Lotus 26 pod handlową nazwą Elan został zaprezentowany w październiku podczas "Earls Court Motor Show".

INTERESTINGLY, all three Lotus production models have different basic structures... monocoque for the Elite, backbone chassis for the new Elan, space frame for the Super Seven. The latter makes news by an up-grading in engine capacity to 1 ½-litres and the acquisition of a five-bearing crankshaft. As this suggests, the power unit is Ford's latest Classic/Capri job, developing 75 horse-power in normal Super Seven form but also available with Lotus/Cosworth tuning that adds a further 15 b.h.p. Unlike the Elan and the Elite, the Seven retains a live back axle but goes far towards the elimination of "hop" in this department by using coil springs and positive axle location in place of conventional semi-elliptics. The Super Seven has a Weber twin-choke carburettor, the latest Ford Classic gear box with synchromesh on all forward speeds. Disc brakes on the front wheels and an electric tachometer, wood-rimmed steering wheel and an electric radiator fan. A redesigned hood greatly improves rearward view.
APART from an increase in power output, from 83 to 95 b.h.p., Elite is little changed since last year's Show. It remains one of the most advanced Grand Touring machines of its day, featuring monocoque construction in glass-fibre, excellent aerodynamic shape, independent suspension and disc brakes for all four wheels. The Elite's remarkable fuel economy, relative to performance, received further testimony when one of these cars won the coveted Index of Thermal Efficiency award at Le Mans in June. The engine of course is by Coventry Climax, and one of the few units with a single overhead camshaft to be seen at Earls Court. Inboard mounting of the Elite's rear brakes, with a resulting reduction in unsprung weight, is one reason for this car's exceptional road holding. By buying it in component form and assembling it yourself, you save hundreds of pounds.
FOR sports-car enthusiasts, this will be a focal-point at the Show. An open two-seater of entirely new design, the Elan uses fibre-glass reinforced plastic as its body material but differs completely from the Elite coupe in having a separate chassis of backbone type, in contrast to the Elite's monocoque construction. Suspension is all-independent. Based on Ford's latest Classic/Capri engine, the power unit features Lotus's own twin-overhead camshaft top-end, which created such a sensation when making its racing debut in the Nurburgring's 1,000-kilometres race. By acquiring a five-bearing crankshaft, however, the Classic engine becomes an even sounder foundation for an ultra-high performance unit. An idea of the Elan's extremely low build can be gained from the fact that with its hood erect it is five inches lower than the Elite. Here are some other dimensional comparisons with the Elite:- 4 in. shorter in the wheelbase . . . ½ in. wider in track . . . 1½ in. longer overall. Transmission is similar to the Elite's, the four-speed gearbox having synchromesh on all forward ratios.
(London report)

Seven Series Two

Elite type 14

Lotus 22

The Lotus 20 is a Formula Junior car built for the 1962 season as a successor to the Lotus 18.
The Lotus 23 is a small-displacement two-seater sports racing car purpose-built for FIA Group 4 racing.
The debut of the 23 was at the Nürburgring in May, 1962. The tiny 100 bhp (70 kW) Lotus 23 with the newly developed 1.5 litre Lotus TwinCam engine shot away from the field of Porsches, Aston Martins and Ferraris with Jim Clark at the wheel in the rain. Even though some cars had four times the power of the Lotus, after the first lap in the wet, Clark was 27 seconds ahead of Dan Gurney's Porsche. Extending his lead on each lap until the track dried, Clark was overcome by exhaust fumes from a damaged exhaust manifold on lap 12 and retired.
Two 23s were entered at Le Mans in June, 1962. One with a 742 cc (45.3 cu in) aluminium-block DOHC Coventry Climax FWMC and another with one litre Iron block pushrod Cosworth Mk.III. The 23s failed to pass the scrutineering on several technical grounds, including an insufficient windscreen height, fuel tank capacity being too large, turning circle too large, ground clearance too small, and the spare tyre requirement not met.
The Lotus 25 is the first fully stressed monocoque chassis to appear in F1. Its debut took place at the Dutch GP driven by Jim Clark and finishing 9th. Later it took three World Championship Grand Prix wins scoring 2nd in WCC competition.

Lotus Elite (Mk 14), chassis #1792, engine: Coventry-Climax 1.216 cc.; Clive Hunt / John Wyllie, Team Lotus Engineering at 24h Le Mans.

Lotus Elite (Mk 14), chassis #1678, engine: Coventry-Climax 1.216 cc., David Hobbs / Frank Gardner, Team Lotus Engineering at 24h Le Mans.

Lotus 23, chassis #K-23-AZ, engine: Ford 997 cc. (Jim Clark / Trevor Taylor), Team Lotus Engineering arriving at Le Mans.

Lotus 23, chassis #23/S/8, engine: Coventry-Climax 750 cc. (Les Leston / Tony Shelly) UDT / Laystall Racing Team, preparing for Le Mans.

Jim Clark at ADAC 1000 km Rennen Nürburgring.

ADAC 1000 km Rennen Nürburgring; Wagstaff / Fergusson; Lotus Elite; Entrant: Team Elite 62; 16th overall and 2nd in GT1.3 groupp. Covered 38 laps in 7:43:53.600.

Released last year, the Lotus 19 "Monte Carlo" with 2.5-liter Coventry-Climax engine continued its successful career. Dan Gurney at Daytona-Beach imposed it against Ferrari, the U.D.T. Laystall also made good use of it and many individuals such as Vogele, seen here at Mont-Dore or Zweijel with a Maserati engine, achieved good results.

Jim Clark in the Lotus-Climax 25 at Reims GP (Non-Championship).

Monaco GP, Monte Carlo : Jack Brabham, Lotus-Climax 24 #22, Brabham Racing Organisation, 7th.