Lotus 18 Colin Chapman’s U-turn
By Mark Whitelock
Whitelock begins with a very brief resume of the roots and where Lotus were in racing car terms, prior to Colin Chapman’s decision to convert to rear-engined power. The Lotus 16, although a great looking car, just couldn’t really “cut the mustard” and was being left behind by the Cooper’s then innovative layout. The author goes on to show how the Chapman car was better engineered and designed more purposefully than the team from Surbiton. The 18 became a car for all championships and seasons, from an F1 Grand Prix car, to Formula Two and even Formula Junior. The book is a delight to read, very well illustrated with a great number of previously unseen period photos, drawings and items of memorabilia from the authors’ own archive, together with comprehensive racing records and chassis histories to augment the text. If you think you’ve read all you need to know about Lotus racing cars, I’m sure this book will challenge that notion—it’s a great read and definitely something to put on your “wanted” list.
- UK price: £50.00 / US$85
- Available direct from www.veloce.com
