1968 Lotus Super Seven Reviews

The US-based Tesla, which uses lithium-ion batteries and the Lotus Elise as its donor vehicle, is the only producer of highway-capable electric cars in the North American and European markets.Mercedes-Benz parent, Daimler AG, says it bought the stake and will form a co-operative to make and develop battery systems, electric drivetrains and vehicles.Tesla provided technology to create the Daimler-owned electric Smart car.Daimler has 100 Smart electric cars on trial in London and later this year will start production of 1000 versions.This year Daimler is also starting small-series production of the Mercedes-Benz B-Class with a fuel-cell drive system.In 2010 it will introduce its first battery-powered Mercedes-Benz and from 2012, Daimler plans to equip all Smart and Mercedes-Benz electric vehicles with its inhouse-produced lithium-ion batteries.In 2004, Tesla began development of its first electric vehicle, the Roadster, which remains the only highway-capable EV for sale in North America or Europe.The Tesla Roadster is the first production battery electric vehicle to travel more than 320km per charge. It accelerates from zero to 100km/h in about in 4 seconds.Tesla will start making its four-door Model S in California in late 2011.

Exoto’s first models where of Lotus Formula 1 cars, closely followed by the Daytona Cobra pictured here. While the model is now almost 20 years old the quality and level of detail is still very high compared to contemporary models from manufacturers such as those from AutoArt or Minichamps.Some variations are still available but recently Exoto have started to discontinue some of their older models. Now is probably the time to grab one of these before they disappear for good. Once any Exoto model is discontinued from there product line, prices invariably increase on eBay.Overall shape, in typical Exoto fashion, is spot on – there is however some variation in colour between the model and the recently restored real example. You can compare the color in the gallery above to the real car in our Daytona Cobra: Car of the Week article here. make the bold text a linkBy today’s Exoto standard the engine bay detail is somewhat simplistic, however there is still enough there to put this model in the upper end of the collectors market.A highly recommended model and a piece of automobilia history as one of the early models by Exoto.This model is available on Getprice.com.au 

Venues like Amaroo Park and -- soon -- Oran Park are becoming distant fond memories in drivers minds.  So the launch of the Marulan Driver Training Centre (MDTC) is timely.Based 20 minutes from Goulburn, the MDTC gives drivers the chance to push their cars hard in a very inviting and safe setting. The track is so tight that you won’t get into the higher cogs… but if you think never getting out of second gear isn’t fun, you need to give this a try. The track is just one kilometer long, so the 12-minute sessions allow at least eight laps each … something unheard of at larger settings.  Not having to worry about changing gear so much also lets you concentrate on what you’re there for -- improving your driving.The track has just about every type of turn, angle, and run you will ever experience on a track or on the street.  Off-camber corners, sharp downhill turns, crests leading into double S-bends, a hairpin, and a main straight right in front of the pits.  Race driver instructors are on-hand all day to give you pointers.  Don’t want to take your own car?  A group of race-prepared MX5s are available for hire there. The design of the track is no accident.  Garry Willmington and his family built the facility, starting in 1991 and drawing on more than 30 years of race knowledge, including multiple Bathurst belt-notches to Willmington’s credit.  A final resurfacing allowed the venue to open in August last year.  Yes, close to 20 years since conception.  One can only shudder at the thought of all the red-tape Willmington went through… and the persistence and determination it requiredThe first event at the MDTC was organised by Circuit Club – a non-CAMs affiliated group that asks for no member fees.  The members are the drivers who turn up on the day.  No strings attached.  And this attitude allowed a variety of drivers to enjoy a particularly well organised day free of pressure.Drivers in a range of cars from stock-standard Astras to full race-spec Civics and Turbo MX5s put their skills to the test.  All up, the track saw a field of 60 different cars over the weekend. All the organisers served as marshals, keeping everyone safe and answering any questions.  I was also treated to a hot lap in Circuit Club director Narada Kudinar’s S2000, and a very nicely tuned Lotus Elise. An organization like this brings a level of experience and professionalism to first-time drivers, so Circuit Club has given me an experience that was out of my reach till now, and one that no one should be afraid of exploring.Being my first track day, my nerves were on edge.  It’s well know that motorsport has risks -- not only to the driver, but to the car.  And my beloved Nissan Skyline is a car I have worked on for the past two years, carefully preparing it for this day: its track baptism. With this in mind, the organisers gave me, and all the other novices, a helping hand through the day.  A slow and steady approach was encouraged to start with.By the end of the day my trusty steed had pulled through with flying colours, with my newly-installed suspension keeping me well planted on the road all day. By the fourth session a hunger hit me for just one thing...  grip.  Until you start pushing your car to the limit, you can’t grasp how much you still have to learn about driving and how poor your `performance’ tyres really are.  So it’s straight off to eBay for me, hunting down a nice set of semi-slicks for the next outing. Yes the track bug has bitten, and bitten hard.  Do yourself and your car a favour and head out to a Circuit Club event.  Trust me, its love at first drift. 

