Lotus
(1952 - today)
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United Kingdom
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The Lotus Seven was launched in 1957 and continued to be built in many stages throughout its life. Today, Caterham still produces the sports car known as the Super Seven, which can still demonstrate its advantages of light weight combined with sufficient power at club races, on Alpine passes and country roads. This report tells the story of a 1957 Series 1 model and shows it in current and historical pictures and original sales brochures.
The years 1958-1978 were the two most creative decades in the history of racing technology. Innovative vehicles were created and a lot of pioneering work was done in terms of aerodynamics and lightweight construction. One example of this era is the Lotus 16 from 1958, which had aerodynamic advantages thanks to its angled engine. This article from "Technology in racing cars" looks at the technical features of the Lotus 16 from 1958.
With the Lotus 18, Colin Chapman revolutionized Formula 1, but also the smaller monoposto classes. The mid-engined racing car was used in parallel with different engines in the various Formula championships and brought Lotus second place in the constructors' championship in its debut year. Around 125 units were built. This report portrays a still unrestored Formula Junior version of the Lotus 18 with a DKW two-stroke engine, in which Peter Monteverdi once raced.
The Lotus Elite was an exceptional sports car. It was significantly more expensive than many more powerful and larger vehicles, but on the other hand it offered driving performance and handling that could stand up to any comparison. It also impressed with its beautiful and aerodynamic shape. In the second half of 1960, the magazine "Automobil - Technik - Touristik - Sport" was given the opportunity to put the car through its paces. This article reproduces the original wording of the historical test and shows the Lotus Elite in many photos and in a sales brochure from that time.
The Lotus 25 is rightly regarded as a stroke of genius and the pioneer of a new generation of formula cars. It was designed for the masses by Jim Clark. And he thanked him with a world championship title in 1963 after curing the teething troubles. This racing car report shows the beautiful formula car in all its details and tells the story of its development and the change that was triggered.
With the Lotus 25, Colin Chapman launched the first monocoque single-seater with a central engine in 1962, a design approach that subsequently became the standard. Lotus was not only able to use the new design successfully in the Formula 1 circuit, but also achieved success with it at the Indianapolis 500 miles. This article from the series "Technology in racing cars from 1958 to 1978" describes the construction of the Lotus 25, tells its story and shows it in historical and current images.
An outstanding history, an impressive palamres and even a start in Formula 1 - "Seppi" Siffert's Lotus 22 from 1962 is an important witness to one of the most exciting eras in Swiss motorsport history.
In the sixties, anyone who wanted to turn an ordinary family sedan into a veritable racing car preferred to go to a specialist. One of these sports car manufacturers was Lotus with the ingenious lightweight designer Colin Chapman. And so it came about that the staid Ford Cortina became a terror for all established competitors in the touring car scene. Officially, there was no estate version, but the result was a one-off that shone with all the necessary ingredients. This report tells the story of the Ford Lotus Cortina, refers to the base models and portrays the individually created estate car.
The Lotus Elite was actually unspectacular in many respects. The design came from a simple bank employee, the car had little power and the four-cylinder engine was based on a water pump. But it was Colin Chapman's magical tricks that made the Elite not just good, but incredibly fast. This article reproduces the wording of a test report from 1963 and shows the car in many historic pictures.
The Lotus Elan brought together ideas and components from Ford and Lotus. The small Lotus sports car benefited from Ford's marketing and sales power, especially during its launch. But much more was planned. This article reports on the beginnings and the prospects at the time.
Few designers have left their mark on Formula 1 like Colin Chapman. The Lotus boss and designer possessed enormous innovative power and was always on the lookout for new technical solutions. At the 500 miles of Indianapolis, he was the first to use a mid-engine and the concept was ultimately to prevail, as the Lotus models 34 and 38 proved. This racing car article describes the history of the Lotus Indianapolis entries in the sixties and portrays A.J. Foyt's 1964 Lotus 34 in detail, supplemented by many historical racing photos.
The creation of the G-Class was the answer to the ever-increasing dominance of works teams in Formula Junior, which was created in 1959 for racing debutants. The Lotus 23 left its mark on the races in this G-Class. Equipped with a mid-engine and a modern chassis, the Lotus 23 hardly knew any opponents. This report summarizes its history and shows the sports car in many historical illustrations, some of which are rarely shown.
The Lotus Elan is known as a lightweight British roadster with folding headlights and plastic bodywork. In 1964, Turin designer Pietro Frua created a ravishing-looking, Italian-style coupé made of aluminum and sheet steel based on the Lotus Elan, which he called the "Elan SS". Despite its good design, the pretty coupé never made it into series production; it remained a one-off that has been lost.
