Lotus builds black and gold Exige S Type 72

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Lotus Exige S Type 72 (click to enlarge)

Lotus is commemorating one of its most famous F1 cars with a special edition of its Exige S road car.

The Lotus Exige S Type 72 is finished in black with gold detailing, mimicking the celebrated John Player Special livery of the Lotus 72 F1 car.

According to Lotus it is “finished by the same sign writer who painted racing cars for Team Lotus.” It will do 0-60mph in 4.5s, has a top speed of 233kph (145mph) and weighs just 935kg.

Director of Classic Team Lotus Clive Chapman said:

The Type 72 was a very significant car for Team Lotus and indeed for the world of F1. It was a revolutionary design that pioneered the use of side mounted radiators to achieve its distinctive ‘wedge’ profile, which delivered a significant aerodynamic advantage. Furthermore, by minimising unsprung weight and using a torsion bar, rising rate suspension, tyre performance was excellent. The Lotus Type 72 design was so advanced that it was competitive for an extraordinary six years.
Clive Chapman

The influence of Colin Chapman’s innovative 72 can still be seen today. It introduced the practice of mounting the radiators in the car’s sidepods and also featured an overhead air intake for the engine.

Lotus ran different versions of the 72 for six years from 1970 to 1975. In that time it won 20 Grands Prix from 79 starts and claimed the constructors’ championship in 1970, 1972 and 1973.

It also claimed two drivers’ titles for Jochen Rindt, in 1970, and Emerson Fittipaldi. But Rindt was killed when his 72 crashed during preparations for the Italian Grand Prix, and didn’t become champion until after his death.

Last year Lotus produced a special edition Elise in honour of Jim Clark.

Read more: Lotus commemorates Jim Clark with car

Lotus 72 (click for more pictures)

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Keith Collantine
Lifelong motor sport fan Keith set up RaceFans in 2005 - when it was originally called F1 Fanatic. Having previously worked as a motoring...

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12 comments on “Lotus builds black and gold Exige S Type 72”

  1. Stunning looking car. I know a few people with Exiges, and it’s fair to say they’re pretty quick, too!

  2. One word for both cars shown in this article – Beautiful.

  3. Is it possible that in the future Lotus will design their own F1 engine?

    1. they’d have to design a roadcar engine first…

  4. Looks great – Lotuses are one of my top cars, way above BMWs, Porsches, Audis, Jaguars, Ferraris, and Mercedes for me, and I love the Exige.

  5. Too much black and not enough gold !
    It could look better

    1. yep, i agree, not enough gold…

      1. It needs more silver, chrome, gold or something. Looks like a Batmobile as it is

  6. I still dream a great livery new Lotus Formula 1 car. Let me dream for some weeks more…

  7. Looks amazing. Needs more gold though.

  8. What we actually have here are the colours of a bradn of cigarette.

    The Exige looks good but there is more than enough gold on show. To my tastes nothing looks tackier than when adorned with gold.

  9. No more gold. Perfect the way it is. Otherwise it’ll look like a gangster rapper’s car. “Check out my Exige YO!”

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