Lotus Elise And Exige 1995 2020

Named after Elisa, the granddaughter of Lotus's owner at the time, Romano Artioli of Bugatti fame, the Lotus Elise was launched at the Frankfurt Show in 1995. In the subsequent twenty-five years it has not only established itself as the embodiment of what Lotus stands for, it retains a unique place in the international sports car market. No other manufacturer came up with a car to seriously rival the Elise, nor the Exige, in terms of handling dexterity on both road and racetrack, and it aptly characterizes the definition of a sports car. Written in Johnny Tipler's inimitable style this book includes a detailed evolution of the Elise and Exige, including full specification tables; interviews with key individuals involved in their design and development, including Richard Rackham, Gavan Kershaw, Neil Thomas, Russell Carr, Barney Hatt and Andy Pleavin; Elisa Artioli on her namesake, its past and future; motor sport adaptions and successes and finally, driving experiences on road and track. The production of the Elise and Exige was sustained through four corporate upheavals. Now in Geely ownership, the future for Lotus looks bright.

From the Mark 1 in 1948 to the World's most powerful electric hypercar – the Evija – in 2021, the story of the Lotus marque encompasses ongoing technical innovation on road and track. With seventy-four F1 Grand Prix wins, six Drivers' and seven Constructors' F1 World Championships chalked up over seven hectic decades, Lotus consolidated its reputation in racing while at the same time creating some of the World's most stylish and desirable sportscars and Grand Tourers, in-house as well as for global automotive clients via its Lotus Engineering consultancy. With over 380 photographs, this book includes: the origins of the business, creating Austin 7-based competition cars; the metamorphosis from sports-racing cars to F1 – and seven World titles; factory relocations, from Hornsey to Cheshunt to Hethel; the road cars: the Elite, Elan, Europa, Excel, Esprit, Elise, Exige and Evora; how sponsorship transformed traditional British Racing Green into Gold Leaf and JPS livery. There are also interviews with key Lotus personnel and drivers.

The Pontons may have been Mercedes-Benz's bread-and-butter models of the 1950s, but they were vitally important in establishing the marque as a significant player around the globe. Alongside the saloons that made Mercedes famous world-wide for long-lasting and economical taxis, there were exotic two-door cabriolet and coupé derivatives, and the cars' basic structure was made available too for conversion into ambulances, pick-ups, estate cars and hearses. Not always appreciated is that the 190SL sports model was also derived from the engineering of the Ponton range. The Ponton Mercedes and the 190SL have long enjoyed a strong enthusiast following around the world. Here is their story, from their creation at a time when Mercedes was emerging from the devastation of war, though their success during the German Economic Miracle of the 1950s, to their final days in the early 1960s alongside the first of the 'Fintail' models that would eventually replace them. No enthusiast of these widely respected cars will want to be without this book.

Launched in 1971, the Alfasud was an all-new departure for Alfa Romeo, both in its design and its execution and became the best-selling model in the history of Alfa Romeo . Originally it was developed with the dual intentions of launching the company into large volume production and providing a more affordable model than their highly regarded sports cars. However, its story was far from straightforward. Although respected for its technically brilliant design and universally praised for its ride and handling, the model never quite reached its full sales potential and its reputation was marred by problems that could not have been foreseen. With over 240 colour photographs, the book includes a brief history of Alfa Romeo to the end of the 1960s. The development of the Alfasud's design and the political reasons for building a new factory are given along with the car's reception from both the press and owners. The evolution of the model from initial prototypes, to the improvements to build quality and performance, including the Giardinetta and Sprint variations are covered as well as Alfasuds in competition. The political and labour problems, as well as the early quality control issues are discussed. Finally, there are numerous specification tables, performance data, chassis numbers, engine codes and colour charts.

