Lotus Élan Hard Top

Lotus Élan - 319

page last updated: 22 February 2007

319

D I E - C A S T S C A L E M O D E L S

P L A Y C R A F T T O Y S L T D - L O N D O N

LOTUS ÉLAN

HARD TOP

The red one, I think, is a 319 Élan, the box which came with it is repro so that doesn't prove anything. Van Cleemput's book says that 319 is Green & Yellow same as Gift Set 37 - Lotus Racing Team Set. No matter it is essentially the same car. However it is NOT the same as 318 Lotus Élan. That is a drop top with an opening bonnet, this is a hard-top with a detachable chassis. Same car, different toy.

It's about colour. If you follow the link below to diecast.plus.com you will see this car in blue with a white top and some pictures of my car in red with a white top. The picture in the Great Book of Corgi is of a green car with a yellow top and a yellow racing stripe. In the same book GS 37 has two cars. The hardtop is yellow with a green top and a green racing stripe, the open version is again green with a yellow stripe. I don't know, but I'm tempted to think that stripes mean Lotus Racing Team Gift Set, and no stripes means solo model no. 319. Which means the photo in plate 395 of the GBoC is the wrong toy.

I've added a shot of a real Élan taken at the 2006 NEC Classic Car Show for comparison. I've also added some shots of the detachable chassis. The one on the left shows the clip mechanism and the one on the right shows the excellent engine detail.