The death of Colin Chapman in 1982 delayed the commercialization of the second generation Elan, designed to receive a Toyota engine. Modified by GM, then owner of the Lotus brand, the new Elan was equipped with an Isuzu engine and adopted front-wheel drive, something never seen on a Lotus. The design, signed by Peter Stevens (the author of the Jaguar XJ220 and McLaren F1) is interesting and is somewhat reminiscent of the restyling of the Esprit. Under the era of Romano Artioli the Elan was built in a few hundred specimens in the S2 version to complete the stock of frames available. About 4000 were built between 1989 and 1995.