Classic Lotus road and competition cars in London

MaDaSp7 · October 29, 2007

If anyone is in the vicinity of University College London in Gower Street today Monday 29 October they might be interested in an exhibition of classic Lotus road and competition cars there today. Below are some pictures of the cars on show, apologies for the quality they were taken on my mobile phone.

From the UCL Provost's Newsletter
(2) Lotus cars

By way of forewarning, next Monday, 29 October, will see a public display and exhibition of around 30 Classic Lotus cars in the main quad. This is not a regression to our old policy on car-parking in the quad, but part of a day-long celebration of the life and work of Colin Chapman, the UCL alumnus who went on to found Lotus cars and then to win seven Formula One Championships. 2007 is the 25th anniversary of his death. There will also be an exhibition in the North Cloisters featuring UCL Engineering today, including our current students’ SOLARFOX (about which more below); displays from Group Lotus, including their Olympic bicycle; and also from UCL Business, showcasing their services and various links to automotive relevant industries.

YeOldeTDUMan · October 29, 2007

lots of lovely old Loti ... couldn't really do a show of old race cars without the JPS ones could they

MaDaSp7 · October 29, 2007

lots of lovely old Loti ... couldn't really do a show of old race cars without the JPS ones could they

Agreed, there's just something about the black and gold colour scheme of the JPS cars. I'm also quite partial to the red, gold and white Lotus 49, a beautiful looking car.

YeOldeTDUMan · October 29, 2007

I'm a great fan of the 97T, one of the best F1 cars ever to grace the planet ... oh and they might had had a good driver at the time too ... and I think I still have a model of a 49 in my parents loft, although it's the one where they had the wings up on stilts!

Pherelas · October 29, 2007

Ones sponsered by a 70's prog band!!! (I take it it's the tabaco company).

Very nice photos, +rep.

Oh and what phone do you have becouse the quility is quite good.

YeOldeTDUMan · October 29, 2007

John Player Special (JPS) used to be a brand of cigarettes ... being a nonsmoker I've no idea if they still exist

that was back from when most F1 teams were sponsered by cig companies ... JPS, Camel, Malboro, etc

MaDaSp7 · October 29, 2007

I'm a great fan of the 97T, one of the best F1 cars ever to grace the planet ... oh and they might had had a good driver at the time too ...

Yes, the late great Ayrton Senna, the Camel sponsored 99T (I think?) that was there had Senna's name on it.

and I think I still have a model of a 49 in my parents loft, although it's the one where they had the wings up on stilts!

Funny enough my dad had a model of the 49, it had the standard wing though.

Ones sponsered by a 70's prog band!!! (I take it it's the tabaco company).

Do you mean Gold Leaf? If so yes.

Very nice photos, +rep.

Thank you.

Oh and what phone do you have becouse the quility is quite good.

It's a Nokia 6300.

Pherelas · October 29, 2007

No i meant Camel, has the same logo aswell.

Oh I forgot the rep, will do that now lol.

MaDaSp7 · October 29, 2007

No i meant Camel, has the same logo aswell.

Oh I forgot the rep, will do that now lol.

Oh right :o, don't know my 70's prog rock bands.

Camel is also a tobacco brand, they were established in 1913 so the band must have borrowed the logo. :D

The Queen · October 29, 2007

Great coverage (if i may call it that :D) of this wonderful gathering of lotus. I know someone who works at Bell and Colvill Lotus in Surrey and i may ask him if he knew anything of this ;)

MaDaSp7 · October 30, 2007

Great coverage (if i may call it that :D) of this wonderful gathering of lotus. I know someone who works at Bell and Colvill Lotus in Surrey and i may ask him if he knew anything of this ;)

A colleague of mine at work has an Esprit and he's in Club Lotus and he knew nothing about it either, it just happens that he walks in that way to work in the morning and noticed them setting up the cars. He also recognised one of the people there as being Colin Chapman's son.

More info on the event can be found here:

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0710/07102901