Ross also makes it clear that some of the books which have already covered those days were a bit ‘embroidered’, often with Chapman’s hand in there somewhere.
This one does feel as though it is telling the real story. And it’s a fascinating tale. Ross focuses on those early trials cars, the initial models made for 750 and 1172cc racing classes, the MkVI, the Clairmonte Special, and the first of the streamliners — the VIII (or P3 as the prototype was known).
There is much fascinating technical detail of the cars, engines, suspension, and aerodynamics (including Frank Costin being strapped to the bonnet of the P3 so he could see how the wool tufts under the cutaway front wheel arches were behaving!). But it’s a lot more than the cars, it’s the people too. The author was very much involved himself at the time, and has made contact with many of the band of volunteers which got the marque off the ground, supplementing that with diaries and other recollections. And what an energetic and persevering bunch they were.
What’s hard to realise is that, even when Lotus was taking the MkVIII to races at Zandvoort and Nürburgring, Colin Chapman still had a full-time job. He also lives up to his reputation as a hard task master, and a rather ruthless person who could be reluctant to share credit with others, albeit a man who was able to get the best out of others and to design some pretty good cars.
The anecdotes along the way are just amazing; for example, Ross himself trying to drive off with the front of his car still on its jack after being stopped by police because his front wheels were loose; and Mike Costin crashing the streamliner into a roundabout on the way to Oulton Park while trying to lose a pursuing police car and being blinded by the airflow at 185kph!
All of this is contained in a very high-quality production with large pages, good quality paper, and lots of photos. The photos — all in a sort of sepia tone — are real highlights. A wonderful book.
Available online and from good bookstores.
Review by Mark Holman
