Last-modified: Mon Mar 20 10:38:18 PST 1995 by esprit@netcom.com Archive-name: autos/lotus-cars-faq/team-lotus Version: 1.06 Posting-Frequency: monthly Lotus Cars FAQ Version 1.06 This is part 3 of the FAQ for Lotus Cars. As with most FAQs, this is a list of questions that are frequently asked, in this case about Lotus Cars. Alan F. Perry (esprit@netcom.com) wrote the first version of this document and is currently maintaining it. Send mail to esprit@netcom.com for questions or updates. Special thanks to Mike Causer, Patrick Peal of Group Lotus, K.C. Babb, Bob Bandera, Bill Castellano, Noel Chiappa, Phil Ethier, Jon Fairhurst, Doug Fraser, Mike Galos, Andrew Huang, Ken Landaiche, John O'Connor, Ian Peters, Michael Sands and Dave Van Horn for their help in preparing this FAQ. NOTE: This document was created and maintained by owners and enthusiasts of Lotus-built or -inspired vehicles and is not in any way connected with Group Lotus Limited, Team Lotus Limited, Lotus Cars USA or any other subsidiaries or related companies. Questions: A. General Questions (general-lotus) A1. Who makes Lotuses? A2. Who owns Lotus? A3. What is the history of Lotus? A4. Who was Colin Chapman? A5. What is the relationship between Lotus Cars, the road car company, and Team Lotus, the Formula One racing team? A6. Why are the cars called "Lotus"? A7. Where were/are Lotuses built? A8. What films and television series have featured Lotus cars? A9. What books are available about Lotus? A10.How can I contact a Lotus Car club in my area? A11.What Internet resources are available on Lotus cars? A12.Who has the Lotus Cars Mailing List map of England? A13.What is the plural form of "Lotus"? B. Group Lotus/Lotus Cars Questions (group-lotus) B1. How can I contact Lotus Cars? B2. What does Group Lotus currently sell? B3. What kind of Lotus might I see on the street? B4. Why were Lotuses sold as kits? B5. Is the DeLorean a Lotus? B6. Is the Jensen-Healey a Lotus? B7. Is the first-generation Toyota MR2 a Lotus? B8. Is the Corvette ZR-1 a Lotus? B9. Is the [insert car name here] a Lotus? B10.Is Lotus making bicycles? C. Team Lotus Questions (team-lotus) C1. How can I contact Team Lotus? C2. How well has Team Lotus done in Formula One? C3. Has Team Lotus won more Constructor's Cups than Ferrari? C4. What famous names are associated with Team Lotus? C5. Were Nigel Mansell and Mario Andretti ever teammates at Team Lotus? C6. Who have been major sponsors of the Team Lotus? C7. Who is currently sponsoring Team Lotus? C8. What is Classic Team Lotus? D. Questions About Owning A Lotus (lotus-owners) D1. What should I pay for a Lotus/What is my Lotus worth? D2. Where can I get parts for my Lotus? D3. What problems might I expect from a Seven? D4. What problems might I expect from a Type 14 Elite? D5. What problems might I expect from an Elan? D6. What problems might I expect from a Plus 2? D7. What problems might I expect from a Renault-Europa? D8. What problems might I expect from a TwinCam-engined Europa? D9. What problems might I expect from a Elite/Eclat? D10.What problems might I expect from a Esprit S1/S2? D11.What problems might I expect from a Turbo Esprit? D12.What problems might I expect from a Excel? D13.What problems might I expect from a M100 Elan? D14.What Renault engines can be used in a Europa-Renault (S1/S2)? C. Team Lotus Questions ======================= C1. How can I contact Team Lotus? Team Lotus is currently defunct. In January 1995, they merged with Pacific Grand Prix to form Pacific Team Lotus. Pacific Team Lotus +44-842-755724 (voice) +44-842-755714 (fax) Mark Gallagher, Commercial Dept. is listed as the contact person. Classic Team Lotus Potash Lane Hethel Norfolk NR14 8EY England United Kingdom +44-953-601621 (voice) +44-953-601626 (fax) C2. How well has Team Lotus done in Formula One? Team Lotus has won seven Constructors' Cups - 1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1978 Six times drivers have won the Drivers' World Championship while at Team Lotus - Jim Clark (1963, 1965), Graham Hill (1968), Jochen Rindt (1970), Emerson Fittipaldi (1972), Mario Andretti (1978). Lotus-built cars have won 79 Grands Prix. C3. Has Team Lotus won more Constructor's Cups than Ferrari? Unfortunately, no. Currently, Ferrari has 103 wins and 8 Constructor's Cups, while Team Lotus has 79 wins and 7 Constructor's Cups. However, if you had asked this question in 1980 ... C4. What famous names are associated with Team Lotus? Innes Ireland One of the last high-living drivers of F1, he came to fame in a Lotus Formula Junior and won several F1 races for Lotus, including their first ever win and their first Championship win. Jim Clark The greatest driver to get behind the wheel of a F1 car. World Champion for Lotus in 1963 and 1965. Indianapolis 500 winner 1965. Drove and won for Team Lotus until his death behind the wheel of a Lotus in 1968. Graham Hill World Champion for Lotus in 1968. The only man to have won Le Mans, the Indianapolis 500 and the F1 World Championship. Jochen Rindt World Champion for Lotus in 1970. The only posthumous F1 drivers champion, he was killed driving a Lotus 72 in practice for the 1970 Italian Grand Prix. Emerson Fittipaldi World Champion for Lotus in 1972. Ayrton Senna As of this time, the last person to win a Formula One race driving a Lotus. Three-time World Champion. Drove for Team Lotus from 1985 through 1987 and had his first six F1 wins in a Lotus. Mario Andretti World Champion for Lotus in 1978. Nigel Mansell World Champion 1992 and IndyCar champion 1993. Though he was a good driver he realized little of his promise while with Team Lotus. While with the team, he broke Lotuses and slipped on painted lines on the road from 1980 through 1984. C5. Were Nigel Mansell and Mario Andretti ever teammates at Team Lotus? Yes. Mansell's first year at Lotus was 1980, which was Andretti's last year with Team Lotus. They competed together in the 1980 Dutch and Italian Grands Prix. C6. Who have been major sponsors of the Team Lotus? The "name" sponsors of Team Lotus have been: Gold Leaf cigarettes (1968 - 1971) The cars were painted red and white with gold accents. John Player Special cigarettes (1972 - 1978, 1981 - 1986) The cars were painted black with gold accents. Martini & Rossi (1979) The cars were painted dark green with red and blue accents. Essex Petroleum (1980) The cars were painted dark blue with red and silver accents. Camel cigarettes (1987 - 1990) The cars were painted bright yellow. Castrol (1992 - 1993) The cars were painted a combination of green, white and yellow. Team Lotus had no name sponsor in 1991 and 1994. C7. Who is currently sponsoring Team Lotus? Team Lotus is currently not fielding cars in Formula One. C8. What is Classic Team Lotus? This a company formed in 1994 by the Chapman Family "to represent the continuing involvement of the Chapman family with the Lotus marque," that is, the company will support owners of single-seater, open wheel (monoposto) Lotuses from the Type 12 to the Type 102. If you wish to contact them, the address and phone number is in Question C1. -- Alan F. Perry Internet Lotus Cars Mailing List esprit@netcom.com