page_title: Lotus Cars
section_title: Previous
hierarchical_section_title: Lotus Cars / Lotus car models / Previous
caption_attribution_description: Une Lotus Elite série 2 coupé exposée lors du salon Retromobile 2014
context_page_description: Lotus Cars is a British builder of sports and racing cars. It is based at the old site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk. The company designs and builds race and production cars. The cars are built to have a low weight. The cars handle well
  Lotus Cars was founded and owned for many years by Colin Chapman. After his death and a period of financial instability, it was bought by General Motors, then by businessman Romano Artioli and DRB-HICOM through its subsidiary Proton. It is currently owned by Chinese multinational Geely.
context_section_description: Lotus Mark I (1948): Austin 7 based car
  Lotus Mark II (1949–1950): Ford-powered trials car
  Lotus Mark III (1951): 750 cc formula car
  Lotus Mark IV (1952): Trials car
  Lotus Mark V (1952 2): 750 cc formula car, never built
  Lotus Mark VI (1953–1955): The first "production" race, about 100 built
  Lotus Seven (1957–1970): Classic open sports car, without any unnecessary equipment. Designed to handle a racing circuit and nothing else. The rights to the Seven were sold in 1973 to Caterham Cars, who continue to produce it today. Updated versions of this 1957 design are also produced by other firms, including Westfield Sportscars and Donkervoort.
  Lotus Mark VIII (1954): Sports racer
  Lotus Mark IX (1955): Sports racer, based on the Mark VIII
  Lotus Mark X (1955): Sports racer, a more powerful Mark VIII
  Lotus Eleven (1956–1957): Sports racer
  Lotus 12 (1956–1957): Formula Two and Formula One race car
  Lotus 13: Never used
  Lotus Elite (Lotus 14) (1957–1963): First production street car, the Elite
  Lotus 15 (1958): Sports racer—successor to the Eleven
  Lotus 16 (1958–1959): Formula One/Formula Two car based on the 12
  Lotus 17 (1959): Sports racer update of the 15, was not successful
  Lotus 18 (1960–1961): First mid-engined Lotus single seater, Formula Junior/Formula Two/Formula One
  Lotus 19 (1960–1962): Mid-engine sports racer, known as the "Monte Carlo"
  Lotus 20 (1961): Formula Junior
  Lotus 21 (1961): Formula One
  Lotus 22 (1962–1965): Formula Junior/Formula Three
  Lotus 23 (1962–1966): Small displacement mid-engined sports racer
  Lotus 24 (1962): Formula One
  Lotus 25 (1962–1964): Formula One World Champion
  Lotus 26 (1962–1971): Production street sports car, the original Elan.
  Lotus 27 (1963): Formula Junior
  Lotus Cortina (Lotus 28) (1963–1966): Lotus version of the Ford Cortina street car/race car
  Lotus 29 (1963): Indy car Ford stock block
  Lotus 30 (1964): Large displacement sports racer (Ford V8)
  Lotus 31 (1964–1966): Formula Three space frame racer
  Lotus 32 (1964–1965): Monocoque F2 and Tasman Cup racer
  Lotus 33 (1964–1965): Formula One World Champion
  Lotus 34 (1964): Indy car, DOHC Ford
  Lotus 35 (1965): Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula B
  Lotus Elan (Lotus 36) (1965–1968): Fixed Head Coupe version of the original Elan, different from the Type 26 Elan which could be fitted with a removable hard top
  Lotus 38 (1965): Indy winning mid-engine car
  Lotus 39 (1965–1966): Tasman Cup formula car
  Lotus 40 (1965): Version of the 30
  Lotus 41 (1965–1968): Formula Three, Formula Two, Formula B
  Lotus 42 (1967): Indy car—raced with Ford V8
  Lotus 43 (1966): Formula One
  Lotus 44 (1967): Formula Two
  Lotus Elan (Lotus 45) (1966–1974): Convertible (Drop Head Coupe), a version of the original Elan with a revised body style. This version had permanent side window frames.
  Lotus 46 (1966–1968): Original Renault-engined Europa
  Lotus Europa (Lotus 47) (1966–1970): Racing version of Europa
  Lotus 48 (1967): Formula Two
  Lotus 49 (1967–1969): Formula One World Champion
  Lotus Elan (Lotus 50) (1967–1974): Four-seat "Elan +2" production car
  Lotus 51 (1967–1969): Formula Ford
  Lotus 52 (1968): Prototype "Europa" twincam
  Lotus 53 (1968): Small displacement sports racer, never built
  Lotus Europa (Lotus 54) (1968–1970): Series 2 "Europa" production car.
  Lotus 55 (1968): Formula Three
  Lotus 56 (1968–1971): Indy turbine wedge/Formula One turbine (56B)
  Lotus 57 (1968): Formula Two design study
  Lotus 58 (1968): Formula One design study
  Lotus 59 (1969–1970): Formula Three/Formula Two/Formula Ford
  Lotus Seven (Lotus 60) (1970–1973): Greatly modified version of the Seven—AKA Seven S4
  Lotus 61 (1969): Formula Ford wedge
  Lotus 62 (1969): Prototype Europa racer
  Lotus 63 (1969): 4-wheel drive Formula One
  Lotus 64 (1969): 4-wheel drive Indy cars, did not compete
  Lotus 65 (1969–1971): "Federalized" Europa S2
  Lotus 66: Never used
  Lotus 67 (1970): Proposed Tasman Cup car, never built
  Lotus 68 (1969): F5000 prototype
  Lotus 69 (1970): Formula Three/Formula Two/Formula Ford
  Lotus 70 (1970): F5000/Formula A
  Lotus 71: Undisclosed design study
  Lotus 72 (1970–1972): Formula One World Champion
  Lotu
caption: Lotus Elite
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