Lotus Drivers Guide

Newsletter issue 69, July 2013

The first words....

Here is your Lotus related news again! First of all, the content of the newsletter will now be in the email instead of sending you a pdf file. You may have to instruct your email program to display the images, as some programs will block these until you allow images to be displayed. As usual I have collected Lotus related news items covering Group Lotus, the Lotus F1 Team, model cars, events and more. I hope you will enjoy it and please do not hesitate to give me your comments.

Ronald Ringma

Lotus’ new licensed products expand its current toy range in celebration of the unique spirit of racing

In the run-up to the British Grand Prix weekend Lotus celebrated the racing gene in presentation of its new toys and collectables with UK licensing partners Corgi, Scalextric and Trunki.

Lotus Originals Store, Regent Street, London 25 June 2013: Group Lotus plc proudly announced the expansion of the firm’s current licensed toy range. As the exclusive master licensee for the Lotus F1® Team brand, Group Lotus has developed new products in conjunction with UK toy companies Hornby Hobbies Ltd and Trunki Ltd who will develop the current Lotus F1 Team toy and collectable portfolio. The resulting products have been showcased firstly in a media debut event with Lotus F1 Team drivers at the Lotus Regent Street store on 26th June 2013 before being showcased to the general public. Read more here.

Lotus F1 Team announces Altran as Technical Partner

Lotus F1 Team has recently announced new Technical Partner, Altran UK, who will provide the team with specialist engineering services for the remainder of the 2013 season. Services will be delivered by a team of Altran UK engineers who will be based on site at the home of Lotus F1 Team at the Whiteways Technical Centre in Enstone, Oxfordshire. Altran has a distinguished track record in Formula 1, having previously been a technological partner of the Renault F1 Team – a previous incarnation of Lotus F1 Team – for a decade. Read more here.

Kimi Räikönnen and the new Exige S Roadster

Iceman Kimi RäiKönnen visited Lotus'Hethel Headquarters to drive the new Exige S Roadster ahead of this weekend’s British Grand Prix at Silverstone.

Kimi gave the new Exige S Roadster the thumbs up before going onto drive the thrilling Evora S Sports Racer as well as the rest of the Exige range - the Exige S coupé and Lotus’ track monster the Exige Cup R. He then went onto meet and greet members of staff and sign autographs. Read more here.

Lotus F1 Team - recent events

British Grand Prix:

Räikkönen finished fifth at Silverstone and was pretty frustrated when he got out of the car. He finished fifth at Silverstone but could have finished higher if the team would have called him in for fresh medium tyres during th elast safety car period, 11 laps from the end.

Lotus have apologised to Kimi Räikkönen for an incorrect strategy call that denied the Finn a likely podium finish in this years British Grand Prix. "Our strategy was great until the last safety car. We should have called Kimi in to save at least one position and make the podium. Unfortunately we made the wrong call for which we apologised to Kimi and to the team," said Boullier. Read more here.

It was a double podium at the 2013 German GP:

Kimi Räikkönen and Romain Grosjean returned to the podium with Kimi taking second and Romain third in a fast-paced German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring. Kimi finished just 1.008 seconds behind race winner Sebastian Vettel, who took his first home Grand Prix victory.

Kimi remains in third position in the Drivers’ Championship with 116 points, but closes the gap from Fernando Alonso (123) to seven points.

The team was the highest scoring in the Constructors’ Championship today, remaining in fourth place on 157 points, with Ferrari on 180 in third. Read more here.

1963 - 2013 : 50 years ago, Jim Clark World Champion

Lotus is present at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed

An epic year that celebrates the 20th anniversary of the now world-famous ‘Festival of Speed’ sees Lotus displaying an array of treats for the thousands of motoring enthusiasts, F1 fans and garden-party go-ers making their way to Goodwood this weekend.

Lotus has chosen the Festival of Speed as the perfect backdrop for the dynamic launch of the Exige S Roadster and will also be presenting the 2013 Lotus F1® Team’s black and gold E21, the brand new Elise S Club Racer and the very same Exige S that performed high octane stunts in this summer’s eagerly anticipated blockbuster movie ‘RED 2’. This collection of superstars sits alongside a full compliment of current Lotus models for a truly exotic turnout. Read more here.

Lotus Exige S in new movie RED 2

Tipped at this summer’s smash-hit movie release ‘RED 2’, the sequel to ‘RED’ (Retired Extremely Dangerous), stars a host of brilliant performers; Bruce Willis, Helen Mirren, John Malkovich, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sir Anthony Hopkins and the Lotus Exige S. The action follows retired secret agents who reunite to expose an intriguing and deadly conspiracy from their past; avoiding double agents and assassins along the way! The hotly anticipated sequel features a massive A-List cast, stunning locations and a Laser Blue Exige S which undertakes high speed chases, dodges bullet storms and slides its way through London’s streets, markets and motorways. Read more here.

