Lotus Models

Description

Modified 1930 Austin 7 Trials car. 747cc engine. Registered PK 3493, the car is missing.

Trials cars, dimensionally smaller than the Mark 1. Based on a modified Austin 7 chassis, with a Ford 8 side valve engine. Was later upgraded to a Ford 10 1172cc engine producing 25 - 30 bhp.

Circuit car based again on a boxed-in Austin 7 chassis (with cross members) and an aluminum body. The car weighed only 370 kg and had a modified Austin 7 engine, with "siamesed" inlet ports and Stromberg twin choke carburetor, helping produce a 50bhp engine with a 0-50mph in 6.6 seconds. The first car to be designated with a Mark number. Lotus Engineering Company was formed on 1 January 1952.

First car to be made with a Lotus name. The car had a space frame chassis and aluminum body and a Ford Console side valve engine with 1172cc, later upgrade to 1498cc.First Production car, sold to the public in kit form. The car was successfully raced in the 1500cc class races at Silverstone.

Successful light weight sports car, based loosely on the Mark 6, but featuring a stronger space frame (1 inch diameter steel tubing) and paneled in aluminum. Standard engine was a Ford 100E side valve unit producing 28bhp. It was also offered with a BMC A-series engine and Coventry Climax unit. The Lotus was provided in kit car form.

A 2 seater sports cars, with a space frame chassis, designed with the minimum number of tubes. The aerodynamic alloy body work was designed by Frank Costin, Mike Costin's brother, who was an aerodynamicist at de Havilland Aircraft Co. The prototype car (reg SAR 5) featured a modified MG XPAG engine. The car was batch produced for private order, featuring a strengthened Mark 6 chassis. Car registered HUD 139 was the first to feature a 1100cc Coventry Climax FWA engine and MG TC gear box.

A single seater sportscar, similar to the Mark 8, but reduced in length and rear wings. It had a shortened Mark 6 chassis and featured a variety of engines, including the Coventry Climax FWA engine, producing 75 bhp, an MG XPAG unit and the Ford Ten unit. The car was successfully raced in competitions and raced at the 1955 Le Mans. On the Ist January 1955, Colin Chapman worked full time with Lotus (much to his Father's displeasure).

Successful, aerodynamic competition sportcars with light-weight spaceframe chassis, with the propshaft and floor being used as stressed members, forming an integral part of the structural frame. The Eleven had a Coventry Climax FWA or FWB engines or also the Ford side valve engine. There were 3 models, the Le Mans model, with the Climax FWA or FWB engine, the Club model was had the same FWA engine, but with a live rear axle and the Sport model featured the less powerful Ford Side valve engine. The Eleven was very successfully raced at 1100cc racing and virtually invincible. It was also raced at Le Mans in 1956. The Mark's designation was dispensed with.

Lotus Elite. Successful 2 seater production sportcars, with 1216cc Coventry Climax FWE engine, fibre glass monocoque and a fibre glass body produced by Maximar Mouldings (a boat building company). The suspension comprised of double wishbones, with combined coil / spring unit. The rear suspension featured the Chapman Strut from the Type 12. Although the Lotus Elite was a road car, it was frequently raced. 3 cars were entred into the 1959 Le Mans, the best car finished 8th onerall and best in it's class.

Lotus Elite. Revised supplier of the body shell from Bristol Plastics produced a better quality moulding. There was revised suspension. It was still expensive to produce and canceled in 1962.

A rear engined, single seater Formular Junior racing car. The car had a 995cc Cosworth - Ford 105E engine on a multi tubular spaceframe. The body was constructed in Fibre glass (Aluminium was used on the Prototype car). The car had a square chassis and the body followed this form, with a square form running it's length, described by some by some Journalists at the time as an "extremely ugly, tank like body." The car was an out right success in it class, winning just about all major races in 1960.

Similar to the Formula Junior car, but with a 2495cc Coventy Climax engine, a 5 speed Lotus gear box (fitted to the Type 15) disc brakes all round, a GRP body. The car made it's mark on the racing scene and established Lotus in F1.

