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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.
Major Lotus Milestones:
1957 – Lotus produced the legendary Type 14 Elite, its first closed-roof model. It is said to be one of the most beautiful and perfectly proportioned cars in automobile history.
1977 – The Lotus Esprit debuted as a James Bond car in “The Spy Who Loved Me” where it performed a memorable submarine impersonation.
2006 – Lotus was the first car company and engineering consultancy in the world to receive the QS9000, which is linked to ISO9001/2000.
Interesting Lotus Fact:
Lotus was the
first to successfully implement “ground effects” or the ability to use the air
under the car to create downforce. This technology was a successor of the
theory of streamlining. Colin Chapman conjectured that reducing the ground
clearance would build pressure. When his team tested this surmise by reducing
the gap between the nose airfoil and road surface to a mere four inches, he was
proven right. This technology was introduced in the 1977 Argentine Grand Prix.
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