Lotus Type 66 made its highly anticipated European debut this weekend during Villa d’Este at the 2024 Concorso d’Eleganza in Italy, marking a historic chapter for the British brand
The Type 66 was driven in the official Concorso d’Eleganza parade by Clive Chapman, son of Lotus founders Colin and Hazel Chapman
Lotus also showcased the iconic Type 72 and the Evija hypercar at FuoriConcorso, spread across two of Lake Como’s waterfront villas ‘Del Grumello’ and ‘Sucota’
London, UK – 27 May 2024 Lotus took center stage in Como, Italy over the weekend as it participated in two world-renowned events: Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este and FuoriConcorso.
Villa d’Este: A Historic DebutThe Type 66 was presented at Villa d’Este for the 2024 Concorso d’Eleganza. This was the first time Lotus was invited to participate in the official parade in its 76-year history, marking a historic moment for the British brand.
This iconic model, designed over 50 years ago, has finally been brought to light thanks to the extraordinary collaboration between Clive Chapman, Managing Director of Classic Team Lotus and son of founders Colin and Hazel Chapman, and the Lotus Design Team.
With a focus on the Can-Am series, Colin Chapman tasked Team Lotus designer Geoff Ferris with launching the Type 66 project to explore how the brand’s design principles could be applied to this exciting category. However, Chapman’s primary focus in Formula 1 prevented this innovative project from progressing beyond technical drawings. To celebrate the brand’s illustrious tradition and sporting heritage, Lotus decided to finally bring this project to life last year, 53 years after the initial sketches. Only 10 examples of this ‘rediscovered and reimagined’ Lotus will be built. It is a number selected to commemorate the total number of races the Type 66 would have competed in during the 1970 season.
Clive Chapman, Managing Director of Classic Team Lotus, who drove the Type 66 during the parade commented “It was a real honour to be invited to drive Type 66 at the 2024 Concorso d’Eleganza. To be able to showcase ‘Colin’s Can-Am car’ during the event, and be recognised amongst the most iconic vehicles in the world, was a very special moment for the Chapman family and for Lotus. Type 66 is proof that Lotus innovation in performance engineering continues to inspire our present and future line up.”
FuoriConcorso: Tradition and Innovation with the Type 72 and EvijaLotus also participated at FuoriConcorso during the weekend. The 2024 theme for the event was “British Racing Green,” which provided the brand with a unique opportunity to showcase its illustrious past and exciting future. Two of the most iconic Lotus products, the Type 72 and the all-electric hypercar Evija, were on display.
With 20 Grand Prix victories to its name, the Type 72 was one of the most outstanding Formula 1 single-seaters of the 1970s and arguably the most significant and successful racing car design ever made. In 1972, it won both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships with Emerson Fittipaldi, including a legendary victory at Monza. The iconic vehicle was on display not far from the Evija , the most powerful production car in the world.
Simon Lane, Executive Director of Lotus Advanced Performance, said “It has been an unmissable weekend of automotive excellence at Como. We are so pleased that various Lotus models have been celebrated and enjoyed by those in attendance. Both events were a unique opportunity for us to share our history and continued dedication to performance engineering.”
The Type 66 had been launched in Lotus’ 75th anniversary year and is testament to the brand’s desire to reimagine the best elements of its heritage, updating them in the most exhilarating way possible.
With his eyes on the high-profile and commercially lucrative Can-Am Series, Lotus founder Colin Chapman tasked Team Lotus draughtsman Geoff Ferris to launch the Type 66 project to evaluate how Lotus design principles could be applied to this exciting category. Chapman’s primary focus on Formula 1 meant the innovative project never went beyond technical drawings and scale models. In a fitting tribute to the brand’s illustrious racing pedigree and heritage, Lotus has proudly fulfilled the original vision 53 years after the designer first put pen to paper.
Witrh 20 Grand Prix victories to its name, the Type 72 was one of the most outstanding Formula 1 single-seaters of the 1970s and arguably the most significant and successful racing car design ever made. It was also one of the most innovative, with centrally positioned radiators allowing Colin Chapman to create a more advanced aerodynamic profile than anything that had been done before. Weighing exactly 530 kg – the minimum allowed – it was one of the lightest F1 cars ever. In 1970, Rindt won the Drivers’ Championship and Team Lotus the Constructors’ Championship in the Type 72. Although the distinctive front design was unique and pioneering, it was the Type 72’s racing liveries that made history. The red, white, and gold of sponsor Gold Leaf, present at its debut, were replaced in the 1971 season with one of the most iconic color combinations ever in motorsport: the black and gold of John Player Special. Renamed Type 72D, in 1972, it won both the Drivers’ and Constructors’ Championships with Emerson Fittipaldi, including a legendary victory at Monza. The 25-year-old Brazilian driver set a record for precocity beaten only by Fernando Alonso in 2005.
Like all Lotus cars throughout the brand’s storied 76-year history, the Evija, the brand’s first 100% electric hypercar has been precision-engineered to deliver an outstanding driving experience both on the road and track. It is the most dynamically accomplished model ever built by the company, setting new standards for Lotus driving performance. Above all else, it is ‘For The Drivers’. In addition to its unmistakable design, the Evija stands out for its top-tier performance: with 2,039 PS and 1,704 Nm of torque, it can go from 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds, from 0 to 300 km/h in under 10 seconds, and reach a top speed of 360 km/h.
Notes to Editors
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About LotusLotus is a global luxury technology brand built on solid foundations and a rich heritage. Since the formation of Lotus in 1948, it has been pioneering true innovation, introducing cutting-edge technologies and designs to meet its uncompromising vision of how a car should look, perform and feel. It is made up of a high-performance sports car business, Lotus Cars, and an all-electric luxury mobility provider, Lotus Technology. Together, we are setting a new standard for automotive excellence.