The Lotus Super Seven was a car that probably only the English could invent. In principle, the design was based on a formula car, except that two seats and some weather protection were provided. Lightweight and equipped with the handling characteristics of a racing car, the small sports car was particularly suitable "for racing in club races and ruffling his girlfriend's hair". John Aley tested the lightweight British car with a Ford engine and 85 hp in 1985. This report reproduces the original text including the development history and supplements it with archive photos and four (!) original brochures.
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Lotus Elan GT - Roof floor
Before Lotus itself offered a coupé version of the Elan from 1965, a small workshop in Surrey fitted the plastic roadster with a sleek aluminum roof and hatchback. However, despite its successful lines, the "GT by Shapecraft" remained a rarity. No more than 20 examples were produced within two years. In this article, we tell the brief history of the small two-component sports car and show an unrestored example that, for once, has not been converted into a racing car.
When a new era in Formula 1 began in 1966 with the 3-liter regulations, Lotus wanted to outperform the competition right from the start. However, it would take until the Italian Grand Prix before the Lotus 43 could be used. This was not powered by a tried-and-tested V8 or V12, but by an H16 from BRM, whose construction had been inspired by a powerful Napier aircraft engine. However, Chapman and Co. soon realized that more and better do not always go hand in hand. This article from the series "Technology in racing cars" deals with the Lotus 43 and its 16-cylinder engine.
Time and again, independent-minded engineers in Formula 1 planned the great innovation leap, including Tony Rudd in the mid-sixties. He developed a sixteen-cylinder engine with a 180-degree cylinder angle and two banks of cylinders, one above the other. What promised high performance on paper proved only partially successful in racing. This Formula 1 technical report looks back at the unique design and its history.
Did Colin Chapman build the Lotus Super Seven simply for the sheer joy of it? In any case, the rough-legged fun roadster looked somewhat out of place next to the relatively distinguished Elite and Elan production cars. However, far from being suitable for everyday use, the roadster weighing less than 500 kg showed unexpected talents ... even in city traffic, if the driver was able to adapt to the dimensions of the car. This historical test report is dedicated to the 100 hp Super Seven with Cosworth engine.
In 1967, the experimental racing team led by Colin Chapman launched the Lotus 49, a monoposto that revolutionized Formula 1 in several ways. The ingenious Ford-Cosworth V8 engine was particularly ground-breaking and shaped the premier class in the years that followed. But Lotus also did pioneering work in aerodynamic terms with the further development of the Type 49. The 17th episode of the series "Technology in racing cars" deals with the Lotus 49 and the Ford-Cosworth DFV.
After the STP Paxton turbine car had impressively demonstrated its potential at Indianapolis in 1967, Colin Chapman also wanted to try out the new drive technology. The exterior of the car was at least as radically different as the technology. However, while the wedge shape of the bodywork caught on, the turbine drive remained a brief gimmick. This article from the series "Technology in racing cars from 1958 to 1978" looks at the Lotus 56 in detail and shows it in historical and contemporary images.
Two additional drive wheels were expected to provide more traction, higher usable engine power and therefore faster cars in the 1969 season. In addition to Lotus, three other manufacturers also tried out the unusual new technology. However, they quickly realized that the higher weight and tendency to understeer outweighed any hoped-for advantages. Episode 25 of the series "Technology in racing cars from 1958 to 1978" tells the story of the failure of four-wheel drive in Formula 1.
The Lotus Elan is one of those vehicles that every car enthusiast should have driven at least once in their life. This is the only way to understand what a small four-cylinder engine with an automotive lightweight of less than 600 kg can achieve. From 1962 to 1973, the Elan was built as a convertible and later also as a coupé, and it is still one of the most popular British exotics today. Even Emma Peel drove one in the TV series "With umbrella, charm and bowler hat". This driving report attempts to explore the appeal of the Lotus Elan and shows a coupé in many current and historical pictures, as well as in eight (!) sales brochures from back then.
The English sports car manufacturer produced not quite 3000 Lotus Seven and Super Seven cars between 1957 and 1973. They were aimed at sports drivers who needed a vehicle suitable for everyday use during the week and for club racing at the weekend. The simply built Seven, which could be assembled by reasonably talented DIY enthusiasts in their own garage, offered just that. The fact that it continues to be built in various versions to this day proves how right Colin Chapman was with this concept. This driving report describes the history of the Lotus Seven and shows it in current and historical photos, as well as in the sales literature of the time.
The Lotus 72 was so far ahead of its time that it remained in use for six years, five of which it was competitive. In addition to a radically new body shape, the red and gold racer featured a new cooling system, sophisticated torsion bar suspension and internal brakes on both axles. This article from the "Technology in racing cars" series is dedicated to the Formula 1 monoposto that made Jochen Rindt world champion in 1970 - and his wife a widow.