Modelcars

Many collectors have seen the series of magazines including a modelcar, offered by various publishers. New for me is the Legendary Car series from Poland, in this series issue 23 is interesting for us, including a yellow Giugiario Esprit.
		As we know already, Corgi will produce a 1:43 scale model representing the Lotus Evora. Here is an image showing the preproduction version of the Lotus Evora S Special Edition.
Recently at Jarama, our reader, contributor of news and modelcar collector Martin Mayor Barba presented Clive Chapman a miniature Lotus 49 - chassis R10. The very same chassis owned by Classic Team Lotus. Clive was impressed!
		ACME Trading is preparing a 1:12 Lotus 49. This huge resin model will come across as museum-style piece with extraordinary detail, and truly limited production run.
The next item that I like to show you is not a modelcar. It is a USB stick, available from the shop on the Lotus Forums website. Sage up to 8 GB on this miniature Exige! Available in black, blue or yellow colour.		image: The Lotus Forums
		On the left and below you can see images showing the new Lotus Type 56B Turbine, scale 1:18, by TSM, representing the 1971 car as driven by Fittipaldi during the Italian GP that year. The model was announced some time ago and is now in the shops.
Modelmaker Pinko has introduced more versions of their 1:43 Lotus Eleven model; 1959 Tour de France, #122, drivers Dagorne and Richard ; 1958 Tour de France, #131, drivers Howel and Leston ; 1959 Sebring 12hrs, #47, drivers Fleming, Schade and Dager. Images courtesy of Grand Prix Models.

Ixo announced that their diecast 1:43 Lotus Esprit V8 model in yellow colour, as shown during the Nuremberg Toy Fair in 2007, will now be produced.
		As collectors may have noticed, Model Factory Hiro is also producing high detailed 1:43 white metal kits. One of their latest projects is the Lotus Type 88/88B that will be available soon. The 1981 models that will be available are the cars as used by Mansell and Andretti, in different liveries: Press and test version; Long Beach and Argentina version; UK version.
For those of you who are into slot car racing, this new Scalextric set containing two 1:32 scale Evora's and track, may be interesting.
News without images: Tameo wil introduce their Lotus F1 Team E21 Australian GP white metal kit, scale 1:43, in August. There will also be a limited run of hand built models representing both the Räikkönen and Grosjean versions.

Books and video

No news this time.

Rare cars for sale

Lotus Esprit 007 Submarine

Yes, this is the car that starred in The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

To be offered at the RM Auctions sale in London, 8 - 9 September 2013, "no reserve".

Specifically designed and built for the famous underwater sequence, it was developed from one of six Esprit body shells used in the making of the film. This is the only car to be built into a fully operational, self-propelled ‘submarine’. Known as ‘Wet Nellie’ on the set, it was later shipped to Long Island, NY, where it was kept in an unassuming storage unit on a ten-year rental, paid in advance.

More information can be found here

Lotus Elite - Dennis Ortenburger

For Sale. The Ortenburger Elite. 1960, Series 2, LHD. All the good stuff; FWB engine, new block, new crank, steel timing gear, new clutch and pressure plate (all balanced to crank) ZF, NACA duct, oil cooler duct, alloy brakes F&R, chrome wheels, reinforced front A arms, 4.2 diff, driver and passenger parcel trays, Derrington exhaust, twin Weber 40DCOEs balanced drive shaft.

This is a daily driver, ready to head for the twisties.

Documentation relative to the car's provenance, photos from 9 seasons historic racing. Photos and awards from car shows. Further details and photos on request.

dennisortenburger@gmail.com - tel USA 805 927 2980 - asking $79,500.00

Events

LOG 33 2 - 4 August 2013

The Lotus Owners Gathering (LOG) is something to look forward to every year as a memorable and fun event.

This year's LOG will find its home base hotel at the Radisson in Corning NY, about 22 miles from Watkins Glen race track.

Find more information here

The Lotus Festival, 24 - 25 August 2013

A celebration of Britain's most charismatic sportscar marque and its illustrious heritage spanning over 60 years. From coveted cars to Formula 1 glories, Norfolk's famous brand will be on display over one glorious weekend.

On track, demonstrations of Colin Chapman's famous racers, rally and road cars will be complemented by superb action from the Elise Trophy, Lotus Cup UK and FIA Lotus Cup Europe with a packed support bill.

Meanwhile trade stands and club displays presenting the very best from the iconic brand makes this a weekend to remember on a track that has provided many of the marque's most glittering moments.

Find more information here

Goodwood Revival, 13 - 15 September 2013

The Goodwood Revival really is a magical step back in time, a unique chance to revel in the glamour and allure of motor racing in the romantic time capsule of the world’s most authentic motor circuit.

On the 50th anniversary of the first of his two Formula 1 World Championship victories, this year’s Goodwood Revival annual driver tribute will be to the legendary Scottish racer Jim Clark.

Find more information here