A wonderful discussion sprung up during last night’s Last Call, regarding all the different “side projects” that Lotus has done over the years. Little known fact, every project Lotus has ever worked on has been assigned a number; many of those numbers remain completely unknown, with Lotus never revealing their involvement in some projects for other manufacturers who feel they would lose face by calling in outside help. In many cases, these projects have been carefully covered up or explained away as generic “Formula One research”.
One wonders why they’d ever feel any shame about it at all, however; Lotus has had their fingers in so many different automotive pies over he years that there is certainly no shame in bringing them in as a subcontractor. Their work with improving a car’s handling is nothing short of artistic. Most cars wear the Lotus name as a badge of pride.
And there are quite a few of them that do. So that’s your Encyclopedia Hoonatica challenge for today. Name all the cars that are not built by Lotus, but do have some Lotus-designed or Lotus-built components in them.
DIFFICULTY: So easy that if this post doesn’t reach 100 comments by the end of the day, you’re all getting beatings.
Posting duplicates will get you shot, and not resizing your images appropriately will get your body fed to Hoonibbles. Alive.
Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Ask And Ye Shall Receive Edition
By Deartháir
Jan 18, 2011
Robert Crespo 
Jeff Glucker 
Kamil Kaluski
<img src="http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Lotus_Sunbeam.jpg" width=500 /img>
Chrysler Sunbeam Turbo – proof that North America didn't get the only cool Mopar hatch.
Actually, it was no longer a Chrysler by the time it was released. It was a Talbot, which was Peugeot's short-lived marque to handle the leftovers inherited when they bought Chrysler Europe. The car was officially called Talbot Sunbeam Lotus and it was RWD. Good car, but it was priced so high that few people bought it.
Right you are – my memory was just fuzzy enough that when the Wikipedia article was titled "Chrysler Sunbeam," I took that at face value without skimming the content.
Also, it was naturally aspirated – no turbo.
Isuzu Impulse Turbo coupe and Stylus XS sedan.
<img src="http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/attachments/f120/144736d1271348554-lotus-xr4-ti-1989-isuzu-impulse-turbo.jpg" width="450">
And Hyundai Scoupe.
<img src="http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/vehicle-pictures/1995/hyundai/scoupe/92803031990203-480.jpg">
when those first came out… i really wanted one (i remember loving the ads– i was 8 or 9).. dad dismissed it as a crappier version of the geo storm (which he admitted wanting for his road-warrior type job (gas mileage)) but he could not give up comfort.. (thank god— because i fell in love with the Ford Panther cars and the GM B-body/platform… (of the 80s/90s))
Now that's what I'm talking about, LS bodykit with the 13" steelies & turbine wheelcovers and honeycomb tail lights. My family had one for 8 years, except it was blue on top and silver on the bottom as was popular at the time. No AC, no PS, no tach, 5 speeds and 1.5 liters of Mitsubishi sourced "power". Close ratio gears so you had something to do while you waited for the speed to pick up, yet it delivered between 30 – 45 MPG. They imported only a handful of them before Hyundai pulled out of the Finland and the recession hit, so no one had a clue of what it was and generally though that it was something more impressive than a reskinned Excel.
It was a lot of fun for that environment back then… I'd imagine that trying to drive one of these around the larger cities in the US would be a whole different animal as every freeway onramp would be a near-death experience.
<img src="http://ploader.net/files/3cff2cd4a5f2e109f096b80c791b6fe1.jpg" width="550">
<img src="http://ploader.net/files/ec60118c1592f80ddd767501bd120789.jpg">
Corvette ZR-1.
To clarify, most of the engine design of the C4 ZR-1, as well as the Corvette Active Handling Concept.
Dodge Spirit R/T – engine designed by Lotus.
<img src="http://www.relentlessracing.com/images/customer_larry_spirit.jpg">
Daytona too.
<img src="http://www.allpar.com/model/daytona/dayirocred2.gif">
I had one once, and I never knew that. It was even a Shelby. So, it was like, uh, hmm. Shit, I don't even know.
The only Daytonas with the Lotus engines were the 1992-1993 IROC R/T models, and only around 500 or so were produced.
