In a quest for maximum mechanical grip Colin Chapman designed the Lotus 58 F2 chassis. It featured DeDion front and rear suspension to try and keep the wide tyres in vertical contact with the track. The 58 was furthermore equipped with a revolutionary four-pedal dual braking system.
Jim Clark was to test it at Hockenheim in the week after the Nürburgring F2 race. Clark however was killed in a high speed crash in that F2 race. Colin Chapman and Graham Hill tested it once on the private Hethel circuit after which the project was abondened.
It has been completely restored in the late 1990s by Classic Team Lotus and made its racing debut in 2001. The radical Lotus is seen here at the 2002 Goodwood Festival of Speed where it celebrated 50 years of Lotus Engineering.
Article by Wouter Melissen, last updated before 12 / 01 / 2004
This is certainly a weird design, but I am just puzzled from the picture of the front suspension where exactly the beam axle is going if this is supposed to be a De-Dion system. It looks like the shockabsorber is in the way. Is there more to say about this 4 peddle braking system?
General specifications
Country of origin
Great Britain
Numbers built
1
Produced in
1968
Engine
Configuration
Ford Cosworth FVA Straight 4
Location
Mid, longitudinally mounted
Displacement
1.598 liter / 97.5 cu in
Valvetrain
4 valves / cylinder, DOHC
Fuel feed
Fuel Injection
Aspiration
Naturally Aspirated
Power
225 bhp / 168 KW
BHP/Liter
141 bhp / liter
Drivetrain
Chassis
steel monocoque
Suspension (fr/r)
DeDion axle, twin radius rods, coil springs over dampers
Steering
rack-and-pinion
Brakes
ventilated discs, all-round
Gearbox
ZF 5 speed Manual
Drive
Rear wheel drive
Dimensions
Weight
431 kilo / 950.2 lbs
Length / Width / Height
3861 mm (152 in) / 1778 mm (70 in) / 787 mm (31 in)
Wheelbase / Track (fr/r)
2438 mm (96 in) / 1270 mm (50 in) / 1372 mm (54 in)
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In a quest for maximum mechanical grip Colin Chapman designed the Lotus 58 F2 chassis. It featured DeDion front and rear suspension to try and keep the wide tyres in vertical contact with the track. The 58 was furthermore equipped with a revolutionary four-pedal dual braking system.
