Lotus is Dead 

The real mvp of this story is Hazel, RIP

Lotus had the choice. You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

As a Lotus fan for over 40 years, this video comes across as a bit strange to me. It was Colin Chapman himself who realized that his company could not be sustained by simply making lightweight kit cars, and he sought to create an upscale, head-turning, flagship performance car that could complete with Porsche and Ferrari. When he was approached by Giorgetto Giugiaro at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show to design this new car, that’s when Lotus truly changed. The resulting Esprit is almost entirely (and bafflingly) glossed over in this video, but it is the single most important car that Lotus ever made, and it’s the primary reason Lotus still exists as a brand that has any cache today. The car was a cinematic superstar, making unforgettable impressions in The Spy Who Loved Me, For Your Eyes Only, Pretty Woman, The Rookie, Basic Instinct and many others. It was a halo car in the truest sense with an iconic shape that will be remembered and admired as an all-time great. While I think it’s cool that Lotus had success going back to their early lightweight go-cart roots with the Elise/Exige, let’s not pretend that “simplify and add lightness” was all Colin Chapman ever stood for: His last company car was a 1981 Turbo Esprit that he put 4,500 miles on, and he willingly sacrificed a little lightness for style and brand image. By attempting to create a new halo car in the Evija, Lotus isn’t abandoning Colin Chapman’s playbook, they’re following it.

In 2009 I was in the process of ordering my dream car, a Lotus Elise SC. All thorough my childhood in the 70s I was in love with Lotus. Finally, an engineer myself, I had the additional income to afford an expensive toy to play with on the weekend. A week before I signed on the line for the special order Elise, I was hit by a truck - no, no while I was in a vehicle, but when I was out for a jog - neck broken, back broken, skull fractured, yep, I was done. Now partially paralyzed, my driving days are over. I kept the order for that Elise SC open for as long as I could, but now unemployed and totally disabled, all I have is the memory of test driving the dealer's sample. My whole life I had wanted that "Simple but add lightness" car... it was in my grasp... and life took a turn for the worse. I almost had my childhood dream in my garage and on the track. Had I taken an extra minute to leave my house that day or a minute sooner, yep, that car and my body would have continued on - dreams fulfilled.

Why stop at the question of “was Lotus always destined to become an SUV selling company?” Why not apply it to all car manufacturers? Are all of them destined to eventually become slave to the SUV syndrome? Was this always future of car companies? Interesting video as always, really makes you think!

"Any car which holds together for a whole race is too heavy." - Colin Chapman

Hazel now got her wings with Colin, RIP Hazel Colin couldn't have done it without you ,two love birds destined to fly together, thanks for your mark you left in motor racing forever, one love, one heart, one blood, one race, HUMANITY

As a Malaysian, I am totally proud that Proton saw a big potential of Lotus Elise and pumped money into it. A bit disappointed with Proton management about selling their cars in our local. They cannot compete with another local competitor (Perodua) because they try to sell exaggerating cars but the real problem is the spare part is hard to find and expensive. Average persons just don't care about exaggerate and it is about economical. Accessibility of spare part is most important thing even for car lovers. When Proton owned Lotus, the exterior and interior are just totally impressive and a lot of improvement was made. I pretty confident if Proton did well about their marketing and management, they will keep the philosophy of Colin Chapman. Proton Satria Neo is one of our proud sport car!! It is really demanded among sport car lovers in local.

We've already seen an electric Lotus: it's called first generation Tesla Roadster.

Oh my god! I didn’t know this was over 39 minutes long!! What a story! As a fan of Lotus and Colin Chapman, it’s so fascinating to see his wonderful wife Hazel being a part of the entire process. “Simplify, and add lightness” is becoming rarer and rarer in this world, but there are some manufacturers, including Lotus, that understand the concept of fun!

I owned a used Lotus Elan in 1970. I traded in a Fiat 124 coupe. The Elan had been used in hill climbs and had several modifications. I brought it back to somewhat stock specs and used it as primary transportation for a year and a half. I entered a lot of autocross and won so many trophies that I had to give them away because they took up too much room. It was not all roses. I stripped out spark plugs from the aluminum head, broke the differential half shaft, had to replace the clutch, could not keep a speedometer gear in the trans for more than 5 months, leaked oil all over the place, could not keep the electric windows working, had to replace a lot of wiring due to corrosion. My new wife enjoyed riding the elan but could not learn the drive stick. The Elan had so many other "self-disassembly" features that I had to get rid of the car. But, man, was it fun to drive!!! Steering was whiplash quick and the gearbox shifted like a light switch. While owning the Elan I got married which changed my attitude and needs. In 1972 I traded it in on a used Alfa 1750 coupe which I drove for over 80,000 miles. But that is another story.

