---
title: Leanord Elan
categories:
- Computers
types:
- Professional Computer
origins:
- France
years:
- '1985'
cpus:
- '80286'
params:
  name: Elan
  image: /media/museum/photos/leanord_elan_system_s1.jpg
  company: /companies/leanord
  company_name: Leanord
  specs:
  - label: NAME
    value: Elan
  - label: MANUFACTURER
    value: Leanord
  - label: TYPE
    value: Professional Computer
  - label: ORIGIN
    value: France
  - label: YEAR
    value: '1985'
  - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE
    value: None
  - label: KEYBOARD
    value: Standard AT
  - label: CPU
    value: '80286'
  - label: SPEED
    value: 8.77 or 12 MHz (Turbo mode)
  - label: CO-PROCESSOR
    value: Socket for a 80287 math co-processor
  - label: RAM
    value: 128 to 640 KB
  - label: TEXT MODES
    value: 40 or 80 columns x 25 lines
  - label: GRAPHIC MODES
    value: 640 x 200 (CGA) or 720 x 348 (Hercules) depending on the video card
  - label: COLORS
    value: '16'
  - label: SOUND
    value: built-in loudspeaker - Standard PC beeper
  - label: I/O PORTS
    value: 2 x Serial, 1 x Parallel
  - label: BUILT IN MEDIA
    value: 5.25 1.2 MB floppy disk drive - 20 MB hard disk
  - label: OS
    value: MS-DOS 3.1
  - label: POWER SUPPLY
    value: Built-in power supply unit
  - label: PRICE
    value: Unknown
  tabs:
  - photos
  forum_thread: 987
  photos:
  - title: LARGE VIEW
    subtitle: ''
    text: The machine is here equipped with an Hercules monochrome card and a monochrome composite monitor.
    image: /media/museum/photos/leanord_elan_system_s2.jpg
  - title: FRONT PANEL
    subtitle: ''
    text: ''
    image: /media/museum/photos/leanord_elan_frontpanel_s1.jpg
  - title: INSIDE
    subtitle: ''
    text: |-
      From left to right:\
      • Serial/Parallel card. A second serial connector is screwed to the case\
      • Monochrome graphics 'Hercules' compatible video card\
      • CPU, ROM, RAM main card\
      • FDD and HDD controller card.
    image: /media/museum/photos/leanord_elan_inside_s1.jpg
  oc_id: 1013
  source:
    url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230413210516/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=1013
    date: '2023-04-13'
---

This Elan Challanger was probably one of the last computers made by Leanord before the company was bought by Siemens in 1989.

It is a standard AT compatible system. Although the hardware design was similar to some Bull Micral PC series: a passive backplane on which are connected several system boards, The Elan was developped fully by Leanord's design team, based in Haubourdin near Lille city.

Two utility programs delivered along with MS-DOS allowed to switch the CPU speed between 8.77 and 12 MHz, replacing the hardware "Turbo" switch, and to modify the ROM BIOS.\
The colour version supports the EGA graphics standard but allows only 4 colours to be displayed simultanously.

The machine didn't meet a large success, apart from some French public services, and the French Department of Education where it was used in schools as a server for small networks called Nano-Réseau.

---

**Jacques Daniere** was project leader on the Elan:\
I was project leader (and accessory marketing boss) on the Elan at Leanord. The Elan was not conceived in cooperation with Bull in any way ( which was one of our main competitors). The Elan's team was also responsible for the programming of the BIOS and electronics within. The team also realized the nano network in collaboration with the Lille university. The Elan brand started in 1985 with one 8088, then the 286, and the first 386 in Europe, way ahead of Bull, Goupil, Tulip and others, presented at the SICOB'86.\
Originally the BIOS at Leanord was developped by the same French team, responsible for the Olympia BIOS, Normerel(oplit) BIOS, Matra's MAX20 BIOS : the Didier Martinot team (3S company located at Montrouge).

Elan's in Czech Republic, by **Martin Vlk**:\
We had a school network of about 10 Leanord Elan computers. It was around 1990 when I was in secondary shool.

<table> <tr> <td></td> <td>We need more info about this computer ! If you designed, used, or have more info about this system, please send us pictures or anything you might find useful.</td> <td></td> </tr> </table>