIMPLY THE LOTUS +2

A road-going racing car focused for pure driving pleasure, the +2 was for the discerning motorist who wanted renowned Lotus road-holding coupled to an attractive two plus two body. As Colin Chapman grew older, he continued to say that he designed cars which he wanted to drive, and the new Type 50, the Lotus +2, represented a more, family-orientated version of the sporting Elan, and a definite move up-market. The main purpose of the +2 was to accommodate in an extra pair of seats for children, or possibly adults on short trips.

A lengthened version of familiar front and rear back-bone chassis arrangement of the original Elan was retained for the +2.

To push the car upmarket, make it more luxurious and improve quality, all +2 S, S130 and S130/5 cars, would be fully factory built and assembled. Lotus promotional material concentrated on the comfort and safety aspects of the new model rather than the previously lauded ‘performance’ aspects of a Lotus car. The Hethel factory could build 20 Elan +2 cars a week and sales figures were strong. The +2 opened Lotus up to a new clientele that would stay with the company for many years to come.

Taking its place alongside vehicles costing twice the price, the +2S 130 has all the design experience and engineering integrity that you would expect from a manufacturer with World Championship traditions.

BODYWORK
BODY TYPE 2+2 seater fixed-head coupé
NUMBER OF DOORS 2
DESIGNER
DIMENSIONS & WEIGHTS
WHEELBASE 2438 mm 96 inches
TRACK/TREAD (FRONT) 1372 mm 54 inches
TRACK/TREAD (REAR) 1397 mm 55 inches
LENGTH 4293 mm 169 inches
WIDTH 1676 mm 66 inches
HEIGHT 1194 mm 47 inches
GROUND CLEARANCE 152 mm 6 inches
LENGTH:WHEELBASE RATIO 1.76
KERB WEIGHT 865 kg 1907 lb
WEIGHT DISTRIBUTION
FUEL TANK CAPACITY 59.1 litres 13 [15.6] UK [US] gal.
AERODYNAMICS
DRAG COEFFICIENT
FRONTAL AREA
CDA
POWERTRAIN
ENGINE TYPE naturally aspirated petrol
ENGINE MANUFACTURER Lotus
ENGINE CODE
CYLINDERS Straight 4
CAPACITY 1.6 litre
1558 cc
(95.075 cu in)
BORE × STROKE
82.57 × 72.75 mm
3.25 × 2.86 in
BORE/STROKE RATIO 1.13

VALVE GEAR double overhead camshaft (DOHC)
2 valves per cylinder
8 valves in total
MAXIMUM POWER OUTPUT
(DIN) 120 PS (118 bhp) (88 kW)
at 6000 rpm
MAXIMUM TORQUE
(DIN) 146 Nm (108 ft·lb) (14.9 kgm)
at 4000 rpm
SPECIFIC OUTPUT
(DIN) 56.5 kW/litre
76.8 ps/litre
75.7 bhp/litre
1.24 bhp/cu in
SPECIFIC TORQUE
(DIN) 93.71 Nm/litre
1.13 ft·lb/cu3
ENGINE CONSTRUCTION
SUMP wet sumped
COMPRESSION RATIO 9.5:1
FUEL SYSTEM 2 Weber 40 DCOE carburettors
BMEP (BRAKE MEAN EFFECTIVE PRESSURE) 1177.6 kPa (170.8 psi)
MAXIMUM RPM
CRANKSHAFT BEARINGS
ENGINE COOLANT Water
UNITARY CAPACITY 389.5 cc
ASPIRATION Normal
COMPRESSOR N/A
INTERCOOLER None
CATALYTIC CONVERTER N
PERFORMANCE
ACCELERATION 0-80KM/H (50MPH) 6.4 s
ACCELERATION 0-60MPH 8.4 s
ACCELERATION 0-100KM/H
ACCELERATION 0-160KM/H (100MPH) 24.2 s
STANDING QUARTER-MILE 16.4 s
STANDING KILOMETRE
MAXIMUM SPEED 196 km/h (122 mph)
POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO Higher is better
138.31 PS/tonne (1000 kg)
0.14 PS/kg
101.73 kW/tonne (1000 kg)
0.1 kW/kg
136.42 bhp/tonne (1000 kg)
0.14 bhp/kg
0.06 bhp/lb
WEIGHT-TO-POWER RATIO Lower is better
9.83 kg/kW
16.42 lb/bhp
FUEL CONSUMPTION
FUEL CONSUMPTION
UNIVERSAL FUEL CONSUMPTION (CALCULATED FROM THE ABOVE)
LITRES/100KM
KM/LITRE
UK MPG
US MPG
CARBON DIOXIDE EMISSIONS

CARFOLIO CALCULATED CO2 ?

VED BAND (UK)
CO2 EFFIZIENZ (DE)
CHASSIS
ENGINE POSITION front
ENGINE LAYOUT longitudinal
DRIVE WHEELS rear wheel drive
TORQUE SPLIT N/A
STEERING rack & pinion
TURNS LOCK-TO-LOCK 2.500
TURNING CIRCLE 10.70 m
FRONT SUSPENSION I.W.CS.ARB.
REAR SUSPENSION I.LW.ChmnS.
WHEEL SIZE FRONT 5½ x 13
WHEEL SIZE REAR 5½ x 13
TYRES FRONT 165 x 13
TYRES REAR 165 x 13
BRAKES F/R Di/Di-S
FRONT BRAKE DIAMETER 254 mm
REAR BRAKE DIAMETER 254 mm
BRAKED AREA 2155 cm2
GEARBOX 5 speed manual