I daily drive an Evora GT and it spoils me. Its literally the best drivers car on the planet. I will never get rid of it.

i do see their future as a big departure from heritage. i think i find less of an issue with the electrification than i do with the weight. it seems they always had power train issues and never really developed one on their own, so electrification seems like the “simplest” power train they could use. it’s a shame though that it means heavy heavy batteries. if all goes well, these SUVs will save them like the Cayenne saved Porsche and they will still be able to cater to the true enthusiast, albeit an electric enthusiast.

40 minutes will pass like nothing thx man for your amazing content

Most enjoyable detailed history of Lotus, albeit with the slightly odd omission of any mention of the 49. Possibly the purest and most beautiful F1 car ever.

I had a twin cam Europa back in the day. Best car I ever owned despite all the horrors of owning an English car. But man, the driving experience was like nothing ever I've ever had.

I'm very sad to see the "add lightness" mentality die, but it's a simple calculus, the internal combustion engine is being outlawed. If your lightweight sports car won't have the symphony of a gasoline engine and will be REQUIRED to adopt heavy batteries and motors, the sports car experience kinda falls apart. When a car is no longer an experience, it becomes an appliance, and appliances have to have utility. Is it any wonder then that all manufacturers are trending towards CUV and SUV models? Is Lotus dead? The literal answer is no, of course, the changes in the company are for the sake of preserving the brand. The cost for that preservation then is Lotus walking away from everything they've built. Same name, different soul. Rest in peace Lotus, you will be missed.

The Lotus Seven was one of the few road based cars that actually raced in an F1 Grand Prix in Kyalami South Africa, it was modified by cutting a chunk out of the width of the car making it a single seater, even though up against dedicated Grand prix cars it didn't come last.

in 1975 ( 20 yrs old ) i was a working Cowboy in Wichita Falls TEXAS on my familys Quarter Horse Ranch , went Longboard Surfing on Padre Island all the time , my daily driver was a 1955 chevy pickup that i turned into a Hot Rod , driving thru Dallas i saw a Lotus Europa S2 ( renault power ) at a Ford , Lotus , Pantera dealership , purchased to Europa IMMEDIATELY , was my daily driver for 8 YEARS !!!! a girl ran a red lite hit my Lotus and TOTALED IT , l purchased a 1964 Jag E Type fixed head coupe to replace the Europa and help heal my broken heart , i LOVED that Europa !!! i have Owned and lived aboard 3 Yachts and have owned 15 Euro Sports cars in the last 40+ years , still talk about the Lotus and look at the 35 mm images of her ALL the time

Am I alone in thinking that reports of the death of the internal combustion engine are somewhat premature? After all, many countries are not following Boris and Carrie’s orders, including the US and Germany. Also EVs can only be used where there is suitable urban infrastructure. I can just see an Aussie in the outback 300 miles from civilisation asking where is the nearest charging point.

Glad to see someone talking about the change in lotus, another banger

One of the best car channels on YT. Keep up the good work

I owned a Lotus 6 (in England) in the late 60's, with a Triumph 4cyl. 2L engine. It was crazy fun - a rocket roller skate. The clutch was a pedal on a shaft, direct into the bell housing. Then the Lotus 7 came out - advertised as 0 to 60mph in 3 days! You could buy it in kit form & assemble it yourself. (To avoid tax). It had a 2L ford engine with twin overhead cams & twin Webbers, or DelOrtos. My buddy had an Elan & it felt like luxury by comparison. Earlier, I saw Jim Clarke & Dan Gurney race at Silverstone & Graham Hill, but he was in a Mk. 2 Jaguar. I was 10 years old & so lucky to be in Brian Lister's pit. My Dad was working at Lister Jaguar at the time. If I could find an old Lotus for sale - any 1 - I'd love to fix it up... & put an electric motor into it. If anyone's got 1 they don't want - let me know. I'm in Southern California - thanks and thanks for a great video, Albon

Back in the early 1970s when I was racing at club level, I met two guys at the track who used to work for Lotus. They told me about Colin Chapman who they knew quite well, as he spent a lot of time on the factory floor keeping an eye on things. He was a real hands-on guy they told me, and then mentioned his habit of picking up a component, inspecting it closely, then saying "Take a chunk off here, it does not need to be so heavy". Once that was done and inspected once again, then all those components would be similarly modified. He got the nickname in the factory amongst the guys there, as "Chunky Chapman", not to his face of course! He truly was a fanatic about weight! That particular emphasis has clearly been lost now, along with many other elements of the previous culture!

