▁manufact ure ▁was ▁handed ▁over ▁to ▁Br istol ▁Aer op lane ▁Company . ▁ ▁The ▁result ant ▁body ▁was ▁l ighter , ▁st iffer , ▁and ▁provided ▁better ▁driver ▁protection ▁in ▁the ▁event ▁of ▁a ▁crash . ▁Still , ▁a ▁full ▁understanding ▁of ▁the ▁engineering ▁qual ities ▁of ▁fib reg lass - re in for ced ▁pl astic ▁was ▁still ▁several ▁years ▁off ▁and ▁the ▁susp ension ▁attachment ▁points ▁were ▁regularly ▁observed ▁to ▁pull ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁fib reg lass ▁structure . ▁The ▁weight ▁sav ings ▁allowed ▁the ▁El ite ▁to ▁achieve ▁sports ▁car ▁performance ▁from ▁a ▁ 7 5   hp ▁( 5 5   k W ) ▁ 1 2 1 6   cc ▁Cov entry ▁Cl im ax ▁F WE ▁all - al umin ium ▁straight - 4 ▁engine ▁while ▁returning ▁fuel ▁consumption ▁of ▁. ▁All ▁production ▁Lot us ▁El ites ▁were ▁power ed ▁by ▁the ▁F WE ▁engine , ▁except ▁for ▁one ▁that ▁was ▁fitted ▁with ▁the ▁newly ▁developed ▁Lot us - F ord ▁T win ▁Cam ▁engine . ▁The ▁F WE ▁engine , ▁derived ▁from ▁a ▁water ▁p ump ▁engine ▁usually ▁found ▁bol ted ▁to ▁a ▁fire ▁tr uck , ▁was ▁used ▁by ▁Lucas ▁Electric ▁for ▁elect rical ▁component ▁life ▁testing ▁in ▁the ▁presence ▁of ▁inten se ▁v ibration . ▁ ▁The ▁car ▁had ▁independent ▁susp ension ▁all ▁round ▁with ▁trans verse ▁wish b ones ▁at ▁the ▁front ▁and ▁Chap man ▁str uts ▁at ▁the ▁rear . ▁The ▁rear ▁str uts ▁were ▁so ▁long , ▁that ▁they ▁pok