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I went to the Team Lotus event at Duxford, yesterday to witness the re-uniting of the name 'Lotus' with the '7'.... what a GLORIOUS concept.....
I can't say it was worth going to.... unless you are a 7 nutter, like me ..... but it was GREAT to hear and F1 on full song in the countryside, anyway!
For those who don't know the history of the Lotus/Caterham 7:
The Lotus founder (Colin Chapman) could see more profit from selling more expensive cars than the Lotus 7. It, thus, didn't fit into his 'marketing strategy' and he tried to stop building the Lotus 7 on many occasions.
A dealer called Graham Nearn made good money from selling and sevicing Lotus 7s and did all that he could to stop Champman dropping the 7. Each time he heard that Chapman was going to 'stop' the 7, he placed more orders for them and Chapman would NEVER turn down some easy money.
Finally, Nearn bought the rights to the 7 from Chapman (1973) and renamed it the Caterham 7 and they have continued to be built by them since then.
Jump forward to 2011.....Tony Fernandes (Air Asia and Team Lotus F1)... expected to buy the Lotus car company (Group Lotus) from Proton who are effectively the Malaysian Govt. when he started the F1 team: hence the purchase of the Team Lotus name at the start. Group Lotus intended to sell the car company to him and gave him as much backing as they could..... until Danny Bahar became the MD (CEO) of Group Lotus with his.... strange..... ideas for taking Lotus 'up-market'. That stopped Tony from buying Team Lotus....
Tony claims to have always wanted to sell effective and fast .... but CHEAP.... sports cars to the masses, Group Lotus looked perfect but..... He sees a GIGANTIC market in the rapidly emerging markets of the East for small, cheap FAST sports cars.
Caterham came on the market and Tony has now bought them. That has now re-merged the name 'Lotus' and '7'..... oh.... GLORIOUS DAY!
Yesterday's day at Duxford was the announcement of that 'deal' (and to do some Aero tests on the F1 car in s straight line down the runway).
All you kiddies who LOVE driving karts should have a GO at driving a 7.... or should I say LOTUS 7..... you will recognise the 'kart' hidden within that fabulous car and, probably, will fall in love with the 7, just as I did at 14 all those years ago.....
I worked and saved until I bought my first one when I was 19...... tee hee.... those WERE the days......
If you love karts, you CANNOT fail to love the Lotus 7!
Thank you Tony Fernandes for bring the 7 back to Lotus..... just please do NOT take the manufacturing of the 7 to Malaysia..... as some fear!
Ian
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