Lotus has been creating some of the most exquisite and quick racing road cars in the world for more than 70 years.
According to ‘The Business’, Colin Chapman launched the car in 1952 and started selling vehicle kits to those who wanted to build their race cars. Many regarded Chapman as one of the most talented automotive engineers in the history of the automobile. He became well-known in the racing world for creating successful race cars with cutting-edge features that significantly improved the performance and outperformed the competition. The Lotus 6 (Mark VI), the company’s first volume production vehicle, marked Chapman’s entry into the road car industry. That same year Lotus made 110 cars geared for the hobbyist driver.
Despite going through many periods of financial difficulty throughout its history, Lotus is now one of the top British sports and racing vehicle manufacturers.
Lotuses can be extremely precious and costly. For instance, the Lotus Evija comes with a price tag of over $2 million, and a top speed of 186 mph in under nine seconds. Hence, once you decide to own these beauties, you should contact a lotus car insurance specialist to help you cover the insurance needs.
Lotus Seven
To replace the Mark VI, the company’s first production car, Lotus introduced the Seven model in 1957. The Lotus Seven can be identified by its unique wheel coverings and partially exposed wheels. Due to the inexpensive cost of production, the car gained popularity with numerous replica kit car businesses, and the kits are still available for purchase today.
Lotus Elite
In 1958, Lotus founder Colin Chapman started making the Elite, a brand-new lightweight sports car, in order to raise money for his racing activities. The body shell of the original model was created using both fiberglass and fiberglass-reinforced plastic. The sports car only weighed 1705 pounds.
Lotus Cortina
The Cortina doesn’t resemble any of Lotus’ previous sleek-looking sports vehicles. Instead, it has the appearance of a generic economy car. However, the outcomes were astounding when Ford Motor Company approached Lotus to work with them on a project to construct 1,000 unique Cortina GTs for competition racing in Group 2.
The Ford-Lotus Cortina dominated competition events. The race car won the British Saloon Car Championship in 1964 and the RAC rally two years later with illustrious racers like Jim Clark at the wheel.
Lotus Europa
The original Lotus Europe is one of the most intriguing sports cars ever produced. The car, built between 1966 and 1975, was the first British mid-engine production car and Lotus’ first mid-engine production car. The low-slung coupé, which motorcar journalists dubbed “the closest thing to a Formula car,” displayed a road vehicle’s unmatched handling and road-holding abilities.
Lotus Esprit S1
The Lotus Esprit S1, produced between 1976 and 1978, is more well-known for the exposure it garnered from its appearance in the James Bond movie “The Spy Who Loved Me” than for its scientific advancements in Lotus car development. However, automakers began frequently using the sports car’s wedge shape for several models in the 1970s. Renowned Italian automobile designer Giorgetto Giugiaro created this shape.
Lotus Carlton
The Lotus Carlton is said to have been so quick that the British government tried to draft legislation outlawing it after some criminals used one as their getaway car and police could not chase it.
The Lotus Carlton was the fastest four-door saloon on the market when it attained an unrestricted top speed of 175 mph, surpassing the BMW M5.
The Future of Lotus Cars
The high-performance British sports car manufacturer entered the hypercar electric vehicle era with the release of the Lotus Evija. Lotus created the Evija model as a fully electric car with an ultrafast charging system that takes just 12 minutes to charge an electric car to 80% capacity and 18 minutes to charge it fully.