Great video man! R.I.P Hazel Chapman, everyone needs someone like you in their life!

I owned an S3 Esprit Turbo in the mid 80's. I spent every penny I earned to own and keep that car. It was great fun. Wish I had kept it. Thanks for your time and effort into putting this video.

As a little kid our neighbour had a Lotus Cortina breifly and growing up my Father would tell me about the Elans and Europas and Sevens, and I liked the look of MKI with its stripe ect, could never afford a Lotus Cortina so I bought 63 GT two door instead. I still miss that car. But Dad a couple of years ago bought n built a Caterham 7 and dropped it on top of Honda S2000 running gear... man I've had fast cars from Aussie Muscle to German and British fast Saloons.... but FAAAARRRK ME that 7 Scares the absolute Shit Outta me! Even though its technically not a Lotus anymore... but from my understanding the Chassis is pretty much the same as the original chassis in ethos but built a bit stronger due to constant evolution and fixing the weaknesses found over past 6 decades as well as better quality materials in the construction, but they Still have Chapmans spirit in them Lightweight and powerful enough engine... although personally I would rather have my old 1558cc Ford Kent engine that I had in my GT Cortina in dads car. But I'm a bit of a traditionalist there.

I love stories like this... big respect to the team who put this together for us all, thankyou.

First models of both the Land Rover and Unimog very much embodied "simplify and add lightness" I think, not SUVs of course but 4x4s. Weight is as great an enemy off road as it is on the race track or B road, their use of lightweight materials in a very simple design to make them reliable and easy to maintain made them iconic.

The Cortina was Lotus’s finest hour. It is and will remain, legend. 🇬🇧

the Europa S was only ever intended to sell a few hundred to shift some left over parts that were sat in a warehouse, mainly around 500 of the GM engines from VX220 production. People always talk about it as if it was a proper attempt to make a big selling car, and go on to call it a failure, when it simply wasn't.

Electric cars are better in almost every way. Yes, they are comparatively heavy - for now. But that is offset by the low COG. Batteries are getting smaller, lighter, more power dense all the time. Yes, they take longer to recharge than petrol vehicles and finding a charge is more difficult - for now. But 800V is being rolled out all along the UK motorway networks. Yes, you don't have the noise, the vibration. I don't miss it. I love the silent glide around town. Many manufacturers install a fake engine noise for those who miss it but it's the first thing I would turn off. I do love the punch in the back when I push the accelerator to the floor, at any speed, without having to cog down first. Anyone who thinks "golf buggy" or "milk cart" when they think of electric cars is plain wrong - those are specialist vehicles. If you have any doubts, find someone who has a Tesla or a Porsche Taycan and ask them to take you up a drag strip. Serious motoring.

As a Malaysian, I felt sorry that our government that ruined lotus future, making them to become anything but not lotus. I always love the mk2 elise too bad it was axed rn and replaced by lotus emira. I think at least we malaysian owed every lotus fan a apologise, sorry for ruining everyone's brand that produced most fun and simple car brand by our government.

As much as the electrification of Lotus is sad, I’m still optimistic 4 their future. From the looks of it, it seems that Lotus is applying the Chapman ideology to EVs. They’re not electric cars. They’re electric *Lotuses.* The SUVs worry me a bit, but the sedan shouldn’t b 2 bad if designed properly. Also, I believe Lotus is developing an all-electric successor 2 the Elise and Exige (the prototype has been rather appropriately named the Type 135 back in Hethel, England). So yes, while these cars are going electric, Lotus is still staying as true 2 their heritage as they can. Even in the electric age, Lotus is still a company for the drivers, and they’ve proven that with the release of the Emira, and even the Evija. They’re handling the EV similar 2 how Porsche is, and how I think Lamborghini will handle theirs as well: engage the driver as much as possible. Speaking of Porsche tho, I think Lotus is taking a pretty good aim at them. Think abt it: Porsches and Lotuses r both drivers cars, both have/will have 2 SUVs in their lineup, both have at least one engaging EV, both have one semi-affordable mid-engine sports car, both have a rich racing history, and both intend 2 make EVs actually fun. When u think abt it, Lotus and Porsche have so many similarities that it makes sense that they’re going in the direction they r: they’re competing with Porsche

I'd still take an Exige over pretty much any other sports car around these days. Bar the mega expensive brands of course.