Lotus will give the new Evora flagship its southern hemisphere debut in Melbourne. Expected to go on sale here this year, the Evora has generated extensive interest — and orders — since it was unveiled at the British International Motor Show in July 2008. The mid-engined 2+2 sports car is designed to deliver 21st-century performance with practicality and economy. It will complement the existing four-model Lotus range of Elise, Exige, Europa and 2-Eleven, and embodies the traditional Lotus combination of light weight and high performance. The rear-drive Evora is powered by a Lotus-tuned all-alloy 3.5-litre V6 with variable valve timing mated to a six-speed manual transmission. The car’s aluminium chassis and powerful engine enable it to go from zero to 100km/h in five seconds, with a top speed of around 270km/h. The car is designed to be both a luxury coupe and a practical high-performance sports car. Because one of the roles of the Evora is to attract new customers to the Lotus brand, much attention has been paid to its ease of use. Wider, taller door apertures and narrower sills make it easier to get in and out of the cabin than it is in Lotus’s smaller sports cars like the Elise, Exige, Europa and 2-Eleven, while the design of the cabin itself will accommodate two tall adults in the front seats. The convenience factor of the Evora extends to less obvious areas of the car. Beneath the skin, the entire front-end structure is a hi-tech aluminium crash box attached to the main extruded aluminium tub. This modular unit is designed to deform for maximum safety and to reduce repair costs in the event of a frontal impact. The Evora has been designed with global automotive regulations in mind and future derivatives include plans for a convertible. It will be hand-crafted and built on a dedicated new assembly line within Lotus’s advanced manufacturing facility at Hethel in the east of England. Because of capacity limitations, Lotus only expects to build 2000 cars a year, which will ensure the car’s rarity and exclusivity. With 2+2 seating, small children can be put in the back. Lotus is not talking price just yet, but it is expected to rival the BMW Z4 and Porsche Boxster.   The 2009 Melbourne International Motor Show...  

And the show will go on. A battle over the future of Australian motoring shows has not affected plans for the 75th running of the Melbourne Motor Show in March. Lotus has already committed the first high-profile newcomer to the event and organisers have begun a search for a catalogue from the first show, which was run in 1925. The show will open on February 27 and organisers are expecting a strong event, despite the global new-car slowdown and decisions to cancel motor shows in Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth next year. “We are most definitely going ahead in 2009. We've got the majority of brands on the market,” says show organiser Russ Tyrie, of the VACC. The future of motor shows in Australia is likely to be decided by a joint taskforce set up by the Melbourne and Sydney organisers, who are aiming for a single event and perhaps a new shared date in the middle of the year. “We're just trying to get a result that works for both us and the motor industry,” Tyrie says. While planning for a single show alternating between Melbourne and Sydney continues, Tyrie and his team are pushing ahead on their 2009 plan. He has already locked-in the Lotus Evora for its Australian debut. It is a mid-engined, two-plus-two sports car that sits above the Elise and Exige, complete with a 3.5-litre V6 engine. The Evora has rakish looks and a list of available equipment which runs to driver-adjustable suspension and an active noise-cancellation system for the cabin. Lotus Cars Australia will reveal full details, including the car's price, on the opening day of the show. That is also when Tyrie hopes to have a copy of the catalogue from the original show. He is offering a reward package as he looks to complete the history display for the 75th show with a full spread of catalogues. “We have them for all but five of the 74 shows to date,” Tyrie says. The 2009 Melbourne Motor Show, at the Melbourne Exhibition Centre, will be run from Friday, February 27, to Monday, March 9.  