With the Lotus 72, Colin Chapman surprised the competition on the left foot. Wedge-shaped and with better aerodynamics, the monoposto showed the direction in which development had to go. Although not all of the ideas that were designed into it worked straight away, after a maturing phase, the monoposto went on to achieve 20 Grand Prix victories and two world championship titles. This report analyzes the F1 technology of the time and shows a picture of the only early Lotus 72 that has survived largely in its original condition.
From 1962 to 1973, Lotus built the Elan, a car with a plastic body and legendary handling. In 1971, Dieter Stappert was given the opportunity by the magazine "powerslide" to test drive the final version of the Elan, the "Sprint". This article reproduces the original wording and shows the Lotus Elan Sprint in historical pictures.
Around 40 years ago, Formula 1 racing cars were still comparatively simple vehicles and there were few secrets about their design principles. Most of them even used the same engine. In 1973, the magazine 'hobby' analyzed the leading Grand Prix cars. This report reproduces the original text and graphics of that article and supplements it with contemporary and current pictures of the vehicles mentioned, or rather their predecessors or successors.
The Lotus Elan was continuously developed for 11 years, and the S1 finally became the Sprint with the "Big Valve" engine, which gave the sports car 25 percent more power and made it fit for the battle with its competitors Jaguar V12 or Fiat Dino. The most famous Elan driver was Emma Peel from "Umbrella, Charm and Melon", but she still had to make do with an S3 and do without the powerful four-cylinder engine. This driving report tells the story of a very special Lotus Elan Sprint DHC that has been used intensively throughout its life and is still unrestored.
Between 1966 and 1975, Lotus built almost 9,000 of the mid-engined Europa sports car model. Its advantages were its race car-like handling and high operating efficiency thanks to excellent aerodynamics. However, due to the design and Lotus-specific tricks in the construction, the compact Europa models also demanded a healthy willingness to compromise on the part of the owner. This vehicle report describes the history of the Lotus Europa and portrays a "Special" model from 1973 in detail, supplemented by archive photo material, several rare sales brochures and data sheets.
In the sixties and seventies, creative engineers developed innovative vehicle concepts for Formula 1. Only a few of them lasted, whether they had four steerable front wheels, four driven rear wheels or simply all-wheel drive. The simple rear-wheel drive monoposto with four wheels prevailed against all innovations and was later even enshrined in the regulations At the Rétromobile Paris 2017, some of the creative F1 cars were shown in a special exhibition, this report shows all the cars and their backgrounds.
In 1977, a sports car that had previously only interested enthusiasts achieved worldwide film fame. Roger Moore, alias James Bond, drove a white Lotus Esprit S1 in the movie "The Spy, who loved me". With a plastic body and a slender four-cylinder engine, the British mid-engined sports car did not necessarily correspond to the image of a super sports car at the time. This driving report characterizes the Esprit of the first series and shows it in current and historical images. Sales literature, sound samples and a video are also included.
With the Lotus 79, Lotus revolutionized Formula 1 for the fourth and last time. The 79 used the underbody to generate more downforce and drove the competition into the ground in the 1978 season.
Lotus built the Esprit from 1975 to 2004, i.e. for almost 30 years. However, the last Esprit models only have the basic design and silhouette in common with the early cars, while instead of a slender four-cylinder engine, a turbo-powered eight-cylinder unit provides powerful propulsion at the end. But did this make the Esprit better? And how did it compare with the competition of the time? This comparative report portrays an Esprit S1 from 1978 and its descendant, the Esprit V8 GT from 1998. Many pictures and two sound samples provide a multimedia experience.
Every child knows the Lotus Esprit, not least from the James Bond film "The Spy Who Loved Me" as a prancing and diving movie car. The Esprit was created by Italian designer Giorgio Giugiaro and was shown as a prototype as early as 1972. The S1, which was available in 1976, was followed two years later by the S2, which is the subject of this report and is documented in many pictures and, like its predecessor the S1, in brochures and historical photographs.
The Lotus Esprit was active in motorsport for many years, but it did not attract attention because of its successes, which mostly failed to materialize. Nevertheless, this racing car has been fascinating through all its evolutions, from the S1 in 1979 to the V8 in 1998. We show the Esprit in motorsport during all these years in many pictures in this racing car article.
The Lotus 88 seemed like the next big thing in the first grand effect era of Formula 1. To meet the enormous demands of aerodynamic forces on man and material, the Lotus designers opted for two chassis. But then everything changed - today the Lotus 88 marks the beginning of the racing team's decline.