Thanks for reminding me of what made Lotus great. Cars here in the UK seem to be getting larger and larger and heavier too. The Mini is enormous in comparison with the original. The SUV is more normalised as a concept. The utilitarian Land Rover was lightweight and moderately sized, it became the Range Rover which went upmarket and became bigger, heavier and more expensive. Our roads are barely large enough. The SUV is classed as an upmarket Limo/grand tourer. The sports cars became enormous too. So the Lotuses were in sharp relief to that oversizing trend and true to what race inspired British sports cars did best, twisty turny, small roads with grippy handling, quick acceleration and great brakes in a small form factor. Often top speed wasn’t an issue because getting to the peak velocity on normal roads in normal traffic is a rare event. Lotus are trackable and enthusiasts get a car that mixes it up with the big boys. So far, so good, so Lotus. The electric hyper cars move into a different frame. Their cars are now big and heavy like everyone else’s hypercars. They will not be at home on narrow winding roads. Enthusiasts will not be taking them to track days. They will be less attainable. The bread and butter models that will support the high end will not even be sports cars. Lotus has drunk the Koolaid and left the building. Let’s hope they reinvent their core principle and bring out a small fast electric, trackable sports car for European roads with the Chapman DNA.

I remember seeing a Lotus Carlton on the West Approach Road in Edinburgh, shortly after they were released. It was a very cold morning and it was spewing an inordinate amount of water vapour from its exhaust- you could see how much air the engine was moving. And it looked magnificent.

You have the most underrated automotive channel on all of RU-vid!

Here is the conundrum Lotus finds itself in: simplify and add lightness results in stripped down cars that the public has failed to purchase in numbers large enough for the company to survive. But if you abandon this doctrine, how do you distinguish yourself in a crowded car market??? This last question becomes even more pressing as you move into very popular as well as very competitive car markets like SUVs or the future big markets in EVs. Can you live off your name? No. Lotus has been irrelevant in the car world for so long, many people have forgotten they still exist. Perhaps the Emira is pointing towards a potential solution. The Emira is basically a re-skinned Evora, but it is a $100,000 sports car that looks like a far more expensive exotic car. Unlike the Evora, that impression is not immediately dispelled by the interior. So far, that seems to be working as my understanding is that 1st year production of the Emira is sold out. However, from what we have heard, Geely is not interested in the small niche car company this strategy would produce. My take is that the Emira was the cheapest way to buy time for Lotus to develop what is coming next which you correctly point out is a SUV (or two). A pic of the new SUV has been teased for later this year. But how many ways are there to design this kind of car and stand out from the crowd??? And what would persuade a potential customer to put up with sub par fit and finish as well as a limited dealer network? Right now, Lotus car stand out on the outside and inside. Granted, the stand outs are not all good, but at least it is distinctive. In the future, Lotus will be hard pressed to stand out at all and that mediocrity could very well be the end of Lotus.

If everybody wants SUVs, car makers have to make them. That is especially true in the UK, where there are actual laws that ensure that a company MUST be run with the intention of making as much money as possible. Not doing so can lead to the directors being disbarred. I currently have a SUV, the first in my life, and it will also be the last. It is a truly hateful thing. Simply knowing that it is carrying all that extra, useless weight around is enough to infuriate me. I bought it simply believing that nobody should criticise a style of vehicle without having owned one, and it has proven even worse than I had ever imagined. It really does absolutely nothing better than a similarly interior-dimensioned car of significantly less than half the price. It has the carrying capacity of a small van, but with the footprint of a medium sized van, the road manners of an ill-tempered warthog and the performance of an asthmatic lawn mower. I can't wait to replace it with an EV.

Going forward, those who enjoy performance figures above all else will likely still have much to celebrate. On the other hand, those who prefer maximum interaction with their cars as well as the road itself will not (along with the analog goes the visceral). It's only a matter of time until classic/enthusiast cars as we've known them become obsolete. At some point the only "driving experience" may be via simulators. After all, change is the only constant.

I absolutely love your videos Albon, truly appreciate the work you put in your videos, the research, the editing, the music, and everything else, all professional level stuff I really hope you get the recognition you DESERVE, sooner than later I'll stick around, for sure 😉 And… One more thing, just a tip Try releasing videos more regularly and with lesser time intervals in between Cause most people tend towards quantity over quality, I'm not saying to skimp on your awesome video standards Just try to be more regular, that's my advice.