Damn. Well mark me down as a non-Lotus Daytona.
Maserati did some work on a DOHC Chrysler 2.2 for the TC, don't know if that went in anything else. I know some of the Daytona race cars used it.
"Name all the cars…."
Nah, I'm posting the Sinclair C5 again anyway. Not a car, but street-legal and chock full of work undertaken by Lotus.
<img src="http://www.thejimbambercollection.com/bamberblog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/sennasinclair1.jpg" width="350">
Just dial 100 and ask for Freefone C5 now!
[youtube 0EQetm_qWDg http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EQetm_qWDg youtube]
I haven't got a lot of time today, so I will go with some low hanging fruit:
<img src="http://image.automobilemag.com/f/preview/6667429+w440/0611_z+Tesla_Roadster_Preproduction+front.jpg" />
Hmm. Now does that count, since it's built by Lotus, but rebadged by
unicorns and leprechaunsTesla?Lotus didn't design the whole thing, plus it doesn't install the drive train. So Tesla does have some hand in it's construction. Mainly birthing and hooking up the unicorns. Oh yeah, and bottling up rainbows.
<img src="http://ploader.net/files/12d7ac7f46e63b9377cd2aa664fac328.jpg" width="500">
Still lots of cool ones left…
GM's Ecotech engine was almost completely developed by Lotus Engineering. So, tons and tons of cars there.
<img src="http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2009/10/26/22/39/2004_saab_9-3-pic-3738146220731427155.jpeg">
<img src="http://organisatie.cdokortrijk.be/docs/vervanging/AUTO/9.jpg" width="500">
Saab 9-3
Opel Astra, Zafira, Roadster, Speedster
Pontiac Solstice, Pontiac Sky
Heck, even the 2011 Buick Regal
<img src="http://media.il.edmunds-media.com/buick/regal/2011/ns/2011_buick_regal_actf34_ns_12110_717.jpg" width="500">
68-70 Escort Twin Cam
<img src="http://www.motorbase.com//uploads/2003/05/05/fs_rs-twin-cam-02.jpg">
Opel Lotus Omega
<DIV style="OVERFLOW: auto"><img src="http://www.carsplusplus.com/pictures/1990/97726/photo.jpg" width=500>
If only THIS had been "the Caddy that Zigs".
Wasn't that actually badged as a Lotus Carlton though?
It was the Lotus Carlton in England, the Lotus Omega in mainland Europe, and the Type 104 in the Lotus design office.
That was the UK model (née Vauxhall Carlton). Same car, different market.
EDIT: Bollocks. It didn't show me retro's post when I refreshed for some reason.
I-Marks the spot.
<img src="http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/EXID572/images/Isuzu_I-Mark_RS_1989-rfq-590.jpg">
Chevy Corvette ZR-1's LT5 engine
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6b/GMLT5.JPG/800px-GMLT5.JPG" width="600">
I thought Mercury Marine made them.
They handled the assembly.
And when looking up the I-Mark, apparently the Isuzu Bighorn (aka Trooper) had a Handling By Lotus edition!
<img src="http://www.isuzu-bighorn.info/gallery/photos/1998/isuzu-bighorn-photo-3.jpg">
So it could clumsily fall over at even greater speeds!
The AW11 MR2 had suspension design tweaked by Lotus.
<img src="http://www.mr2club.gr/documents/94/htmlimport_Imgp1140.jpg" "width=500">
And in honor of two-wheeled Tuesday, the Triumph T595 Daytona's 3 cylinder had head design help from Lotus.
<img src="http://www.net33.com/triumph/t595co.jpg">
Because I'm a petty person, I must note I had the Bighorn/Trooper, I-Mark, Omega, and Speedster/VX220, but I took too long to find images for all these so somebody else got them 'first'.
Isuzu Piazza/Impulse / Asüna Sunfire:
<img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a0/1990-1993_Isuzu_Piazza_01.jpg/800px-1990-1993_Isuzu_Piazza_01.jpg" width="500/">
Kia Elan:
<img src="http://www.indoto.com/modules/My_eGallery/gallery/KIA/1998_kia_elan-1.jpg" width="500/">
Toyota Supra MA63:
<img src="http://i.pbase.com/u15/suprafiend/large/4528333.85atMorieneLake.jpg" width="500/">
I don't know what they did, but it was something. Toyota owned most of Lotus around this time, so there's probably more.
