Click above for high-res gallery of the Elfin Type 5 Clubman

Fans of the original Lotus 7 will undoubtedly be familiar with Elfin. Others who, like Lotus itself, have come to realize that automotive development has advanced in the past few decades, may be less so. The Australian sportscar-maker is right up there with the likes of Caterham and Westfield, only from the land of reverse-flushing toilettes and leaf-eating marsupials. The company is under the care of Tom Walkinshaw, a legend in the motorsports and tuning communities who has leveraged his close ties with GM's Holden subsidiary for the vehicle you see here, called the Type 5 Clubman. Replacing the discontinued Type 3, the new Type 5 joins the line-up alongside the MS8 Streamliner and was recently unveiled at the ongoing Sydney Motor Show.

The new roadster features the same 260-hp turbo four from the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline, only in a much lighter frame of just 750kg (about 1,650 lbs). The combination of generous power and low weight means the Type 5 is pegged to hit 100 km/h (62mph) in a rapid 3.7 seconds while commanding a sticker price comparable Down Under to a Nissan 350Z or Mazda RX-8, only without frivolities like a roof or doors.

Gallery: Elfin Type 5 Clubman

Australia's Eflin debuts Type 5 Clubman in Sydney originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Known internally as the Type 5, the new vehicle is targeted at the likes of the Lotus Elise and Ariel Atom as an open-air track-car. Power will come from the turbocharged four in the Pontiac Solstice GXP and Saturn Sky Redline, packaged in a completely new chassis with styling penned by sister company HSV's design studio. Pricing, released along with the design sketch you see above, is pegged at AUS $65,000 (approximately $63k in today's devalued American greenbacks). That's significantly less than a supercharged Elise, but with more power and even less weight, which sources suggest should allow it to hit sixty in a scant 3.7 seconds. We'll be watching closely to bring you the latest once the Elfin Type 5, or whatever Tom Walkinshaw's outfit chooses to call the vehicle, makes its anticipated debut down under sometime next month.

[Source: PressPortal.com.au via World Car Fans]

Elfin releases sketch, details on upcoming Type-5 roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Jul 2008 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Elfin is preparing to unveil a brand new sportscar this coming August, according to the latest reports. The small Australian automaker is known mostly for producing Lotus/Caterham 7-style classic roadsters, with the new model replacing the outgoing Type-3 Clubman kit car and joining the V8-powered MS8 Streamliner (pictured above) in the company's line-up.

The news was revealed by the company's owner Tom Walkinshaw, the Scottish racing driver behind the eponymous Tom Walkinshaw Racing outfit. According to Walkinshaw, the new lightweight sportscar - which has yet to be named - will feature "electrifying performance and go-kart handling" with an atmospheric power-to-weight ratio thanks to a 1500-pound curb weight and 260hp coming out of the turbocharged two-liter four from the Pontiac Soltice GXP. A six-speed manual will round out the package, along with ABS, power steering and traction control. The new vehicle, which will sell for under $60k, is anticipated to be based on a tubular chassis with a composite body that eschews the classic design of the Type 3 in favor of contemporary styling, while still integrating open wheels with cycle-style guards. The new model promises to separate Elfin from the myriad companies churning out Caterham replicas and distinguish the company as a competent sportscar-maker.

[Source: Inside Line]

Elfin to unveil all-new sportscar in August originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 Jul 2008 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Aussie-bred Elfin MS8 Streamliner gets price break before production originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Jul 2006 15:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

After a year's worth of regulatory difficulty, Australia's Elfin Sports Car Company will finally start production on the stunning MS8 Streamliner. The Holden-styled roadster promises stunning performance, with its 325-hp 5.7L V8 reacting against only 2,315 lbs, but difficulty was encountered getting the vehicle through the Australia Design Rules (ADR) certification process. Particularly, the General Motors GenIII V8 was reluctant to perform within the prescribed noise limits, but a work-around was found that does not cause a reduction in rated output power.

Hanging from a tubular space frame, the suspension has all the adjustability one would expect from a racecar, and 13.5" front brakes with six-pot calipers (the rears are an inch smaller and shy two pistons) promise fade-free performance during lap sessions. Far from being a stripped-down track-only device, though, the ES8 provides features such as cruise control, traction control, and ABS, and the interior appears to be livable enough to make setting the idea of setting the cruise somewhat plausible.  

As everyone should have guessed by now, we shouldn't expect such a vehicle to make it to the US. Those living Down Under can place an order with Elfin and expect to receive a vehicle in about three months, and with a price tag starting around $120K AUD (that's just shy of $90K USD).

[Sources: Carpoint Australia and Elfin]

Continue reading Elfin MS8 gets green light from Aussie authorities

Elfin MS8 gets green light from Aussie authorities originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 05 Jul 2006 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.