I am an Australian who lives in China. Recently I was buying a sports car and had settled on a 718 Cayman GTS. Then I saw the Emira and its quality was a huge leap over old Lotuses (Loti I suppose) it looked gorgeous, the V6 went well enough and the quality was now up there with the best of them. The engineering team here told me that the AMG motor coming to China was more powerful than the one overseas and that I should buy that even though it was cheaper so I purchased one. Yesterday I was one of the first in the world to drive the Chinese AMG which produces 400hp and 480nm torque with 8 gears and it weighs the same as the Cayman. It was wild and much faster than the 6 plus the gear changes on that double clutch were fast and sorted - track mode the gears are smart up and down plus it now has launch control. The other thing is that Geely has set up professional large-scale support and beautiful infrastructure here and in England. Lotus now has everything to make it the Porsche competitor we all knew it should be. Cayman you have a crocodile on your hands. Then there is the EV SUVs which are pretty serious and remember SUVs saved Porsche. By the way 4.3 seconds to 100kph for the 6 but the Chinese i4 is way faster.

I have owned and extensively driven a Series 2 Seven and a Europa Special and consider that you are correct in questioning the validity of that iconic green and yellow badge being attached to the exotic bodies of the models branded as Lotus over the recent years ....... never mind the ownership issues. Coming from such humble and exciting beginnings, a $ US 2.3 million price tag seems like a very rich insult to the name: I am prepared to admit that I might be wrong but my many miles of fun Lotus motoring induce me to feel this way ........ give me an elder Classic any day! Fortunately, we still have Morgans, though the new 3-wheeler has lost a lot of the model's appeal.

Colin Chapman is true legend from both automotive world and formula 1 world.

I used to park next to a Lotus Elise in my school parking lot, you don't really know how much you lack racing in your blood until you see a Dodge caravan next to an Elise

"Lotus is the last brand to stay true to the classic sports car formula" RUF: Am I a joke to you?

Just because you badge a vehicle with a given name brand doesn't make it so. As they say: "A rose by any other name is still a rose". If Lotus produces a car that doesn't live up to the ideals of a Lotus, then it's not a Lotus.

Unfortunately, to survive in the modern automotive world you need to keep up with demand and that demand for lightweight sports cars is simply not enough. Car users want their cars filled with tech, touchscreens etc. Add in tough new restrictions on car safety and emissions, and the old stripped out Lotus of old would simply not pass current regulations. I've got an Exige 410 and everytime I look at it I can't help but smile, it looks amazing and drives even better. There really is nothing else like it and it's sad that it will be the last Exige. Unless my circumstances change, I'm never selling it.

so you either die a hero or live long enough to make f*cking crossovers

Excellent video about Lotus, a company I've always admired but not really understood. While I have no problem with electrification, I have a big problem with SUVs. Porsche Cayenne? Ridiculous. Lotus SUV? Equally, or more so. In any case, many thanks for the really thorough review of Lotus. "Add lightness" - I LOVE that. It is the essence of Lotus that I perhaps knew but hadn't reduced to a phrase. Thank you, and RIP to the Lotus of the past.

I have an Elise and a Miata. The only thing I ever had done to the Elise is change the oil. It is the most reliable car I ever had. You can relax driving the Miata but not the Elise. The Elise demands you pay close attention to the road. The Miata is more forgiving.

Great Presentation, made me nostalgic and sad. But I think in the near future someone at Lotus will look back at the Elise and say "wouldn't that be fun?" At the end of the day, Simplify + Lightness = FUN

There was a cruel joke in Britain for many years that LOTUS was an acronym: Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious. I wonder if anything's changed... 🤔

Great video, very well researched! A very minor correction. Vauxhall was GM's British arm and Opel was GM's European arm. Holden was GM's Australian arm, The "Carlton" wasn't sold in Australia as it would have competed with General Motors Holden various "Commodore" performance models.

As a Lotus Elise owner, which is "track prepped", I can't feel good about the new offerings. The roar of the engine, taching 8500 RPMs is intoxicating. This feeling cannot be experienced in an electric car, even if the electric car can accelerate more quickly. The five-time SCCA XP-class national champion (Fred Zust) was earned in a Lotus Elise. They are worthy track cars. Chapman was right when he said "horsepower makes you fast in the straights, but lightness makes you fast everywhere". I did not get a Lotus for street driving comfort, otherwise, a BMW would have been purchased. The older Lotus cars were engineered for Driver's experience, instead of doing long road trips, or a trip to the grocery store. They have forgotten what cars brought them back from the brink. I suspect Lotus leadership is simply focusing on the actions, which assure finances for their next fat bonus check (through external finances). I guess earning those checks by making a better car sounds like too much work.

