▁into ▁the ▁lug g age ▁compart ment . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁front - eng ined ▁with ▁rear ▁wheel ▁drive . ▁The ▁El ite ' s ▁fib reg lass ▁body shell ▁was ▁mounted ▁on ▁a ▁steel ▁back bone ▁ch ass is ▁evol ved ▁from ▁the ▁El an ▁and ▁Europa . ▁It ▁had ▁ 4 - w heel ▁independent ▁susp ension ▁using ▁co il ▁spr ings . ▁The ▁El ite ▁was ▁Lot us ' ▁first ▁car ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁ 9 0 7 ▁al umin ium - block ▁ 4 - val ve , ▁DO HC , ▁four - cy l inder ▁engine ▁that ▁disp la ced ▁ ▁and ▁developed ▁. ▁( The ▁ 9 0 7 ▁engine ▁had ▁previously ▁been ▁used ▁in ▁J ensen - He ale ys .) ▁The ▁ 9 0 7 ▁engine ▁ultimately ▁became ▁the ▁foundation ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 . 0 ▁L ▁and ▁ 2 . 2 ▁L ▁Lot us ▁Es prit ▁power - pl ants , ▁the ▁naturally ▁asp ir ated ▁ 9 1 2 ▁and ▁the ▁tur bo charg ed ▁ 9 1 0 . ▁The ▁El ite ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁a ▁ 4 ▁or ▁ 5 - speed ▁g ear box . ▁Begin ning ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁an ▁automatic ▁transmission ▁was ▁optional . ▁ ▁The ▁El ite ▁had ▁a ▁claimed ▁drag ▁co - efficient ▁of ▁ 0 . 3 0 ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁time ▁of ▁launch ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁world ' s ▁most ▁expensive ▁four - cy l inder ▁car . ▁The ▁El