Frequently Asked Questions about Classic Lotus

Who founded Lotus and when?

Colin Chapman founded Lotus in England, building his first car, a modified Austin 7, in 1948 and forming the Lotus Engineering Company in 1952. The first factory occupied old stables behind the Railway Hotel in Hornsey, North London, a hotel run by his father. Chapman died of a heart attack on December 16, 1982, at age 54.

What does the Lotus name mean, and what do the letters on the Lotus badge stand for?

The reason behind the Lotus name is not known. Lotus says the cars carried the name from the start but that the exact reason has been lost over time, and Colin Chapman never confirmed an explanation. The letters on the badge are his initials, ACBC, for Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, set as a monogram with the Lotus name.

Where were classic Lotus cars built?

Classic Lotus cars were built at three main sites in England. The first factory was in Hornsey, North London. In 1959 Lotus moved to a purpose-built plant at Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, where the Elite was made and the Elan went on sale. In 1966 the company moved to Hethel, Norfolk, a former wartime airfield whose runways became a test track, and the Europa and Esprit were built there.

Who owns Lotus, and who owned it in the past?

Lotus has been controlled by the Chinese group Geely since 2017, when Geely agreed to buy a 51 percent stake from Proton. Ownership changed several times after founder Colin Chapman died in 1982. General Motors acquired the company in 1986 and sold it in August 1993 to Romano Artioli, who also owned Bugatti. Artioli sold a majority stake to the Malaysian carmaker Proton in 1996.

What was Lotus known for in its classic road cars?

Lotus was known for light weight and unusual construction in its classic road cars. The Elite, shown at London's Earls Court Motor Show in 1957, used a fiberglass monocoque that served as both body and chassis. The Elan, launched in 1962, had a steel backbone chassis under a fiberglass body, and the Europa, introduced in 1966, carried a Renault engine mounted behind the cabin.

When was the Lotus Esprit built, and who designed it?

The Lotus Esprit was built from 1976 to 2004 at Hethel, England, and its original wedge shape was styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro. His Italdesign concept appeared at the 1972 Turin show and the production car at the 1975 Paris Motor Show. Early cars used a 2.0-liter four-cylinder, a turbocharged model arrived in 1980 and a 3.5-liter V8 in 1996.

How many Formula 1 championships did Lotus win?

Team Lotus won seven Formula 1 constructors' championships and six drivers' championships. The team made its world championship debut at the 1958 Monaco Grand Prix, took its first titles in 1963 with Jim Clark, and won its last in 1978 with Mario Andretti. Clark also won the 1965 Indianapolis 500 in a Lotus 38.

What happened to the Lotus Seven?

Lotus sold the rights to the Seven to Caterham Cars in 1973, and Caterham has made the car as the Caterham Seven since. Colin Chapman's company launched the Lotus Seven in 1957 as a low-cost, lightweight sports car. Caterham founder Graham Nearn, already a Lotus Seven dealer, bought the rights to continue manufacture from Chapman.