Ultimatecarpage.com update (02-15-08)

[Wouter Melissen]

Dear Ultimatecarpage.com visitor,

Lotus founder Colin Chapman was one of motorsport's greatest designers and above all innovators. Especially in the 1960s and 1970s he successfully implemented a variety of a new mechanical and aerodynamic novelties. His revolutionary new racing cars did not always work the way Chapman had imagined, but when they did, they were world champions. One of his most successful designs was the Lotus 72, which was first raced in 1970. It defined the shape of the modern single seater by replacing the single nose radiator with two side radiators mounted in side pods. The 72 also featured a cutting edge suspension system that did not quite work well at its debut. After the problems were fixed, the chisel-shaped Lotus won four races in a row and went on to help Lotus secure 20 Grand Prix wins, three Constructor's and two Driver's Championships.
After the 72 finally lost its edge in the mid 1970s, Lotus struggled to create a suitable replacement. It took another revolution to bring Lotus back on top; ground effects. First seen on the Lotus 78 of 1977, this ground effects used the underside of the side pods to create downforce without a drag penalty. Chapman perfected his design for the Lotus 79 of 1978. Often named the most elegant Formula 1 car of the three-litre era, the 79 propelled Mario Andretti and Lotus to the Championships.
Both the Lotus 72 and Lotus 79 features are well illustrated with plenty of action shots of the cars on track.

Enjoy the links:

Lotus 72 Cosworth - Ultimatecarpage.com - Images, Specifications and Information

Lotus 79 Cosworth - Ultimatecarpage.com - Images, Specifications and Information

Regards,
Wouter Melissen