The Lotus Esprit is one of the best-known models from the English small series manufacturer, not least because of its appearances in James Bond films. Lotus presented the Esprit Turbo in 1980 and, consequently, Bond used it as his company car in the 1981 film "For your eyes only". Significantly faster and more comfortable than its predecessors, the Esprit Turbo was a real competitor for Porsche, Ferrari and Maserati. This report tells the story of the Lotus Esprit Turbo of the 1980s and shows it in historical and contemporary pictures.
In 1984, Lotus presented a possible successor to the Esprit called the Etna, which, with its newly developed V8 engine and aerodynamically optimized shape, was supposed to run at almost 300 km/h and give the super sports car elite a run for their money. But it remained a prototype. This article tells the story of the one-off from the beginning to the present day.
At the 2010 Japanese GP in Suzuka, Bruno Senna, the nephew of the famous Ayrton Senna, who sadly died young, was allowed to take a seat in the cockpit of his famous uncle's Lotus for the first time.
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Lotus 99 - the first of its kind
The Lotus 99 turned the Formula 1 world upside down in 1987. How? With an active suspension. The system was a sensation at the time and extremely innovative. However, the racing car failed to achieve great success - only two victories in the hands of Ayrton Senna were enough. And so, unfortunately, it was largely forgotten. We took this as an opportunity to review the history of the yellow racer in this article. It is shown in many modern and historical pictures.
When Lotus presented a new Elan in the fall of 1989, many fans turned up their noses. Front-wheel drive, a transverse engine from Japan and an ultra-modern design led to criticism, especially as Mazda was simultaneously reviving the original Elan of the sixties with the MX-5. In order to compete with the much cheaper Japanese model, the Lotus had to be significantly better. It was, but it still wasn't enough. And so it remained a rare milestone that is still a lot of fun to drive today. This driving report tells the story of the Elan SE/S2 of the nineties in detail and shows it in many pictures. There is also a sound sample.
Current market prices for Lotus
Roadster, 39 PS, 1772 cm3
Roadster, 74 PS, 1498 cm3
Roadster, 81 PS, 1599 cm3
Roadster, 84 PS, 1599 cm3
null, 82 PS, 1216 cm3
null, 106 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 106 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 115 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 106 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 106 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 115 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 106 PS, 1558 cm3
Convertible, 106 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 115 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 115 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 126 PS, 1558 cm3
null, 126 PS, 1558 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Lotus
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lotus Eclat 1979 Not Sold Brightwells Classic & Vintage Cars and Motorcycles (May 11, 2016) |
Eclat | 1979 | Not Sold | Brightwells Classic & Vintage Cars and Motorcycles (May 11, 2016) | |
| Lotus Elite Série 2 1960 Withdrawn Artcurial Sur les Champs 2023 (October 22, 2023) |
Elite Série 2 | 1960 | Withdrawn | Artcurial Sur les Champs 2023 (October 22, 2023) | |
| Lotus Elite SE (Type 14) 1962 Sold Iconic Auctioneers NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 11, 2023) |
Elite SE (Type 14) | 1962 | Sold | Iconic Auctioneers NEC Classic Motor Show Sale (November 11, 2023) | |
| Lotus Elan S3 1966 Not Sold Barons Sandown Park Sale (October 29, 2013) |
Elan S3 | 1966 | Not Sold | Barons Sandown Park Sale (October 29, 2013) | |
| lotus Elan S1 im Renntrimm 1964 Not Sold Coys Nürburg Ring Sale (August 10, 2013) |
Elan S1 im Renntrimm | 1964 | Not Sold | Coys Nürburg Ring Sale (August 10, 2013) | |
| Lotus Elan Sprint 1972 Not Sold Silverstone Auctions The Salon Privé (September 4, 2014) |
Elan Sprint | 1972 | Not Sold | Silverstone Auctions The Salon Privé (September 4, 2014) | |
| Lotus Elan SE Turbo S2 1995 Sold Charterhouse Shepton Mallet (February 14, 2016) |
Elan SE Turbo S2 | 1995 | Sold | Charterhouse Shepton Mallet (February 14, 2016) | |
| Lotus Elite S2 (Type 14) 1962 Not Sold Iconic Auctioneers Race Retro Collectors' Car Sale (February 24, 2024) |
Elite S2 (Type 14) | 1962 | Not Sold | Iconic Auctioneers Race Retro Collectors' Car Sale (February 24, 2024) | |
| Lotus Elan SE Turbo 1991 Sold H&H Classics Donington Park (February 24, 2016) |
Elan SE Turbo | 1991 | Sold | H&H Classics Donington Park (February 24, 2016) | |
| Lotus Esprit V8-GT 1998 Sold Artcurial Sur les Champs 2023 (October 22, 2023) |
Esprit V8-GT | 1998 | Sold | Artcurial Sur les Champs 2023 (October 22, 2023) |
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