Type 19

A rear engined, single seater Formula 1 racing car. The car had the Coventry Climax FPF 1495cc engine, producing 155bhp and a GRP body. The car was designed to fit a new V8 engine, but the engine was not supplied. The car only won 1 GP at Watkin Glen in the USA.

The last small engine capacity Lotus sports racer. It featured a Cosworth - Ford 109E engine, with 103bhp. The car featured a stiffer space frame chassis and a GRP body. The car sold very well and had much competition success. At the 1962 Le Mans, 2 23's were entered, officials disqualified the car for having 6 studs on the rear wheels. So he changed the rear wheels to 4 studs, but they refused to look at them, saying it would be unsafe with 4 studs. In the face of discrimantion against none domestic teams, Chapman vowed he would never go back to Le Mans.

A rear engined, single seater Formula 1 racing car. 1 inch longer in the wheel base, than than the Type 21, with a humped engine cowling and twin protruding exhaust pipes. The car had the 1497cc Coventry Climax FWMV V8 engine, producing 180 bhp. The car was very elegant and was supplied to existing Lotus Customers only.

The revolutionary Lotus Type 25 transformed Formula 1 car design. It featured an aluminium monocoque chassis (meaning a single shell chassis), rather than a spaceframe chassis. Chapman had devised the idea on a napkin, after a lunchtime meeting with Mike Costin. The car had the 1497cc Coventry Climax FWMV V8 engine, with 4 twin choke down draught weber DCNL-4 carbureters, producing 200 bhp. In 1963, changes to the car included fuel injection, a lighter monocoque and nose cone air intake ducts. The Type 25 esablished it self as the fastest car in F1, during 1962 and 1963, in the hands of Jim Clark.

Lotus Cortina. A successful saloon car designed for Group 2 racing. Ford decision to go motor racing (with the GT40) and Lotus's requirment for money produced the Type 28. Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth were brought in to develop the engine, the 1558cc Lotus - Ford Twin - cam with 105bhp. The Cortina was fitted with Lotus suspension, reducing the ride height and Chapman fitted light weight alloy door skins, bonnet and boot lid and quarter bumpers to reduce the cars weight. The car had disc brakes on the front and drum brakes on the rear. The Mk1 was a resounding success on the circuit. The Mk2 version was released in 1967, featured the Lotus Twin Cam engine, however it was badged "Cortina Twin Cam", instead of Lotus and was assembled at Ford. Production ceased in 1970.

A single seater Indianapolis racing car, with a rear mounted, 4195cc Ford Fairlane V8 dry sump, pushrod engine. The Type 29 chassis was similar to the Type 25, however it was dimensionally longer and larger. The car proved successful and was re-entred the following year.

A 2 seater sports car for Group 7 American "Big Banger" racing. The car had a Ford 289 Fairlane V8 pushrod engine, producing 350bhp and a ZF 5 speed gearbox. The car had an Elan style, steel backbone chassis with a GRP body. The car had many problems; including a weak chassis, disc breaks (which over heated) and an under powered engine. Due to the weak chassis, the car had handling problems on the track. The Type 30 also had an all-in-one body, that didn't allow adjustment to the suspension. Colin Chapman had intended to base 4 or 5 cars around the Type 30 chassis, with 1600 Twin cam engines. The chassis was fine for that, but not for the powerful Ford V8. The Series 2 car of 1965 was produced to sort out some of the problems, it had a more powerful 5.3 litre Ford V8, vented discs, simpilfed rear suspension, front and rear spoiler and low profile tyres. The S2 was generally unsuccessful against Lola, Chaparral, and Mclaren. The Lotus Type 40 was a further attempt to sort out the 30's problems.

The Lotus 38 was the first mid-engined racing car to win the Indianapolis 500, in 1965 by Jim Clark. It was an evolution of the previous Lotus Type 29 and Lotus Type 34 cars, but with an Aluminium monocoque, and was powered by the 4195cc quad-cam Ford V8 fuel injected engine as used in the 34, giving out around 500 bhp. The 38 was specially designed with offset suspension, with the car body situated asymmetrically between the wheels, offset to the left using suspension arms of unequal length. Although in theory this was better suited for the ovals.

