2007 Lotus Exige S on 2040-cars

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Lotus wants to find its first car, built by Colin Chapman

Lotus is looking for the first car its founder ever built. The Lotus Mark I, a trials special Colin Chapman built in a small garage in London in 1948, has been lost to history and the company has been trying to find it for ages. As Lotus is 70 this year, the first Lotus would be quite the icing on its birthday cake. Colin Chapman constructed the first Lotus in a garage that belonged to his girlfriend's parents, at the age of 20. The car was reportedly an instant competition success, but Chapman's competitive spirit meant he soon started on the car's successor, the Mark II, and sold the Mark I in November 1950 for GBP135 after advertising it in Motor Sport magazine. Both the Mark I and II were based on Austin 7 hardware, but the latter used different Ford engines while the Mark I retained an Austin 7 engine. Experiments with lightening the vehicle and developing a better suspension design were Lotus hallmarks from the very beginning, as the car needed to beat Britain's rough rally terrain and have enough grunt to climb hills. Lotus Engineering was set up in 1952, later spawning Team Lotus that started out in Formula 1 by the end of the 1950s — and the rest is history. But Lotus owes everything to the humble Mark I. "The Mark I is the holy grail of Lotus' history," Clive Chapman, Colin's son explains. "It's the first time that my father was able to put his theories for improved performance into practice when designing and building a car. To locate this landmark Lotus, as we celebrate the 70 th anniversary, would be a monumental achievement. "We want fans to take this opportunity to look in every garage, shed, barn and lock up they're allowed to," added Chapman. "It's even possible that the Mark I was shipped from the UK, and we'd love to know if it survives in another country." This means the first Lotus could even reside in the United States, if it is still in one piece. Related Video: Featured Gallery 1948 Lotus Mark I News Source: Lotus CarsImage Credit: Colin Chapman Foundation Lotus Automotive History Convertible Classics

Lotus is building 60 extra light, extra aerodynamic Exige Cup 380s

Lotus is never done adding lightness and once again turned its attention to the Exige. Like so many other special Lotuses, this one, called the Exige Cup 380, makes the same 375 horsepower from its supercharged 3.5-liter V6. However, the weight savings is a significant 117 pounds compared with the 2,447-pound Exige Sport 380. This savings comes from the inclusion of many carbon-fiber parts including a one-piece rear hatch, side intakes, hood, front splitter, side sills, and seats, among others. Lotus also removed the gas struts for the hatch to save 2.2 pounds. And if that's not enough, you can save another 2.2 pounds by choosing the optional HVAC and air vent surrounds, and 22 pounds with an optional exhaust system. The Exige Cup 380 also produces significantly more downforce than the Sport, 43-percent more to be exact. That results in maximum downforce of about 441 pounds at the Cup 380's top speed of 175 mph. The car achieves this thanks to a revised front bumper and splitter, vents above the front wheels, more vents behind the rear wheels, and a new rear wing. Even the windshield wiper rests in a vertical position to aid aerodynamics. The Cup 380 doesn't just benefit from better aerodynamics and less weight. The rear tires are wider than the Sport 380 at 285 mm. The Cup 380 also has two-way adjustable shocks and adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. Even the stability control can be adjusted to the driver's needs. The car is stopped by four-piston brake calipers at all four corners, and a standard steel roll bar protects the driver. If owners wish, they can also add an FIA-certified full roll cage. Lotus will only build 60 of these Exiges, and they're only available in Europe. They're not cheap either. In the UK, buyers will spend GBP83,000 in the UK and ˆ109,900 in Europe. That means this Exige would cost between $106,000 and $118,000, at current exchange rates. Related Video:

Lotus Type 133 / Envya spy photos show it in thin camouflage

Lotus's upcoming electric sedan, codenamed Type 133 and potentially named Envya, has been caught in spy photos once again, and this time we get an impressively clear look thanks to thin, branded camouflage. It looks as long and slinky as ever, and design elements from the Lotus Eletre electric SUV are obvious. It also looks as though it's closely related to the Polestar 5 sedan. The nose of the Type 133 is a near note-for-note remake of the Eletre's, but significantly lower and flatter. Frankly, it's a much better execution of the design to these eyes. It has the split headlights and the hexagonal active grille shutters like the SUV, too. Close examination also shows that the upper headlights consist of two scowling lenses on each side, with the upper ones obscured by vinyl camoflage. The low nose rises quickly over a short hood into the long, raked roofline that continues right through to the tail. The Type 133 is absolutely a modern fastback-type sedan, and likely features a hatchback. At the leading edge of the roof, there's a sensor that's presumably for advanced driver aids, and is one of the signs that this car likely is closely related to the Polestar 5, which was previewed with a similar sensor. Around at the back, the Type 133's details are harder to see due to the final taillights not being installed. But it does appear to be getting full-width units, and there are some diffuser-like details in the rear bumper. Besides that aforementioned sensor, the whole car's shape, size and proportions look extremely close to the Polestar 5's and those of the Precept concept that previewed the Polestar. The low nose, long roof, roof sensor, flush door handles, they're all very similar. And with Geely owning both brands, it's not really a surprise. The same electric platform from the Eletre is likely powering the Type 133, and power could range from 595 to 893 horsepower. Battery packs could range from 92- to 120-kWh. With how finished and thinly disguised this prototype is, we think the Type 133 could be revealed sometime this year, possibly going on sale next year.  Related Video: