1970 Lotus Elan S4 1.6l on 2040-cars

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Lotus Cars, Williams Advanced Engineering announce technical partnership

Sports car company Lotus announced a technology development partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, more commonly referred to simply as Williams. Lotus says the partnership will be specifically focused on propulsion systems. And this has us very excited. Lotus doesn't need much introduction; it makes ultralight and spectacular handling sports cars. Williams is a bit more obscure, but it works on some of the coolest vehicles in the world. For decades the company has participated in Formula 1, and still has a team competing. It developed a wild 500-horsepower flat-six engine for Singer, and it worked with Jaguar on the C-X75 concept car and made stunt versions for the James Bond movie "Spectre." The company even has electric car experience with four seasons of Formula E and development work on the Aston Martin Rapide E on its prodigious resume. The subtext of these various Williams projects is that we could see almost any kind of powertrain show up in Lotus sports cars in the future. The companies could have some high-revving, high-output internal combustion engines for the near-term, then they could create electric drivetrains for future Lotus cars. Think first-generation Tesla Roadster but developed by a company with racing experience. Perhaps the two could even create some hybrids in between launches of the two powertrain types. Of course we're speculating, but none of this out of the question considering Williams' capabilities. In fact, since the Formula E experience is specifically highlighted in the Lotus announcement, we bet electric Lotus cars are all but guaranteed. We will be watching for developments with great anticipation. Related Video:

Lotus-based Radford Type 62-2 shows its retro-styled interior

England-based Radford introduced the Type 62-2, a limited-edition coupe with a heritage-laced design, earlier in 2021. But it didn't show us the interior. Now, Radford finally revealed what the car looks like inside, and it's a blend of retro styling cues and modern tech that enthusiasts will love. At first glance, the Type 62-2's cockpit looks like it's from a different era. The driver faces a meaty three-spoke steering wheel, the shift linkage is exposed, and there is a pair of Bremont instruments (one is a clock, the other is a stopwatch) positioned on the passenger-side of the dashboard. We could be describing a 1970s rally car. However, a closer inspection reveals features buyers expect from a car in 2021. Look behind the steering wheel (whose spokes are made with carbon fiber) and you'll spot a digital instrument cluster with a layout that can be configured by each buyer. You could, in theory, ask for the tachometer to be front and center, for example. Screens positioned on either side of the dashboard display the footage from the cameras that replace the exterior mirrors, and a phone dock that doubles as a wireless charger is hidden behind the build plate located on the center stack. Users can set their phone there to access navigation and music apps.  Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special View 5 Photos Buyers will have three basic trim levels to choose from: Classic, Gold Leaf, and John Player Special. Each one will receive a specific look inspired by liveries that Lotus race cars have used in the past, though buyers will be invited to configure their car exactly how they want it. What won't change is the engine: it's a supercharged, 3.5-liter V6 that found its way into the Type 62-2 from Toyota via the Lotus Emira. Bolted to either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, it develops about 430 horsepower in the Classic model, around 500 in the Gold Leaf, and approximately 600 in the John Player Special thanks in part to a specific supercharger. Radford will build 62 units of the Type 62-2, and production is scheduled to start before the end of 2021. Deliveries will begin in early 2022. Pricing information hasn't been announced, but don't expect this rare British coupe built largely by hand to come with a bargain price. Check out the Autoblog Podcast #686 where we talk Porsche and Lotus: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Race Recap: For the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix, NASCAR comes to the principality

Lots of contact, debris cautions, trips into the wall, full-course yellows and a red flag - these are the kinds of racing terms you unbox when you want to have a conversation about NASCAR... or the Formula One grand prix of Monaco. In this case we're not talking about the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, we're talking about 78 laps in the South of France that even featured a fallen camera cable just like that stock-car race.
This year, Mercedes-AMG Petronas drivers treated their chassis' like busses instead of F1 cars, Romain Grosjean treated his Lotus like a battering ram, Sergio Perez kept sticking his McLaren's nose in places and eventually got it smacked, and maybe the size of the drivers' mirrors should be changed instead of the tires as there were almost as many firsts as there were crashes. Plenty of F1 fans wish Monaco were removed from the calendar, yet even though it doesn't specialize in traditional thrills, that doesn't mean nothing happens during the parade through - and into - the barriers.