From a company famous for making simple and light weight car, to evs and heavy ass daily driver 💀

Tesla Roadsters were re-worked Elises. Now they are collectors' items.

Amazingly done! Wow. The research you did into Lotus is inspiring. Sadly as others mentioned, SUVs are just where manufacturers are going especially when you look at Jaguar and the Mustang but those are much better than the new Mitsubishi Eclipse : ( With that said, I am really liking what I am seeing with the upcoming Lotus Emira. In many ways, I feel this is what the new C8 Corvette should have been and unlike the Vette, I love that Lotus is making it in a manual. Again, job well done, and thank you. BTW good luck on that project build.

Simplify and add lightness- Modern Lotus SUV- hold my crate of beer.

That was an excellent video! Love your fast paced talking and passion for the subject. I can't imagine the work that went into producing this, thank you for a trip down memory lane as well. New subscriber and looking forward to watching others you have created.

I was so glued to the screen, 40 minutes flashed by. Thanks for a great review of Lotus.

Younger generations of car enthusiasts nowadays probably don’t realise how influential the Austin 7 was in the global car industry. Versions of the Austin 7 were made under licence by American Austin from 1930. Dixi (later bought by BMW) in Germany from 1927 and Rosengart in France from 1928. Austin 7s were also manufactured by Nissan (Datsun) but reports differ as to whether these were built under licence or were unlicensed copies.[citation needed] In addition, rolling chassis were exported to Australia to have locally made bodies attached. Many legendary racing drivers cut their teeth with this simple and surprisingly capable little car, Stirling Moss, Jim Clark, Bruce McLaren, Jack Brabham and a host of others

This isn’t really Lotus’s fault, it’s Obscure Chinese Company That Apparently Owns A Bunch Of Other Car Companies That Is Also In The WTCR’s fault.

got me crying, its very touching how his wife always got his back

36:00 only by tax benefits and legislation forcing these companies to go eletric.

WHAT?? Graham HILL took the WDC in 1968. Never heard of "Graham Clark. You also fail to give due credit to Graham, Graham HILL, for pulling the shattered and demoralized team together after JIM Clark's death. Chapman was reduced to ineffective absence such was the depths of his grief over the death of his best friend and number one driver- JIM Clark. And those Lotus turbine Indy cars were hardly "crap." They set fastest time in qualifying an nearly won the race. I do agree, however, that Lotus has lost its way. SUVs and heavy two million dollar electric hypercars have strayed too far from Chapman's credo of 'simplify and add lightness.'

And now Lotus has an ELECTRIC CROSSOVER SUV Now that’s insulting, Colin Chapman is rolling in his grave at the thought of Lotus making an SUV

Your videos are so entertaining! Probably the most fun car documentary I've watched! Keep it up, I'll be tuning in!

Just imagine how Chapman felt from the sky when he looked down from heaven to the Elise. And the fact that Hazel was there from the begining to the end. I dont really see a big issue with Lotus' future. And the Emira is lightweight for today's standard at 1400 Kg. How much does a BMW M3 weight? Is it already by two tons? If I could change anything, I would bring Lotus to Toyota's control instead of a Chinese manufacturer (given current situations, it wouldn't surprise me if China banned car sales to the US and other western countries... And that would include Lotus). Toyota would make better use of Lotus, and given that they have powered Lotus cars for decades I don't think it would be worse or something

There are soooo many inaccuracies in this thing, you may want to pick up one of the several ACCURATE Historic chronological accounts re: Lotus. This "production" is simply abysmal.

I think that you have something here. The Evora S1 was already rather porky, the Evora S2 (with the new body and called Emira) is obese. Lotus and Porsche take note: sportscars are best without slushboxes and cupholders. There is simply no justification for any type of SUV - the extra drag (Cd x Frontal Area) drives inefficiency and energy loss. If you want to go off-road buy a bike or some trail running shoes. As for electrified vehicles, we need to see the full CO2 and ecological impact of such vehicles compared to say e85 (produced used agriwaste in Europe). Well done Porsche for working on hydrogen.

Well done! I really didn't know much of anything about Lotus until this video and I sincerely thank you for the history lesson! As to what Lotus will be going forward? Well- I think staying alive would be a respectable achievement. It's a car company that has done what it had to in order to survive- remember the Lotus by Isuzu? Yeah. So cut them some slack and if anyone can make an interesting SUV, it's gotta be these folks.

