{"product_id":"lotus-sports-racers-a-brooklands-portfolio","title":"Lotus Sports Racers: A Brooklands Portfolio","description":"The Front Engined Lotus Sports \nRacing 1951-1959 - Between 1951 and 1959 Lotus produced eight front \nengined sports racing cars each of which contained innovative \nengineering design developments. From humble beginnings using converted \nAustin Seven based specials, Colin Chapman developed his own chassis and \nproduced his own sports car. Over the following eight years with a new \nLotus model each year, with each model distinctively different from its \npredecessor, Lotus rose from the ranks of a special builder to a race \nwinning constructor of sports racing cars which included countless race \nvictories at circuits throughout the world, plus success at world \nrenowned international races at Le Mans and Sebring. \n\nThe Lotus Mark III of 1951 set the \ntrend for Lotus lightweight sports racing cars, although the Austin \nSeven chassis formed the basis of the car with much Lotus modification, \nand an even more modified Austin engine. The Lotus Mark VI of 1952 saw \nthe beginning of the Chapman designed space frame chassis, and torsional \nstrength with riveted body panels. The use of modified standard \nproduction components saw the Lotus developed independent suspension by \ndivided Ford front axle which lasted throughout the first five models \nuntil 1957. Over three years of production Lotus sold some 110 Mark VI \ncars. The Lotus Mark VIII of 1954 was a radical aerodynamic design for \ninternational sports car racing, and featured a fully triangulated space \nframe chassis on the prototype which proved effective, but impractical. \nOnly six Mark VIIIs were built. The remaining cars used modified Mark VI \nchassis and Lotus gained some impressive race victories to establish \ntheir reputation in British motor racing. The Lotus Mark IX of 1955 saw \nthe move to Lotus designed standardisation of specialised parts, plus \nmodified aerodynamics on the body shape. About 25 Mark IX cars were \nsold, with a substantial number to the USA where Lotus's reputation was \ndeveloping. The Lotus Mark X, also of 1955, was a customer inspired move \ninto larger capacity sports racing cars which caused Lotus some problems \nand included detachable chassis tubes, disc brakes, etc. Only 6 cars \nwere produced. \n\nThe Lotus Eleven of 1956 was the \nmajor step forward which established Lotus as a winning sports racing \nconstructor. It also set the trend for Lotus models beginning with the \nletter E. The Lotus Eleven was an exercise in style and shape. Component \naccessibility was superb and the car was offered in a choice of three \noptions, and with a variety of body styles. The big innovation was the \nuse of rack and pinion steering and later, with the Series 2 of 1957, \nwishbone front suspension that was to be the mainstay of Lotus design \nfor the next three years and was used on five models. A total of 270 \nwere built in three years of production, and were sold all over the \nworld. The Lotus Fifteen of 1959 was a larger capacity sports racing car \naimed at international competition. When it worked, it worked very well \nand achieved some major international success for Lotus. However, it was \nhampered by the rear mounted Lotus ?queerbox? sequential gearbox on the \nearlier models. Twenty eight were produced and were driven at major \ninternational races to build on Lotus's reputation. \n\nThe Lotus Seventeen of 1959, was \nnot a success. Chapman was too busy on a multitude of developments, and \nthe innovative strut front suspension did not work adequately. A total \nof 20 cars were built. The Rear Engined Lotus Sports Racing Cars \n1960-1965 - Lotus were slow to move into the rear engined innovation of \nthe late 1950?s, but when they did with their rear engined Lotus 18 in \n1959, the supremacy was soon established. Stirling Moss in Rob Walker?s \nLotus 18 F1 scored the first Grand Prix victory in a Lotus at Monaco in \nMay 1960, and Innes Ireland won at Watkins Glen late in 1961 to score \nthe first Grand Prix victory for Team Lotus. ?In the meantime Lotus \nsports racers also became rear engined. The Lotus Nineteen of 1960 was \ndesigned to continue Lotus prestige in large capacity sports car racing, \nand although only 12 cars were built, they were very fast. Most success \nwas achieved in USA. The Lotus Twenty Three of 1962 was a return to \nsmall capacity sports racing cars on which Lotus had built their \nreputation in the mid-1950's. This was as successful as its \npredecessors, and won races all over the world. It is still winning in \nhistoric racing today. Some 131 cars were built with engines from \n1100cc-1800cc. The Lotus 30 was a great idea, and a superb looking car \nwhen it was introduced in 1964, but it failed to deliver the goods. The \nproblem was the lack of torsional stiffness in the uprated Elan type \nbackbone chassis which just could not cope with the V8 power. A total of \n33 cars were built. The Lotus 40 of 1965 was the last sports racing car \nto be built by Lotus. It was a dismal failure and only 3 were built. \n\nIt was a sad finale for Lotus to \nrelinquish their construction of sports racing cars in which they had \nmade such a name for themselves over the past 15 years.","brand":"Brooklands Books Ltd","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":31911912636487,"sku":"B02241","price":49.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0057\/9813\/3831\/files\/9f80b3dc-6bf0-4c74-ac28-81c14b902e43_2cd89.jpg?v=1772274696","url":"https:\/\/www.midlifeclassiccars.com\/cs\/products\/lotus-sports-racers-a-brooklands-portfolio","provider":"MidlifeClassicCars.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}