The Lotus 40 was an attempt to sort out some of the problems with the Lotus 30. It had a Ford 5295cc and then a Ford 5754cc V8 engine producing between 400 and 450bhp, with a Hewland LG500 transmission. The chassis was stiffened (from the 30) and a front and rear spoiler. However the car was still as difficult to drive as the Type 30, it was known as the "Lotus 30, with 10 more mistakes.". It best result was in the West Coast series in America. Jim Clark took the Type 40 to second place at Riverside in 1966, behind Hap Sharp's Chaparral.

1965 - 68

1968 - 73

The Lotus Europa competition car. The car had the Ford Cosworth 13C Twin Cam dohc 1594cc engine (producing 165bhp), with a Hewland FT200 transmision fitted on a light weight fold steel Y shaped chassis (similar to the Type 46 Europa chassis). The body work was lighter than the Europa's and bonded to the chassis. The car was successfully driven by John Miles and Jackie Oliver in the 1967 World Sportcar Championship 500, plus winning 17 championship events. In 1968, the 47A was developed, with the chassis was strengthened and the body work was nolonger bonded, although the car ran against much larger engined cars, the 47A set 10 new circuit records.

There was 47F made with Cortina engines and the famous one off GKN 47D, with a Rover 4.4 litre V8 engine, producing 292bhp and a top speed on 180mph.

The Lotus 48 was a Formula 2 single seater racing car. It featured the 1599cc Ford Cosworth FVA dohc producing 220bhp fitted to a Hewland FT200 transmission. The car had a full monocoque chassis with a space frame rear chassis supporting the engine. The car was successful in the 1967 season with 5 wins.

The Lotus 49 was a very successful Formula 1 racing car, designed for the 1967 season. It featured the then new Ford Cosworth DFV (Double Four Valve) 2995cc V8 engine, specially developed for Lotus. The 49 was a revolution in Formula 1 because of its then-unique configuration (seen first with the H16 engine in the Lotus 43 and BRM P83) as the engine acted as a chassis member. The Lotus 49 was one of the first F1 cars to use wings (Chaparrel had used them first in the Can Am series), which appeared partway through 1968. Originally these wings were bolted directly to the suspension and were supported by slender struts, however after several breakages which led to near fatal accidents, the high wings were banned and Lotus was forced to mount the wings directly to the bodywork. Both Jim Clark and Graham hill drove the 49 in the 1967 F1 season. Graham Hill found the 49 easy to drive and responsive, but the power of the Ford difficult to handle at first. The V8 would give sudden bursts of power that Hill had reservations about. However, Jim Clark won its debut race at Zandvoort with ease and took another 3 wins during the season, but early unreliability with the DFV ended his championship hopes. It was felt that 1968 would be a better year after Cosworth perfected the design, and it was obvious the DFV and the design of the Lotus 49 was the way forwards. Clark won the first race of the 1968 season, the South African Grand Prix and the Tasman Series in Australia, but was tragically killed in an F2 race at Hockenheim. Graham Hill took over as team leader and won his second World Championship title, repeating his 1968 win at Monaco. The 49 also took Jochen Rindt to his first victory in 1969 at Watkins Glen, New York, before he drove the type to its last win in the 1970 Monaco Grand Prix. The 49 was intended to be replaced by the Lotus 63 midway through 1969, but when that car proved to be a failure, the 49 was pressed into service until a suitable car could be built. The 49 took 12 wins, contributed to 2 driver and constructors' world championships, before it was replaced by the Lotus 72 during 1970.

Type 50

1967 - 68

1968 - 74

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.

The Lotus 56 was a single seater racing car, designed and built to compete in the 1968 Indianapolis 500. The car had a Pratt & Whitney STN6B-74 PT6 turbine powered engine, on a ladder framed monocoque chassis. 3 Lotus 56s made and were driven by Joe Leonard in the numbert 60 car, Art Pollard in the number 20 and Graham Hill in the number 70. Leonard in the number 60 was the fast qualifier at 171.559 mph and dominated the race but dropped out while leading on lap 191 with fuel pump driveshaft failure.

A 56B car was made in an attempt to rectify the problem of the Type 56. The car had a revised bolbous wedge shaped body work, to accommodate larger fuel tanks and the Pratt & Whitney STN6-74 PT6 turboprop engine. The car was competatively unsuccessful.