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Lotus Type 88 period: 1981
engine: Ford Cosworth DFV V8 2993 cc / 500 bhp
# made: 2
Technical specifications:
| Chassis |
Twin-chassis construction |
| Suspension (front) |
Top rocker arms, lower wishbones, inboard springs |
| Suspension (rear) |
Top rocker arms, lower wishbones, inboard springs |
| Axle track front |
1778 mm (70.0 in) |
| Axle track rear |
1600 mm (63 in) |
| Wheelbase |
2178 mm (85.7 in) |
| Transmission |
Lotus/Hewland 5-speed manual |
| Weight |
585 kg |
| Tyres |
Michelin/Goodyear |
Carbonfibre/kevlar composite side panels, 3 steel cross members; 2nd chassis
aluminium monocoque
Formula I. An improved version of the Type 86 dual chassis car.
Eventually was banned.
The Lotus 88 was an innovative ground effect Formula One car designed by
Colin Chapman, Peter Wright, Tony Rudd and Martin Ogilvie of Lotus in an
effort to maximise the downforce produced by ground effects cars.
The 88 used an ingenious system of having a twin chassis, one inside the
other. The inner chassis would hold the cockpit and would be independently
sprung from the outer one, which was designed to take the pressures of the
ground effects. The outer chassis did not have discernible wings, and was in
effect one huge ground effect system, beginning just behind the nose of the
car and extending all the way inside the rear wheels, thereby producing
massive amounts of downforce. The car was powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV
engine. Lotus drivers Nigel Mansell and Elio de Angelis reported the car was
pleasing to drive and responsive. To make the aerodynamic loads as
manageable as possible, the car was constructed extensively in carbon fibre,
making it along with the McLaren MP4/1 the first car to use the material in
large quantity.
Other teams were outraged at this exploitation of the regulations and
protests were lodged with the FIA, on the grounds that the twin chassis tub
breached the rules in terms of moveable aerodynamic devices. The FIA upheld
the protests and consequently banned the car from competing. Chapman was
adamant the car was legal and challenged the other teams and the FIA at
every turn, but the decision stood. It got to the point where if the Lotus
88 was entered in the British Grand Prix at Silverstone, the team would lose
its championship points. Chapman was forced to update two of his Lotus 87
chassis as replacements for his thwarted brainchild. The Lotus 88 therefore
remains a curiosity from a bygone age of F1. Some of the 88's aerodynamics
and layout were worked into the successful Lotus 91 which followed in 1982.
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