The Rootes Story – The Chrysler Years focuses on the Rootes Group during the 1960s and 70s, the vehicles produced by the company, the people that created them and the events that led to Rootes selling out to Chrysler Corporation of America and eventual acquisition by the French Peugeot company. A valuable backdrop to the events is provided throughout the book by ex- Rootes employees and management. Chronicles the Rootes Group's efforts to survive as a major car and truck manufacturer in Britain's turbulent 1960s and 1970s. From a position as a respected global name in manufacturing, the Rootes Group found itself struggling to compete in a new buyers' market, in which foreign competition was starting to overtake British manufacturers. Despite the challenges that confronted them, Rootes designed and built some of the most popular cars of the period: the Hillman Minx and Super Minx, the Singer Vogue and the Humber Sceptre, and the iconic but ill-fated Hillman Imp, as well as some of the most rugged and well-purposed vans and trucks, built by Commer, Karrier and Dodge. The book highlights the competition pedigree of the Sunbeam Rapier, the Alpine, the Imp and the Ford V8-engined Tiger. Famous names such as Paddy Hopkirk, Rosemary Smith and Peter Procter all give their stories as works drivers for Rootes, while engineers at 'comps' tell the background stories of how races and rallies were won and lost. Andrew Cowan, Rootes' works rally driver and winner of the 1968 London–Sydney Marathon in a Hillman Hunter, shares his story in what was a remarkable and unexpected victory for Rootes. This complex story is told through the eyes of ex-Rootes and Chrysler personnel, giving 'from the horse's mouth' accounts of the company and its exploits. Geoff Carverhill takes you inside the boardroom, into the drawing office and on to the production line to give the reader an insider's view of Rootes, Chrysler and Peugeot.

As Lotus's flagship model for almost three decades, the Esprit was launched in 1976 and remained in production for over a quarter of a century. It received regular refreshment along the way, principally to its original Giorgetto Giugiaro design and, from 1987, to its later Peter Stevens incarnation. Both iterations enabled the Esprit to maintain its position at the forefront of its market segment. Regularly compared to the best available from its German and Italian rivals, the Esprit was equally at home on the race track as it was on the road. A promising return to top-line international GT racing saw the Esprit compete on equal terms with the likes of Ferrari and McLaren, whilst, back in the showrooms, the car was selling for a fraction of their cost. The legacy of the Esprit can clearly be seen in current Lotus models whose core design brief is that they should always be the finest handling vehicle with the deftest of steering, feedback and feel. With over 300 stunning images, including professional photos, factory archive pictures and specially commissioned artworks, and featuring several interviews with Lotus personnel intimately concerned with Esprit production, this volume is a fitting tribute to a masterpiece of design and technology.

This handy, glovebox sized guide helps you identify and buy the Lotus Elise, including the Exige & Europa derivatives, manufactured from 1995 to the present day. Britain's most popular and sought-after enthusiast sports car, the Elise has captivated a whole new generation of Lotus fans with its super agile handling and performance. This Ultimate Buyers' Guide introduces all the wide variety of Elise types, describing the technical specifications, identification data, performance, colours and options. Written by acknowledged Lotus expert Johnny Tipler and using specialist input from service professionals, the book uses colour photography throughout and shows many actual problem areas. We discuss what to look for when choosing and buying a used example.

Aston Martin is a marque that holds a special place in the British motor industry. As a manufacturer of cars for over 100 years, its history is tied up with the British psyche, and the marque holds a special place in the hearts of all motoring enthusiasts. This book charts the history of Aston Martin from its early days in central London, as Banford and Martin, through the Bertelli years in Feltham and the post-war David Brown years at Newport Pagnell to the current day with its purpose-built, state-of-the-art factory in Gaydon, Warwickshire. Now seen as an iconic luxury British sports car manufacturer, Aston Martin has been designing, manufacturing and racing cars for over 100 years, almost continuously. Known for combining quality, style and performance in its products, the company has often struggled to balance these attributes with financial success. Fortunately, over the years generous investors who recognize the potential in the company have always been on hand to rescue and perpetuate the brand. Looking at the engines, the cars, the people, the business and car owners, this book tells the story of a quintessentially British marque.