Lotus Elite II Type 83

People wring their hands when Honda announced they were leaving F1. But F1 and the pinnacle of open wheel motor racing has seen many ups and downs. After the era of the 'Garagistes' and the first flourish of Ferrari, Lotus were the kingpins. And then, in part, dominated, until an unholy confluence of DeLorean, a heart attack and general uncompetiveness led to them becoming also-rans and then....out.

For kids now, Lotus means the Elise and the Exige. Hardcore, lightweight, nimble racers. Those a little older, will particularly remember the Esprit. A white one emerging from the sea. But go back a little further, and it's Ronnie Peterson wrestling with opposite lock, his Type 78 careering round Kyalami. Oh, and Jim Clark for those who don't do flares.......

The Lotus Elite. A very light car, with just over 2500 made, was sold at the height of the manufacturer's Grand Prix success. Utilising a 2.2 litre I4, a fibreglass body was mated to a steel chassis that met all U.S. Federal crash and safety regulations. In more ways than one, the Elite II was the link car in the Lotus timeline, forming the technical basis for later models such as the Eclat, Excel and Esprit.