Colin Chapman: Inside the Innovator
By Karl Ludvigsen
One of the most memorable moments of my journalistic career came at the Long Beach Grand Prix of 1981, when I was privileged to attend a press conference where Lotus founder Chapman explained the concept of his twin-chassis 88 to protest its exclusion from the race. His arguments and their presentation remain in my memory as the single greatest exhibition of radiant intellectual energy I’ve ever witnessed. The room was awash in the lucidity of his reasoning, and I was swept up in the moment. As he no doubt intended.
This is the man author Ludvigsen aims to capture and distill in this 400-page epic, and he has done a fine job, picking up the narrative of Chapman’s life at age 20 and chronicling his ascendance to the top his profession. Anyone interested in either Lotus Cars or automotive engineering will enjoy this book, and the rest of us can surely learn a lot as well. This is not a recap of competition glories, but a personal journey through the evolution of racing (and road) car design as envisioned by one man. Enjoy the ride.
Available for from £35.00/US$59.95 at enthusiast bookstores or direct from Haynes Publishing, www.haynes.co.uk or [email protected].
