Lotus (car brand)

Lotus is a British sports car manufacturer based in Hethel ( Norfolk ).

Content

 * 1 History
 * 1.1 Formation
 * 1.2 Series and Formula 1 cars
 * 1.3 Publicity
 * 1.4 Collaboration
 * 1.5 Acquisitions
 * 2 Models
 * 2.1 Old models
 * 2.2 New Models
 * 3 See also
 * 4 External links

[Establishment edit ]
In 1948 the first Lotus was built by engineer Colin Chapman was used in the trials competition. That was the Lotus Mark I. In 1949 that was followed by the Mark II and in 1951 followed the Mark III. Thanks to the success in the competition begin to orders for copies arrive.

In 1952 Colin Chapman founded his own car brand under the name Lotus Engineering. The Mark IV was built and it was developed first for Lotus in the usual way.

The idea of ​​Colin Chapman was the car to be as light as possible. He did so by cleverly applied technology (eg. Monocoque), through innovative technology (eg. Aluminum chassis) and by leaving out everything that was superfluous (eg. Power steering).

On 16 December 1982, Colin Chapman died at the age of 54.

[Series cars and Formula 1 edit ]
In 1954 the development of the Mark VIII began a aerodynamic body got. That car has a speed of 200 km / h achieved.

In 1955 the company name changed to Lotus Cars and does the Mark IX participated in the 24 Hours of Le Mans . A year later is Lotus Eleven introduced which until 1960 were sold 270 pieces. Also, the 1 stFormula car, the 12 F2 which was later also used in F1, developed.

In 1957 was the famous Lotus Seven introduced. The design proved very successful. For further details see the separate Wikipedia article on this model.

In 1957 Lotus stunned the world with the Lotus Elite due to the aerodynamic design of the production car.

From 1958 Lotus competed in her 1st Grand Prix Formula 1 with the Lotus 12. In 1959 was to Cheshunt , Hertfordshire (Great Britain), a new factory opened. And again a year later, in 1960, won by Stirling Moss Lotus her 1st Grand Prix victory with the Lotus 18.

In 1962 was the Elan launched until 1973 remained in production. The following year Lotus Jim Clark won her 1st Formula 1 championship. In 1966 was the Europe introduced.

Also, a sporting edited version of the Ford Cortina Lotus Cortina was as a great success.

Lotus Cortina with its distinctive green stripe

In the beginning of 1975 was the new Elite proposed. Later that year, the Esprit and Eclat do occur. The Eclat was a restyling of the new Elite for the Americanmarket, which did not like the back. Later it was renamed the Sprint, which tradition to start all names with an "E" was broken.

[Publicity edit ]
Colin Chapman always knew useful to respond to the publicity. So were the Lotus Elan and Lotus Europa by the ladies Emma Peel and Tara King used in the series The Avengers . The Lotus Seven was Patrick McGoohan used in the series The Prisoner and the Lotus Esprit came in the James Bond films The Spy Who Loved Me and For Your Eyes Only .

The end of 2006 the new Lotus Europa S was proposed, a less extreme version of the Lotus Elise / Exige. The Lotus Europa S has a 2-liter turbocharged engineof Opel and weighs 995 kg. It is equipped with ABS, but has no power steering .

[Cooperation edit ]
Lotus also often worked together with other car manufacturers, mainly to tune engines. In 1978 Lotus entered into an agreement with De Lorean for the perfection of the design of the De Lorean DMC-12, by providing design and development expertise.

[Acquisitions edit ]
In 1985 the company was renamed Group Lotus and the following year completely taken over by the US General Motors . A year later founded Lotus in the United States, the company Lotus Cars USA that now provides distribution and marketing in the country.

In 1993 General Motors sold Lotus to the French Bugatti and three years later took the Malaysian DRB HICOM a majority stake in Lotus. In 1995 presented the hitherto most important model, the Lotus Elise .

In 1998 the Malaysian carmaker took Proton an interest of 16.25%. Later that year, on September 12, the fourth constructor the 50th anniversary of its first car. 2000 Lotus cars and 10,000 Lotus owners came to the party. In the same month, Lotus opened a new test center at Hethel.

In 2005 Lotus Proton was split into a Group Lotus and Lotus Engineering .

In 2012 was Proton acquired by DRB-HICOM and if Lotus is again owned by DRB HICOM.

Old models [ edit ]
Lotus 18 and 18-21 formule2

John Player Special Lotus 77 or Mk II

An early Lotus Seven S1

Lotus Elan

Lotus Europa
 * Lotus Seven
 * Lotus Elite
 * Lotus Elan
 * Lotus Elan +2, + 2S and 130
 * Lotus Europa
 * Lotus Elite S1
 * Lotus Eclat
 * Lotus Esprit
 * Lotus Excel

New models [ edit ]
Lotus Exige
 * Lotus Elise
 * Lotus Exige
 * Lotus Europa S
 * Lotus 2-Eleven
 * Lotus Evora
 * Lotus Evora S
 * Lotus Evora 400

See also [ edit ]

 * General Motors
 * Formula 1
 * Proton