The Excel used the transmission and door handles from these cars, and the Esprit had AE86 Corolla taillights.
Proton Savvy:
<img src="http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2006/02/23/211406.3-lg.jpg" width="500/">
Proton Satria Neo:
<img src="http://media.carblog.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/proton-r3-satria.jpg" width="500/">
And the old one.
Proton Waja:
<img src="http://www.allcarpictures.com/pictures/proton/waja/proton-waja.jpg" width="500/">
Wah-ha-ha-ha
Proton Gen.2:
<img src="http://media.paultan.org/mme/mme_gen2_side_large.jpg" width="500/">
Yes, Proton's getting their money's worth out of this.
A brief google search yielded the proton site for me too. Looking at the site, the mere association with the Lotus brand seems to be their main selling point!
I don't see the Jensen Healey mentioned yet, which had the dubious honor of being the development mule for the Esprit's engine.
Now, its been quite a while since I have done a Hoonatica comment, but I am positive this does not count:
SHO powered Esprit:
<img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/01-esprit.jpg" width=500>
<img src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.autoblog.com/media/2010/03/08-esprit.jpg" width=500>
Doesn't count one bit, but I don't give two shits. I love it.
As a lover of the Esprit (especially the original body)…and of Yamaha…and of groovy-looking engines, I must say that this thing gives me a severe case of Tingly Sensations™
[youtube JguZD-y_vlY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JguZD-y_vlY youtube]
[youtube P4Y_rAFmlEA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4Y_rAFmlEA youtube]
I'm pretty sure this counts (at least on a technicality), it is after all, a Renault with a Lotus badge on it.
I just read about the new Hennessey supercar dubbed the Venom GT. Apparently it's based on the Exige. In fact it's pretty obvious. It's easy to tell which cars have the golden seal just by looking at them.
<img src="http://www.gotbroken.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/2011-Hennessey-Venom-GT-Front-Side-Top-Picture-588×391.jpg">
I was just going to post the Venom GT, so here's a picture to go with your suggestion:
<img src="http://www.speedlux.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/hennessey-venom-gt-5w-650×433.jpg" "width=500">
<img src="http://www.allianceonline.co.uk/product_images/HTT00207.jpg" width="400/">
Sorry.
Rumour (see what I did there?) has it that Lotus were dissatisfied with this design and were quick to flush it away. Too bad, as the proposed tagline (Now with extra lightness built in) was a winner.
While I don't have a new car to add I do think this game would be fun with Cosworth and Yamaha as well.
<img src="http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/60179-a-sub-625×406.jpg" width="600">
<img src="http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_images/1/3114/601/7782800195_large.jpg" width="600">
Cosworth seconded. I almost posted a Cosworth until I realized the question involved Lotus.
A little bit of LHF (The Proton Savvy and Isuzu I-mark were sadly already taken…), but the Lotus Eclat. It, along with the Elite, were I believe the first cars to use Lotus' twin cam engine.
[img ]http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOGE4r6c2SpIg51RfQldNa3i_sE0O0q0qKqHTCjHava4XQWf_FqQ[/img]
[img ]http://www.exoticcarsite.com/pictures/Cars/lotus/elite-1973/lotus-elite-1973-1.jpg[/img
[img ]http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOGE4r6c2SpIg51RfQldNa3i_sE0O0q0qKqHTCjHava4XQWf_FqQ[/img]
[img ]http://www.exoticcarsite.com/pictures/Cars/lotus/elite-1973/lotus-elite-1973-1.jpg[/img]
let's try that again…
FYI: http://hooniverse.info/2010/08/03/how-to-embed-ima…
{img }http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOGE4r6c2SpIg51RfQldNa3i_sE0O0q0qKqHTCjHava4XQWf_FqQ{/img}
{img }http://www.exoticcarsite.com/pictures/Cars/lotus/elite-1973/lotus-elite-1973-1.jpg{/img}
one more time!