As usual it is interesting times in F1. Interesting in the way a soap opera is …. you know everything about it could be a lot better, but a lot of us still watch it anyway. 2008 was actually a good year except for the final result. No sport should ever put itself in a position where the person who wins the most comes second.  Massa won 6, Hamilton 5. Professional sport is all about winning - seconds should not be rewarded - it's a race. This year it went down to the wire but I am still skeptical about Glock’s sudden slow down. I'm with Jean Todt..... McLaren cannot be trusted. Max Mosley may feel the same.Good riddance Honda, I hope Toyota is next. The matching pair of the world’s most boring auto manufacturers.... I never got it anyway, marketing dull cars to cardigan-wearing, centre-lane hugging drivers via F1. I'd prefer Nissan and Mazda to be part of F1, at least they are building interesting sports cars.Reportedly the Honda team is up for sale for a little as 1 Euro. Lotus - please buy it - we need your creative innovation back in the sport. If not Lotus, Fiat - you buy it for either Alfa or Maserati and pay Ferrari to manage it as their B-team. If not Fiat then VW - for Audi or Bugatti. Bugatti need to be more than a one hit wonder.As we race towards The Singularity we may be entering our period of radical change, and in that vein I offer up two alternate plans for F1;Don't reduce the budget. Let the teams drop to 5 but let them have four cars. Get more money out of Bernie, the manufacturers should get the bulk - not him. Split all the money just five ways. Four Ferraris, four McLarens etc. Here in Australia we can make a better race out of it with just Commodores and Falcons.Don't reduce the budget  .... sort of. Keep the reductions for petrol engines but throw in a wild card rule. If you want to use electric motors you don't need to abide by any of the rules other than safety and size. There's a way to get our real slot cars quicker .. and sooner. Pit stops would become battery pack swaps.... and they can have as many as they need until the technology reaches the point where they don't need any. Oh ..... and get more money out of Bernie, the manufactures should get the bulk - not him.While I don't know what is going to happen, I do know a lot will change over the next five years. A Perfect Storm is forming, Max will be gone soon. Bernie can not last for ever. We are in a period of financial crisis where even Ferrari legend and Honda team leader Ross Brawn can be made redundant. We previously just had a silly season for drivers, we may be about to see a silly season for teams.So back to the question..... who will be next?Rod Halligan

It is expected to fetch between $230,000 and $280,000 when it goes to auction in London next month.The white 1976 Lotus Esprit from the 1977 film starring Roger Moore and Barbara Bach, will be sold on December 1 at Bonhams auctions' annual motoring sale. It was one of two Lotus cars driven in the film by Bond.It turns into an amphibious car for the movie, driven both on land and under water.Meanwhile, the number plate AU1 from the earlier Bond classic Goldfinger is for sale in the same auction. AU1 was fitted to the Rolls-Royce Phantom III used by arch villain Goldfinger in the film.AU is the chemical symbol for gold in the Periodic Table. The registration number is expected to fetch more than $185,000. 

The 1963 F1 world championship-winning Lotus 25 driven by Jim Clark brought $1,525,500 (including buyer’s premium) after spirited international bidding at the Bonhams and Goodman sale in Sydney yesterday. "It is certainly a world record for a Lotus and we believe it to be an Australian record for any car," Bonhams and Goodman's Robert Glover said. "The really nice story is that we had bidders from Japan, the United States and Europe but the car is staying in Australia." Mr Glover said the buyer was a "known keen enthusiast" but had requested confidentiality on the sale. Against predictions of recession-hit bidding Mr Glover said the sale had realised $5.2 million, a 90 per cent clearance rate by estimated value. "The sales were still very much driven by passion rather than any attempts to recession-proof," Mr Glover said. He said that while rarity was what made many of the lots so attractive, buyers who desired one of the cars or bikes at the sale were prepared to go to great lengths to obtain them. The record breaking Lotus was the jewel of the John Dawson-Damer collection. Dawson-Damer was killed competing in a Lotus at the Goodwood festival in England in 2000 and his collection of six historic Lotus cars went under the hammer at the weekend.  

