Twist the key and the engine emits a bark that is uncharacteristic for the normally muted Zetec lump. If anything it's a bit OTT which Andy freely admits but adds that it's easily quietened. The MT75 has Spyder's own gearchange mechanism which works with slick precision to engage the gears and the pedals are smooth and well weighted for an easy take off. On the move, Spax's substitute coilspring damper units deliver a ride of communicative civility but the true revelation comes when you press the throttle. The roads surrounding Spyder's fenland base are fantastic for a car such as this even in the wet. Long, long, straights slicing across flat, open landscape with occasional left, right flick as the road darts across the dykes that irrigate the agricultural plain. Like all 16-valves, maximum power chimes in well up the rev range but it comes with a seamless and uniform delivery that takes it from rest to the red line every time. 0 - 60 is quoted at under 6 seconds with a top end of over 130 mph. It's down to that slippery shape again as well as the torque which through reaching its peak delivery at  5,290 rpm, is giving the vast majority of it from 2,000 right up to 6,000 rpm such that the combination of open, traffic free roads and a willing engine allow you to run to the red right up the box.

Steering too is pin sharp and full of feel, the only drawback to it being a pretty restricted lock. Andy tells me it's a standard feature of the +2 that owners just get used to. It didn't really bother me either especially as the rest of its repertoire is so impressive. Tipped into a turn it weights up really nicely and has a beautifully fluid action that promotes very smooth maneuvers. Brakes are brilliant. Actually, the +2 was the first Lotus to be fitted with a brake servo as standard; ironic since the Spyder conversion doesn't have one but braking effort is fine and reaction is arresting, progressive and endlessly confidence inspiring especially as the majority of my drive was in the pouring rain. A good set of Yokos added to the wet weather arsenal and Spyder's suspension geometry certainly creates oodles of mechanical grip such that, even with spirited use, the car never felt anything but totally under control.

Despite the misery of the weather, I thoroughly enjoyed this car and can see it doing rather well, It will be obvious interest to Lotus enthusiasts and owners but will also have an appeal for a whole new generation of +2 fanciers. Personally, I have little experience of the Elan or +2. I have driven a couple of them but they were always less than perfect examples and consequently never performed at their best. Even so, in driving this car, the really strong impression is that it feels so utterly up to date whilst offering a degree of comfort, refinement and civility that few other kits can match. Price wise it's also competitive with anything else you might buy and build from scratch and there are plenty of donors to choose from. And if you want to make sure you get as decent a car as you can, Andy Widnall is always on hand to either supply or advise on suitable cars and if you happen to live abroad, left-hand drive is no problem either. Spyder Engineering is a well established name that has earned great respect in the specialist car world both for its own cars as well as the chassis designs it has created for others. The +2 conversion is another visionary project that will provide cracking sports cars that will still look good in another thirty years.

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Kit-Car September 2002