Colin Chapman was the godfather of formula 1.

Very well put together and presented. My father was a big Lotus and Jim Clarke fan, this was the best story I've see on the Lotus story. I bought my first Lotus in 2012, a 2007 Elise S2. I wanted a cheap convertible which would also be a bit of fun, its been a fantastic reliable car, until recently it was a daily driver but now its getting older its getting a bit of TLC and will be used less. Definitely a keeper ,and the school kids faces when you drive past them!!! btw the M90 is up for sale at $86k usd.

I think Lotus going electric isn't as big of a problem as them deciding to make a sedan and SUV, I believe Lotus is a brand I always associate with sportscar so hearing a Lotus SUV sounds more out of place than a Lotus Hypercar because atleast a hypercar is still technically a sportscar

Thank you for a great, enthralling, truthful and thorough video. The story needed to be told. R.I.P. to dear Hazel who worked so hard to keep their dream alive, and to the LOTUS cars I drove, raced and loved. While in England in the mid-60s I raced for a private Lotus team and got to know Jim Clark (one of my 3 personal heroes) and received many driving and life tips from him, and observed Colin's focus and determination - what a pair! But now the Chinese will do what they always do - turn it into a money maker while stealing others' ideas and destroying its spirit. I will cherish the fond memories and try to find an old Lotus that someone wants to 'unload' and give it the love it deserves.

Used Lotus Elise or Exige will skyrocket soon.

At 6:04 your video shows a twin carburettor Austin "B" series engine in a Lotus chassis whilst describing it as a Ford derived power unit? I don't ever recall Lotus officially using an Austin derived power plant though Austin did have an element of engine power plant development through the 1960's derived by the legendary John Cooper. In the late 1970's I purchase a dilapidated 1970 Lotus Elan S4 that required not far short of a total rebuild from chassis to electrics to engine and bodywork. Not much I don't know about this particular model and in fact I still own the original cars w/shop manual with receipts! Lotus cars had a manufacturing factory in my home town of Cheshunt in Hertfordshire UK. The factory is still here complete with unique vehicle "drive-off ramp" at the side from the first floor. A very dear friend of mine Michael Dunford used to work at this site during the mid to late 1960's and told me of how things where done back in those times until he lost his job though an unfortunate mishap. Sadly Michael passed away several years ago. The entire road (Delamare Road) is currently (late 2022) subject of a drastic development program which may well see the demolition of this historical building. I will try and clarify with photographs if this noteworthy site can be saved. History needs to be preserved but unfortunately money sometimes clouds this perception ultimately depriving future generations of essential links to the past. How sad is that?. Please request my contact details through this site if you want more information about the Delamere Road Cheshunt site. Thank you. David Parnell

I've just found your channel.... Your Lotus story was mesmerising, excellent delivery, editing, music and production quality. One of the best motorsport historical stories I've watched on RU-vid.... I subbed, keep it up Brilliant content.

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Great episode. A great way to pass the time on this rainy day.

It doesnt matter what Lotus does now. The best looking Lotus in history is gone and never coming back. The Esprit. When i first saw the Elise, my reaction was: "what the fuck is this go-cart piece of crap", and this opinion didnt change. How fast a car do you actually need for regular roads? Isnt it enough that a car is "fast enough", while looking good? Well, Esprit has Elise beat in this regard. Also, electric cars? Keep them to yourself, innovators. I dont need an overpriced vacuum cleaner, that cant go further than 100km without having to stop to recharge. God forbid you would have to use the blinkers or the wipers, without running out of charge in 50km. Internal heating? Ha! Only in your own garage, and only when the car is already plugged into the outlet. Let it go. It doesnt work, and i dont care to wait for another 100 years for it to do.

Lotus hasn't been able to make a reliable/durable vehicle throughout most of its history. That is using ICE technology which has one hundred thirty years of manufacturing experience behind it. They , nor any British manufacturer have never mastered electronics, basing your whole model lineup on electric vehicles is likely suicide..

People love Jason Cammisa's videos for Hagerty, but of course he's presenting from the perspective of a company that directly benefits from a constantly appreciating classic/enthusiast car market. I've long loved such cars myself, but your take on things includes the kind of stuff that Hagerty and others tends to gloss over. Your determination and diligence is appreciated.

