It may not be your typical household name in automobiles, but Lotus has established a solid reputation as a maker of memorable sports cars. It all began as early as 1948 when Colin Chapman, an engineer and racing enthusiast, built his first car. He continued experimenting with cars as a pastime until he officially founded the Lotus Engineering Company in 1952. From the get-go, Lotus’ focus has been on the racing circuit. However, it has also forayed into making production road cars, the volume of which was greatest in 2001 when Lotus built more cars than in any other year in its history. Lotus changed ownership a couple of times before it was finally acquired by the Malaysian car company Proton.