106rallye

I know that this is a strange question but apart from the seven why do all lotus model names begin with an E? eg. europa, excel,elan,elise etc. I am sure there must be others which don't but I can't think of them at the moment!

I know its a stupid question but it has got me thinking!! (it doesn't happen much!!)

Andy

Billbill

Thoughtful question.
Are there any answers??

simon_prickett

On a similar note, don't Peugeot have some sort of right to be the only ones to have 0 in the middle of 3 digit car names...

106
205
206
309
405
406
807

etc, etc????

GranTurismo

Hello,

Yes and Its deliberate, I think Colin Chapman started it off.

AWD

Three are many answers ... but are any of them correct?

Esprit, Exige and Elite also begins with E

Can't think of any off-hand that don't begin with E (apart from the '7' that has been already mentioned).

This can't be just coincidence.

dsmith

There was also the Eclat . I don't remember the details but at some point Colin Chapman changed from Marks to Numbers to Names.

Lotus Mark 6 (Pre-Seven trials car)
Lotus Seven
Lotus Eleven
...
Lotus 49 (Grand Prix car ?)
...
Then the names

I thinks the details are in some books my Dad has.

He has a Lotus Seven Series 2 with orignal 1340 Cosworth tuned engine, Twin Webers givng approx 85/90 bhp and weighs about the same as a bar of chocolate. What are the original tyres ? 3.5" Crossplies. Apparently it was interesting on damp roundabouts. I say 'was' because he's had it since the late 60s and it was on the road for a few years (2/3)and is mostly now in Cardboard boxes

Dean

106rallye

Glad to get people thinking on a Monday morning!

simon_prickett

What about the Lotus Carlton? Doesn't really count!

GM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by simon_prickett:
<B>On a similar note, don't Peugeot have some sort of right to be the only ones to have 0 in the middle of 3 digit car names...

106
205
206
309
405
406
807

etc, etc????[/quote]

Yes, Porsche were originally going to call the 911 the 901 until Peugeot forced them to change. I can only assume they were able to get away with 904, 906, 908 etc because they were race cars not road cars.

G

GM

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:<HR>Originally posted by dsmith:
<B>There was also the Eclat . I don't remember the details but at some point Colin Chapman changed from Marks to Numbers to Names.


[/quote]

I always understood that Lotus raod cars had names and competition cars (or the original "specials") had numbers. There was a racing version of the Europa which was raced as a Lotus 47 (plus or minus!). I think the US Lotus site (www.Lotus.com ?) has a list of Lotus model numbers right up to the last F1 car - must have been the 102 or thereabouts.

I think that the Seven was originally designated as a competition car rather than a road car, hence no name.

G

ed the dead

Yeah, and Fords are always named after 'mens magazines' Escort, Fiesta etc etc and the next planed ford model the new 'Big and Busty'

Oakley

Maybe someone should release a men's magazine called "Probe" then

dsmith

Surely that would be a Women's magazine ?

chrisnobbs

All the road cars then:

Elite
Elan
Europa
Elite (70's wedge)
Eclat
Esprit
Excel
Etna (only one built!)
Elan (M100)
Elise

Yes there is a pattern and Colin Chapman started it!

dsmith

So who can get the first picture of an Etna (WTF!)

Ahh Good old google !

bdrought

Dont forget:

Exige

and..... just to spoil our fun:

340R

??? Maybe we'll ignore that one, since its basically a racecar.... but...the replacement for the Esprit is the M250

I guess corporate Lotus is a different company altogether...

Bri
&lt;has no Evo forum, so its either posting on Scoobynet or working&gt;

Oakley

M250's just a project code name thingy isn't it? I'm sure they said that there'll be an E-name for it eventually.

Any guesses?

Acker

How about Eternity, 'cos the project is definitely dragging on.