I'm really excited about the Emira, but after that, who knows

Thank you for a fascinating history lesson. I grew up with the names in the 1960s 1970s, but you put this together with such clarity. In regard to simplify and add lightness as the Lotus mantra, I would love to see small sporty cars which would need smaller and therefore lighter batteries. Surely that should be the Lotus way, rather than yet another hideous SUV? There’s enough SUVs in the marketplace but not small sporty electric cars.

Sports car brands are always operating in a relatively niece market, so the profits are never really enough. Ferrari was upheld for a long time by their racing success and not their road cars. In this current world SUVs and other high volume sellers are needed in sports car manufacturers lineups to prop them up to keep making those beloved sports cars. Ferrari and Porsche are the biggest examples of this. On top of that, the 2030 EU ban on NEW petrol powered cars and the ever tightening emissions restrictions pretty much force any car brands hand on what powers their future fleet. It's up to Lotus and their owners to either keep them on this future proofing course or to make them another luxury/sports trend chaser in search of nothing more than profits. So to answer those questions in the beginning of the video, it's both. It is at the time the speculated right way forward, but also at the cost of sports car sacrilege. Personally I am a big fan of hybrids in road cars in terms of what the future of cars consists. If done right, it makes the around town driving quiet and civilized, but sporty and very very quick on the twisty backwoods roads. Battery technology isn't yet up to the task to single-handedly and reliably power everyday cars. Especially in the cold north. The battery production pollutes like hell and they just don't last long enough.

you are such an amazing story teller.. like your content alot

Sport cars are exciting, not comforting They are dangerous, not sustainable They are made to be driven to the limit, not to the speed limit, To be desirable, they need to be exclusive, and what is more exclusive than be discontinued?

The irony of every company going full electric thinking they are being different. Very soon every company will be full electric and the ones that stand out with a few gas cars will be the ones that are different

Wow. When I saw how long this was going to be, I asked myself if I wanted to spend another 40 mins on RU-vid - but you had me glued to the screen. A reel "page turner". Thanks for this amazing storytelling!

Man your contents are one of a kind. Keep it up

We want a car company that listens, y does everything have to be a big ugly SUV. We need a simple, basic, and fun car brand that doesn't try to reinvent the wheel, but perfects it

I had an excel and an esprit years ago but never got an Elise, still might buy a used one. Vehicles have to evolve and sadly where Lotus had the edge, lightweight and great handling over the competition but now a Kia handles like a lotus and a Toyota can be as fast for less money. The problem with many cars both ice and EVs is the power to weight is still not as efficient as Lotus always was. The body and chassis on a Tesla is reasonably light but needs improvement. The wheels on EVs are way to heavy imo. The future for Lotus is developing a lighter battery and motors.

Thanks for telling me about Hazel Chapman. First I’d heard and such an integral part of Lotus This video presentation timelines Lotus success in racing and with enthusiasts. These successes are almost as amazing as how long the brand has survived making so few cars and so seldom any profit Porsche propers and while making sedans, coupes and yes, SUVs. Porsche survived, grew and still engineers and builds sports cars and races, and still has records at Nurburgring! Emira, less expensive, no pretend backseat, and a manual replaced my lust for a C8 (DCT) Porsche 718 GTS 4.0 ! Manual and naturally aspirated topped my list. $100k for a manual with a recognized wrong gear ratios 😵‍💫😓. Six speed going 85 mph in second!? I’m hoping Lotus does become a real car company building and selling not 50 cars. Building more than 5,000 Emiras I gave up on the C8s after two years of stuttering plagued production getting out some 40,000 cars! Mazda recently sold their 1 millionth Miata 5,000 Emiras, really?! Better I suppose than the hype for that new NSX, 350? That’s almost T.33 Gordon Murray special?! All the best to Lotus and Gelly. I hope there’s profit and lotuses for All of us.

Lotus is just moving with the times, light cars just can't meet the safety standards needed to be road legal anymore. Plus I believe Colin Chapman would be onboard with electric drive as it gives so much more control. Also, electric drive is way simpler than ice.

They used to say, the future is digital. In the car industry, the future is electric.

Great video TY. A few points 1) One great advantage Lotus has which is not mentioned in the video is it has an ENGINEERING business. They did a lot of work for GM and Toyota especially. They are famous for suspension engineering, in the same league with Porsche. This is why GM bought them. It kept cash coming in the door. The profit numbers quoted in this piece is from cars only. 2) The GM Epsilon engine in Saab form had a Lotus designed cylinder head. It was a GOOD engine 3) No mention of Mike Kimberley? Or did I miss it?

Ask yourself this: If lotus is still lotus, would you buy one if you have got the money? If the answer is no, there is nothing wrong evolving it