Just five letters and two syllables, but the word
conjures up a world of memory and emotion. The
mere mention is enough to stop any British Racing
Green-blooded motoring enthusiast from polishing
his cylinder heads, and crane his head to spot one.
This is especially true in our Third World—excuse
us, developing—country, where we are fascinated
by the incongruousness of multimillion-peso
sports cars driving on impoverished streets.
Born in England, the Lotus marque was the
brainchild of an engineer called Colin Chapman,
who, in the ’50s, introduced revolutionary concepts
in Formula 1. Fine-tuning the midship engine
layout, using monocoque construction, providing
the solution to make the engine a stressed member
of the chassis—he was the first to really make these
work, winning seven constructors’ titles and six
drivers’ championships in the process.
Chapman was also directly responsible for the
F 1 car’s modern function as a rolling billboard.
Previously, the cars had raced in the colors of their
home countries. But when the Lotus 49 rolled
out for the 1968 Spanish GP in the red, cream and
gold of sponsor Gold Leaf cigarettes, it caused a
sensation—and a milestone change in the sport.
Like his contemporary Enzo Ferrari, Chapman
applied racing concepts when he decided to pro-
duce road cars. Road-going Lotuses are considered
to have a more direct link to racing than Ma-
ranello’s machines do. While Ferraris, even then,
were for the ultra-wealthy, the cars from Hethel are
relatively accessible. Chapman was also infamously
involved with DeLorean Motor Company, engi-
neering the chassis for the DMC- 12.
All of this we would read about later, but our first
encounter with Lotus was via a chap named Bond,
James Bond. In a cinema in Cubao, we watched as Q
handed off a sports car to Roger Moore. The white,
wedge-shaped automobile dodged bullets from a
Lotus Cars ManiLa
Lotus.
helicopter to a disco-version 007 theme. When, in-
credibly, it turned into a submarine, we were hooked.
The Lotus Esprit sealed The Spy Who Loved Me’s
position as the best James Bond film ever. Even if
Lotus ceased to exist, it would still occupy that special
place in movie history.
Fortunately, Lotus is alive and roaring in the
road-car arena. The company continues to apply its
engineering expertise in engine development and
chassis tuning. More important, it builds its own
unique sports cars.
The trio of Lotuses arrive for our photo shoot
in a discreet manner—hidden from view on flatbed
trucks. Once the covers are pulled off, all eyes up and
down the road are locked onto the cars.
The Elise is the brand’s modern lightweight mas-
terpiece. In P5.35-million 220 Cup guise, it carries a
supercharged 1.8-liter engine mounted right behind
the driver. The in-line-four is based on Toyota’s VVT-i
engine, souped up to produce 217 hp and 250 Nm.
That may not seem like much, but the red Elise weighs
just 952 kg, almost the same as a Honda Brio. Quoted
acceleration to 100 kph is 4.6sec, the same as an Aston
Martin DB 9 V 12. Top speed is a moderate 225 kph.
The black car is the Exige S Roadster. Originally a
coupe version of the Elise, it has evolved to become
the more powerful option in the lineup. While the
Elise opts for a lightweight engine, the P7.5-million
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