ite ' s ▁striking ▁shape ▁was ▁designed ▁by ▁Oliver ▁Winter bottom . ▁He ▁is ▁quoted ▁as ▁saying ▁that ▁the ▁basic ▁ch ass is ▁and ▁susp ension ▁layout ▁were ▁designed ▁by ▁Col in ▁Chap man , ▁making ▁the ▁El ite ▁and ▁its ▁sister ▁design ▁the ▁E cl at ▁the ▁last ▁Lot us ▁road ▁cars ▁to ▁have ▁significant ▁design ▁input ▁from ▁Chap man ▁himself . ▁ ▁El ites ▁were ▁available ▁in ▁ 4 ▁main ▁specification ▁variations , ▁ 5 0 1 , ▁ 5 0 2 , ▁ 5 0 3 , ▁and ▁later ▁on ▁ 5 0 4 . ▁▁▁ 5 0 1 ▁- ▁` Base ' ▁version . ▁▁ 5 0 2 ▁- ▁Added ▁air - condition ing ▁to ▁the ▁base ▁model . ▁▁ 5 0 3 ▁- ▁Added ▁air - condition ing ▁and ▁power - ste ering . ▁▁ 5 0 4 ▁- ▁Added ▁air - condition ing , ▁power - ste ering ▁and ▁automatic ▁transmission . ▁ ▁The ▁El ite ▁was ▁the ▁basis ▁for ▁the ▁E cl at , ▁and ▁the ▁later ▁Excel ▁ 2 + 2 ▁coup és . ▁ ▁Although ▁larger ▁and ▁more ▁lux ur ious ▁than ▁previous ▁Lot us ▁road ▁cars , ▁the ▁El ite ▁and ▁É cl at ▁are ▁relatively ▁light , ▁with ▁ker b ▁weights ▁not ▁much ▁over ▁. ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 0 ▁the ▁Type ▁ 7 5 ▁was ▁replaced ▁by ▁the ▁El ite ▁Mark ▁ 2 ▁Type ▁ 8 3 . ▁This ▁version ▁received ▁a ▁larger ▁ ▁Lot us ▁ 9 1