It looks like a leftover prop from the next Bond movie – or perhaps The Thunderbirds – but if you’re planning on mounting an expedition to the Antarctic, this could be the perfect vehicle.The Lotus was designed expressly for the Moon-Regan Trans Antarctic Expedition, which is planning to cross the 5000km-wide icy continent to raise awareness of how its fate "affects the whole world’s environment’’.Being that you’re in a pristine ecological system – give or take anything similar to the century-old toxic levels of heavy metal pollutants from Europe’s Industrial Age of burning coal, that were found in Greenland's ice last week – the Lotus is powered by burning biofuel.They don’t say which particular kind of biofuel it uses. But given the worthy environmental wholesomeness of the exercise, we can probably rest assured that the expedition team won’t be suctioning up a monopoly on some sort of staple food stock that reduces the African continent to starvation.The marvellously green-cred engine powers the Lotus across the ice via rear-mounted propeller, which is a handy feature because when you’re in sub-zero temperatures you obviously need something to increase the wind chill factor just that little bit more.Because it will be crossing the coldest continent on Earth, the vehicle has apparently been designed to have a minimum number of moving parts that could freeze solid.And it is light enough for the scientists to be able to pull it across the landscape like a makeshift husky team if they feel the need for a bit of light exercise, perhaps keeping the beat with a bit of a capella barking, to spur them on to greater physical effort.It may not have much in the way of creature comforts… no ipod-compatible stereo system, for example. Nor any heated seats, although you can imagine at least one user might have requested them. But the bizarre creation is fitted out with an ice-penetrating radar that is supposed to detect any dangers ahead -- gaping crevasses, thin ice, packs of marauding penguins and so on.Naturally, the aim is to keep the contraption sitting above the ice, rather than falling through it and into the freezing briny depths. An incident that could make you startlingly aware that the acronym for the Concept Ice Vehicle – CIV -- is actually pronounced `sieve’. 

Lotus is a car brand known for its innovation, particularly in its philosophy of “performance through light weight” but now it is turning to renewable materials of hemp, wool and sisal as part of its enviro moves.British-based Group Lotus has developed a show car called the Eco Elise to demonstrate green technology. This includes using materials that can be grown and, when cropped for use, regrown.If you thought the little Elise two-door sports car was light — it is — then consider that this version has taken 32kg off that weight.This means less fuel being used and therefore fewer emissions when driving. But Lotus says a green car is more than just C02 emissions from the exhaust pipe: it's about less environmental impact when making the car, choosing its materials and being able to recycle materials at the end of the car's life.Last year Lotus achieved significant improvements in its business practices, compared with 2006. It cut energy use — electricity by 14 per cent and gas by 30 per cent — and used 11 per cent less water across its headquarters at Hethell, Norfolk.Hemp technical fabrics areused as the primary constituent in composite body panels and spoiler. It is said to be a very strong fibre (historically, hemp was used in making rope).Hemp is a natural resource that needs fairly low levels of energy to process and it absorbs CO2 while growing as a plant through photosynthesis.The Eco Elise seats are upholstered in biodegradeable woollen fabric “ethically produced” and needing no dye. The colour is created by selecting sheep breeds to produce the wool for the yarn.Sisal is another renewable crop, here used for the Eco Elise carpets because it is a tough, abrasion-resistant material.The hemp hard top on the Eco Elise has two flexible solar panels embedded. These convert energy from the sun to power electrical systems, so the car's engine needs to work less to provide such electrical power.Lotus says using the technology on more panels would make it possible to provide more electrical power, especially on a larger vehicle.Lotus Elise cars have a red light to advise performance drivers that maximum engine revs are approaching and it's time to quickly shift up a gear. The Eco Elise also gets a green light in the instrument panel — to suggest that a higher gear can be selected to save fuel and reduce emissions.The Lotus Paint Facility in partnership with Du Pont has developed a water-based paint system, catering for primer, colour and lacquer. It's said to be the first time it's possible to hand spray a top-quality production paint finish with water base. It has benefits of giving off less solvents and uses less energy due to the lower temperature for curing. It's anticipated such paint technology will be available for production cars soon.Other than lighter weight components — even the audio system is revised to shed 1.3kg — special lightweight wheels have been created. Each saves nearly 4kg over the usual Elise wheel.Lotus sells normal Elise sports cars here from $69,990 for the S with its 1.8-litre engine of 100kW power.