The Lotus Elan + 2. A 4 seater sports car. Ron Hickman started design work on the Type 50 as early as 1963, and by 1964 Lotus had produced a scale model, known as the M20. A full size working prototype was registered for the road 1966 (NRO 119D), called the Metier II Prototype. The car was launched in September 1967 and was marketed as a sophisticated family sports car. The production car had a 1558cc Lotus Ford Twin Cam engine producing 118bhp and a 4 speed transmission supported on a Y fork frame chassis. The Lotus had a grp body a pop up lights, improving the car's aerodynamics. In 1968 a luxury +2S was launched and in February 1971 the +2S 130 was launched, featuring a 126bhp Big Valve Twin cam engine producing 126bhp. In October 1972 the +2S 130/5 was fitted with a 5 speed gearbox.