Lotus

Lotus Elan Magnaflow  Lotus Esprit Magnaflow Lotus, a specialty outfit, was created in Britain with output restricted to high-performance race cars and sports cars recognized for their lustrous and frivolous designs. In 1948, the first Lotus was constructed and used by Chapman to participate in races. Chapman, by 1955, had officially created Lotus Cars Ltd. Two years later, the ground-breaking Lotus Elite was unveiled. This extraordinarily light car owed its lightweight status to its fiberglass unibody production. The Elite was the first automobile to use fiberglass material in its skeleton and its skin as well. In the 1960s, Lotus expanded its line with the addition of the Elan. The coupe was first accessible as a roadster and offered a twin-cam engine, four-wheel disc brakes and a four-wheel independent suspension. Hardtop versions were offered later. Lotus added the Elan Plus 2 to its lineup by 1967. In 1972, Lotus discontinued the Elite but the name was invigorated in 1974. The new Elite was a four-passenger model with a 160-horsepower engine. After two years, the Lotus added Espirit to its family. The two-seat sports coupé continued the Lotus' ethos of featherweight design, and it was at once recognizable due to its unique wedge-shaped exterior and emergence in two James Bond movies. General Motors, in 1986, took full control of Lotus and produced Lotus Cars USA in the year 1987. In 1993, GM sold Lotus to Bugatti. After a few years, in 1996, Lotus was sold to a Malaysian firm. Lotus began creating the lightweight Elise in the same year, a coupé that would speedily become the company's main product and financial redeemer. In 2004, The Elise was at last imported to North America after security and emission considerations were overcome. At present, Lotus still remains right to Chapman's unique need of creating flyweight and race-oriented sports coupes.