like it:
` There has always been a mystery over why Lotus was so named. Indeed
you could say that the mystery is a mystery in itself. Who actually
cares why it's called a Lotus? But I guess it must have been important
on Day One. Colin Chapman has always protected the name. In 1954 he
wrote in "Motor Racing" magazine 'The first car was basically an Austin
7 chassis and engine, it was called a Lotus too but I am not going to
tell you why. I have been asked many times the origin of the name of my
cars but that cannot be divulged for several years. It is one of those
things, rather like the chap who will never tell you why his friends
call him "Stinker"' Quite. Don Moore, who gained fame as an engine tuner
raced an MG against Chapman's A7-based Lotuses in the early 1950s and he
told an interesting version of the Lotus origin. In those days they had
to sell one car to finance the build of the next and Don turned up after
an auction to see one of Chapman's Austin's sitting there unsold
awaiting collection. "There was a label on it to indicate it was a Lot
Unsold --the auctioneer had written LOT/U.S." '
Full article:
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-Gregor