Everyone remembers the very first time they see a Lotus cruising down the road. I remember I was in awe. Lotus cars exclude power and beauty so that no one car does. They are the most refined British sports car ever crafted.
Sports cars are a luxury. And Lotus cars are one of the oldest sports car brands globally. Do you want to know who makes Lotus? Keep on reading to find out all about Lotus cars and company.
| Manufacturing Company of Lotus Cars | “Lotus Group of Companies” |
| Founder of Lotus Cars | Colin Dare and Colin Chapman |
| Company Founded in | 1952 |
| Headquarters in | Pasadena, CA, United States |
| Gross Profit | £17.9 million (2019) |
| Total Employees | 985 (2019) |
Who Makes Lotus Cars
The Lotus company started in 1952 as Lotus Engineering Ltd. Colin Dare and Colin Chapman were the first founders of the company. Both of them were engineers at University College, London.
In 1959, Lotus Cars Limited and Lotus Component Limited merged to form the Lotus Group of Companies. This company aimed to make road cars and customer competition car production. The company’s very first factory was located in Hornsey, North London.
In 1971, Lotus Components turned into Lotus Racing Limited, but the company closed down in the same year.
In 1959, the company relocated to a new factory in Chestnut. Since 1966, the company’s factory has been situated in Hethel, Norfolk.
International Ownership of Lotus Cars
In 1985, British investors realized they lacked the funds to get a new model from concept to production. They looked for a giant automaker to buy them out.
Wickins supervised the majority sale of Group Lotus enterprises and 100 percent of L.P.C.I. in North America to General Motors in January 1986.
On August 27, of the year of 1993, G.M. sold the entire company to the A.C.B.N. Holdings S.A. of Luxembourg, which Italian industrialist Romano Artioli controls, for £30 million.
Geely, a Chinese multinational, stated on May 24, 2017, that it had acquired a 51 percent controlling stake in Lotus. Etika Automotive purchased the remaining 49 percent.
Lotus Car Engines (Important)
If you want to know who makes Lotus, you have to know about the engine of Lotus cars.
The range extender engine was one of the first engines that made up the Lotus cars. Made up of Aluminium, this 47 horsepower engine has three cylinders. The most notable and distinct feature of this engine is that it is tiny and light. It only weighs 56 kg.
The Lotus company is all about lightness. The company’s motto is based on the fact that the lighter the car, the faster it will go. So the range extender engine was perfect for almost every model.
However, in 2011, they developed a new engine for their new range of cars. And this one weighs about 170 kg which is much heavier than the previous engines.
In 2008, the Lotus Elise had a Toyota engine. And the sports car brand has used Toyota engines since then on many of its models.
4 Most Popular Car Model from Lotus
The Lotus company has made many sports cars since the 1950s. And some models have gained tremendous popularity.
Here is the complete list of some of the most famous Lotus cars:
The Lotus Elise
- Lotus Elise is a two-seater, mid-engined roadster designed by Lotus Cars in early 1994 and debuted in September in the year of 1996.
- The Elise has a fiberglass body above an aluminum chassis, providing a sturdy platform for the car’s suspension. This kept the weight and the production expense low.
- The Elise can reach speeds of 240 km/h (150 mph).
- The Elise was named after a girl called Elisa Artioli, Romano Artioli’s granddaughter and the chairman of both Lotus and Bugatti at the car’s introduction.
The Lotus Elite
- The first generation of Lotus Elite was made from 1957 to 1963 and the second generation was made from 1974 to 1982.
- The first generation was a two-seater, whereas the second generation was a larger four seater
- It was the most expensive four cylinder car during its launch
- It could reach speeds of 201 km/h (125 mph )
- The Lotus Elite and Eclat are sister cars
The Lotus Exige
- Since 2000, Lotus Cars has produced the Lotus Exige, a British two-door, two-seat sports car.
- The Exige has been the family’s larger-engined model since the Series 3 era, with a V6 engine replacing the Elise’s straight-four and convertible versions of both available.
- There are three series of the Lotus Exige.
The Lotus Emira
- This model will replace the Evora, Elise, and Exige and will make its debut in March 2022
- It will have a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 source made by Toyota
- The Lotus Emira is said to be the last internal combustion engine
- It is said that the Emira will be available in six colors
Formula One Championship
The Lotus company has played a big role in the Formula One races. The sister company Team Lotus entered Formula One in 1958.
Stirling Moss was the one who won the first Grand Prix at Monaco in 1960. And the most success came when Jim Clark won the first F1 World Constructors’ Championship.
Team Lotus was among the first to add wings and change the car’s undersurface. And after Chapman’s death, Team Lotus was a big part of Formula One.
In 1994, Team Lotus did not participate anymore in the championship.
Lotus Racing, a new Malaysian team, was allocated an entry for the 2010 season, bringing the Lotus name back to Formula One. The new team was not connected to the previous Team Lotus and utilized the Lotus moniker under license from Group Lotus.
Frequently Asked Questions
You might have some more questions about Lotus Cars. Here are some of the answers to your queries.
It is estimated that Lotus Emira will cost around $74,900.
At present, the cheapest Lotus car is the Evora GT.
No, Toyota bought shares in 1986, but they sold their shares.
Yes, since the naming of the Lotus Eleven, all Lotus cars’ names start with the letter ‘e.’
Evija will be the first Lotus electric car.
He died at the age of 54 from a heart attack.