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Lotus Elan Tire Pressures

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To find tires for your Lotus Elan see our Lotus Elan Tires page.

• Tire pressure for a Lotus Elan ranges from 18-34 PSI depending on the specific model, the type of tires that you decide to fit, and pressure differences for front and rear tires.
• To find the ideal tire pressures for your car's year, model, and chosen tires follow the link to our Tire Pressure Guide.

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• The Lotus Elan originally fitted 520X13 Goodyear crossply tires or a 145R13 radial. We recommend the 145HR13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 as the ideal Lotus Elan tire. Later models fitted 155 HR 13 Michelin XAS FF and 165 HR 13 Michelin XAS FF tires.
• To find out more information on Lotus Elan tires follow the link to our Lotus Elan Tire Section.

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• •Route Borrani Wire Wheels were and still are an optional upgrade for the Lotus Elan, for more information follow the link to view our Borrani Wire Wheel Section.

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The Lotus Elan

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The Lotus Elan was the first Lotus road vehicle with a steel backbone chassis and a fibreglass body. For over three decades, this manner of construction would be reproduced in successive Lotus models. The Elan incorporated Colin Chapman's design philosophy of lightweight cars, weighing roughly 680 kg. The Elan had a 1,558 cc motor, disc brakes on all wheels, and rack and pinion steering. The Elan also featured four-wheel independent suspension. Gordon Murray, the McLaren F1 supercar's designer, allegedly stated that his sole disappointment with the McLaren F1 was that he could not provide it with the faultless handling of the Lotus Elan!

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Lotus Elan Tires

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Lotus Elan 1500s

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The first Lotus Elan 1500s were equipped with 520X13 Goodyear crossply tires with a 145R13 radial option. They switched to 145R13 Dunlop SP41 radials as standard in 1964. Then, in the spring of 1965, Lotus switched to Goodyear G800 tires. For these early automobiles, the 145HR13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CA67 is the ideal tire to fit today. The Michelin 13CG innertube is the best tube for tires in this size.

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Elan SE & Plus 2

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The Lotus Elan SE from 1969 was equipped with 155x13 tires. A 155 HR 13 Michelin XAS FF is among the finest tires in this size available today, and is perfect for the Lotus Elan SE. If you have a Lotus Elan Plus 2, the original 165x13 tire was installed; the best option today is the 165 VR 13 Cinturato CN36. Michelin 13D innertubes are ideally suited to 155 R13 and 165 R13 tires.

If you wanted a larger tire, the 175/70 VR 13 PIRELLI CINTURATO CN36 is the best option. An Elan, on the other hand, will handle better with its original tire size.

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Michelin XAS FF

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The Michelin XAS FF was the first tire to feature asymmetric technology. This asymmetric carcass and tread pattern allows for much better handling, particularly on light sports cars of the Elan's period. With The Elan already famed for its nimble handling, an asymmetric tire such as the Michelin XAS will no doubt provide an excellent driving experience.

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Lotus Elan Innertubes

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Innertubes are not required for most radial tires, however they might be a better alternative than going tubeless. Also, if you have wire wheels fitted to your Elan then innertubes must be fitted.

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Lotus Elan Borrani Wheels

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Borrani is a producer and supplier of the greatest wire wheels in the industry, handcrafting wheels for many well-known carmakers such as Ferrari, Maserati, and Lotus.  Borrani wheels are hand-crafted in Italy,  composed of their unique alloys, which are up to 25% lighter than steel wire wheels, while preserving the requisite strength and looking better than any other wheels on the market. Borrani creates a one-of-a-kind wire wheel set for the Lotus Elan!

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History of the Lotus Elan

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The Lotus Elan made its debut at the London Motor Show in October 1962. The automobile created quite a commotion, and as a consequence, enthusiastic would-be consumers signed on the dotted line to be placed on a waiting list to purchase their very own Lotus Elan. They didn't get their automobile until May of the following year, when the first Lotus Elan rolled off the assembly line. The automobile was priced at £1499.00 in its whole, or £1095 in its half kit form.

The Lotus Elan had a foldable steel backbone structure with a lightweight fibreglass body shell. The vehicle was powered by a 1558cc twin-cam engine that was a modification of the new Ford Anglia motor. The Lotus Elan later received a power bump in the shape of a 1596cc engine. The Lotus Elan provided excellent road grip and driver delight without the harsh rough ride found in other two-seater sports cars of the time. This was also true with the Lotus Elan Series 2.