Which Kit page 4

Running a stainless steel exhaust system with an original spec Elan single silencer, the Spyder +2 apparently sounds similar to the Lotus twin-cam. With no sound-proofing in the boot of the test car, it can get a little harsh at certain revs, but an additional cherry bomb silencer can be added for a more subdued note (something we'd opt for in any coupe).

The MT75's remote gear linkage is dumped in the Elan because otherwise the gear stick would sprout out of the tunnel somewhere between the two back seats! Instead, the gearshift is exceptionally direct, with a slight curve to the shift as you move across the gate. It's something you quickly get used to.

Above: Building an updated Spyder Elan would cost in the region of £10,000 about the same as an immaculate original.

first impression is of the steering lock. A trait of all Elans, it's a feature that Spyder has been unable to address without mucking up the steering feel and introducing unwanted bumpsteer. So the limited lock stays put and, to be frank, is soon forgotten. Something we're unlikely to forget is the ride quality. Spyder has deliberately set-up the car for road rather than track use. It is quite possibly one of the most accomplished rides we've come across in the specialist car market - offering superbly natural control with effortless absorption of bumps and sometimes appalling road undulation. Only the low profile nature of the tyres offers any room for criticism, with a slight tendency to camber climb on the more uneven road surfaces. But let's be under no illusion here, this is a top-flight performance, aptly demonstrating Spyder's knowledge of both chassis and suspension design.

With slightly damp roads, now was not the time to push the car to its handling limits, but the Yokohama tyres certainly endow the Elan with prodigious levels of grip and we suspect cornering speeds would be extremely high on dryer roads. Even as it was, the back-end felt utterly stable.

While the Zetec will typically produce just under 160bhp with the standard Jenvey throttle body set-up, when you add in fancy cams and other minor mods you can bump up the figures to 175bhp and a not insubstantial 147lb ft torque. it's this tweeked set-up we have in the demonstrator, backed up with rolling road print-outs to prove it.

Even the tuned Elan 130 only ever developed around 125 bhp (standard cars were just 118bhp), so this is a major hike in performance. Add in the cost factor in having your original Lotus twin-cam rebuilt and the Spyder conversion is a winning formula, whichever way you look at it.

On the road these figures translate into fast rather than earth-shattering performance, peak power delivered at a typically tall 6700rpm. However, contrary to what you might expect, the Elan is a doddle to drive at almost any speed. It never feels especially cammy and you can push on very respectably without resorting to mad dashes up through the revs. Of course, keep the engine well stoked and it's an impressive performer with a typically race inspired soundtrack.