<img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOGE4r6c2SpIg51RfQldNa3i_sE0O0q0qKqHTCjHava4XQWf_FqQ">
<img src="http://www.exoticcarsite.com/pictures/Cars/lotus/elite-1973/lotus-elite-1973-1.jpg" width="550">
its '<' img src="url" width="500" '>' … no spaces and no quotes around the carrots 😉
The syntax is [img src="link-to-image" width=500], except you need to use less than and greater than instead of the square brackets.
<img src="http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOGE4r6c2SpIg51RfQldNa3i_sE0O0q0qKqHTCjHava4XQWf_FqQ" width=500>
<img src="http://www.exoticcarsite.com/pictures/Cars/lotus/elite-1973/lotus-elite-1973-1.jpg" width=500>
YES!! no one beat me to this:
Lotus Type 108 carbon fibre monocoque time-trial bike
<img src="http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/attachments/f120/28499d1148139464-lotus-super-bike-lotusbike1.jpg" width=500>
…though I guess it DOES "say name all the CARS…."
Just as long as we get to that magic 100-post mark we will
evade the wrath of Dearthairbe fine!Huh, never knew Lotus dabbled in bicycles, though in retrospect it seems pretty obvious. Nice find!
Now I'm reminded of when I first bought my bicycle. One of my buddies advised me to add lightness by taking off the reflectors and fenders. I asked how he'd managed to ignore my beer gut all these years.
He was just thinking of you after several thousand miles on the new bike.
>poof?<
I like it. You get a point.
<img src="http://www.motoiq.com/Blogs/Eric/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/fuji12.jpg" width="500">
I think the current GTR has chassis and suspension input from Lotus; it ways here but it's difficult to cross check: http://www.hitachi-c-m.com/asia/products/rigid/eh…
A better source: http://www.nagtroc.org/forums/index.php?showtopic…
Whoa. Tab shall stay open for near-future reading.
Went out on a limb and googled 'Lotus Engineering' along with the name of my favourite car since last week and lo! I present the Jaguar XJ Hybrid (not the exact picture but it looks the same anyway)!
<img src="http://api.cdmdata.m7z.net/ImageServer/d_10490/SAJWA2GB0BLV01497-0.jpg" width=" 500'=" '="">
Reportedly, the hybrid system received input from a couple of companies, one of which was Lotus. Who knew?
Who da thunk Dodge, Jeep and Lotus in the same image? Shocking!!
<img src="http://image.automobilemag.com/f/12341942+w750+st0/0812_01_z+chrysler_electric_vehicles+town_and_country_jeep_wrangler_dodge_lotus_europa.jpg"end>
They've done suspension setup for the past and upcoming Astra VXR:
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/VauxhallAstraVXR.jpg" width="500">
Come full circle from the Kia Elan to this current Kia
toaster:<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/KiaSoul.jpg">
And helped Mahindra with the Scorpio to the point that they may buy Lotus outright:
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/MahindraScorpio.jpg">
Aside: Holy pillar lights! Cross reference, away!
I never would have imagined anyone would ask the question of "what would it look like if we combined a Volvo wagon's tail light with a 2nd generation Durango's", let alone put the answer into production.
I don't know about all the side projects but the "Type" list is known, you can see it here.
Tesla
<img src="http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/tesla-roadster.jpg"width=500>
Something came to me in a dream and told me Lotus might have had something to do with early Caterhams.
<img src="http://i615.photobucket.com/albums/tt237/jskitter/hooniverse/Caterham7A.jpg" width="500">
The Hennessey Venom GT is based on the Lotus Exige, if we're allowing platform selling.
<img width=500 src="http://www.caradvice.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Hennessey-Venom-GT-101.jpg">
Image from Caradvice.com.au.
Also, considering Lotus used the Ford Kent engine for the early Elans, and then modified it for the Twincam, I have to assume that Lotus had a hand in further development of the Kent engine, including the Crossflow. Therefore, Lotus touched the Capri, Pinto, Reliant Anadol and whatever the TVRs were that used the Kent engine.