LIVE BEYOND POWER / PERFORMANCE / TECHNOLOGY / SKILL
Produced in a limited edition run of 500
From the moment a Lotus First turned a wheeL the brand has been synonymous with motorsPort. In 1948, Colin Chapman built the first Lotus car and over the years, he built both racing cars and world class road cars which not only rewrote record books they redefined engineering principles, physical limitations and achieved new heights of success, winning multiple Formula 1™ races and championships and, in 1965, the Indianapolis 500. The Lotus founder was a great engineer and visionary who enjoyed a favorite phrase ‘simplify and add lightness’, a delightful oxymoron in any language and one we still adhere to in Hethel today. Joining Lotus as CEO in 2009 one of my first objectives was to restore the Lotus ethos of success and aspiration, and to challenge the boundaries of what is possible and achievable with the same enthusiasm as Colin Chapman had done in the beginning. We have wonderful plans; a new era is approaching for the Lotus brand and with it comes an opportunity to join an elite club. This club, initiated and operated by Lotus Motorsport, will be known as Exos, a reference to the earth’s outer atmosphere - the exosphere - where space begins and G-forces lessen - where atoms are on ballistic trajectories and the lightest gases including atomic oxygen reside. We believe the exosphere is an appropriate inspiration for an elite club. A club in which a limited number of owner drivers can refine their driving skills and challenge themselves in Formula 1™ inspired technology combined with expert one-to-one advice from former Grand Prix drivers and trainers. Our announcement of the Lotus 125, F1™ inspired race-car complete with Cosworth V8 engine, is an innovative program to energize the Lotus spirit, to challenge convention and experience something unique and inspirational. The ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ is a new space for our most exclusive owners to improve their race craft and engineering prowess, learn how to set-up a car working with a race engineer, focus on mental and physical fitness and enjoy a driving experience quite literally out-of-this-world. This book has been prepared to present you with an insight into the ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’. If you would like to know more or apply for one of the cars and a place in the Exos, please contact my office or write to me at the email address below. I look forward to welcoming you at an Exos event in 2011.
Dany Bahar, Chief Executive Officer Group Lotus plc Office: +44 (0)1953 608 405 Email: TeamExos@lotuscars.co.uk
the brieFinG
reach escaPe veLocity Speed, energy and trajectory come together to decide the destiny of any body trying to escape the pull of gravity in this final, rarefied, part of our atmosphere some 600km above the earth’s surface. Unless a near impossible set of conditions are met, the body be it molecule or machine - will fall back to earth, destined never to ‘slip these surly bonds’ but to remain earthbound forever. Of course, in our quest for greater understanding and knowledge, an elite few have indeed achieved the near impossible and journeyed beyond the exosphere.
The ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ offers a similarly elite group the chance to escape the gravitational pull of routine and familiarity. It offers a chance to reach new levels of understanding in ones own quest for personal challenge and development and the chance to be the focus of a team who will create the machine that will take you on a journey. When joining the Lotus Exos you will find a team of engineers, aerodynamicists, tire specialists and experts from every field who have come together with the specific aim of giving you the optimum performance vehicle in which you can rise to your challenge and experience a purity of purpose.
Propelled into greatness by an army of brilliant minds who relentlessly craft the machines to take them on their journey, this select band are able to set themselves to face an incredible challenge.
the Last boundary oF our domain to Go beyond is the uLtimate in chaLLenGes, PerFormance, technicaLity and human abiLity. it is in the exosPhere that the FinaL determination is made.
it’s time to drive beyond
Image: NASA
“simPLiFy and add LiGhtness” when you Press the ‘enGine start’ button in your Lotus 125 you’LL be iGnitinG more than 60 years oF motor racinG heritaGe. Created by an aerospace engineer, Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman, Lotus started exactly as it went on - at the forefront of global motorsport developments. From those very early days the Lotus brand was driven by a voracious appetite for performance and success. A never-ending culture of humility and learning has served it well and delivered more success than Chapman could ever have imagined.
six FormuLa 1™ driver’s worLd titLes seven FormuLa 1™ worLd constructor’s titLes
indianaPoLis 500 First rear enGined car to win at bricKyard
Jim Clark 1963/65 Graham Hill 1968 Jochen Rindt 1970 Emerson Fittipaldi 1972 Mario Andretti 1978
Jim Clark 1965
F1 Type 79 1978-79
Indy Car Type 38 1965-66
Proven PerFormance
a concePt For a uniQue exPerience
the Lotus 125 technicaL sPeciFication Performance Max power: 640bhp @ 9800rpm Max torque: 450Nm @ 7600rpm Max rpm: 10,300rpm normal running Max rpm: 10,800rpm push-to-pass Fuel: 101RON Weight: 650kg, dry Engine V8, 3.5 litre DOHC, normally aspirated, dry sump. Longitudinal mid mounted. Transmission Gearbox: Longitudinal layout, dog engagement. Shift pattern: R-1-N-2-3-4-5-6 Gearshift: Semi automatic, paddle shift, pneumatic actuation, auto throttle blip / ignition cut. Clutch: Triple plate, sintered clutch. Chassis mounted oil cooler. Chassis Specification Length: 4910mm Width: 1890mm Height: 1011mm Material: Carbon composite, nomex core & aluminium core construction, auto clave cure. Carbon composite body panels, nomex core construction. Suspension Double wishbone arrangement, spring actuated via push rod & rocker arrangement. Adjustable ride height & camber. Wishbones & pushrods fabricated from aerospace grade materials. Dampers 3 way adjustable. Front & rear anti roll bars blade type adjustment. Third element on front suspension for high aero loads. Brake System Carbon ceramic, split front rear system, twin master cylinders with front/ rear bias adjustment, front caliper single piece 6 pot opposing piston, rear caliper single piece 4 pot opposing rear calipers. Fuel System FIA approved fuel cell, internal fuel pump, engine mounted pressure regulator, 55 litres, quick fill system, quick release connections to engine. Cooling Water cooling aluminium construction radiator left hand side only, oil cooling twin radiator cooling engine & gearbox oil right hand side. Wheels Front: 10 x 15 Rear: 14 x 15 Tires: Michelin Safety Systems Fire system cockpit & engine bay nozzles FIA approved system. Seat belts 4 point harness minimum, quick release quarter turn buckle. Headrest to comply with FIA regulations. Front rear crash structures designed & tested to FIA guidelines. Roll over hoop designed & tested to FIA guidelines.
The following specification for the vehicle is subject to development testing. Specification is subject to change without prior notice.
at the heart oF the Lotus 125 the cosworth GPv8 Technical Specification Designation: Cosworth GPV8 Duty cycle type: 4 stroke reciprocating piston, normally aspirated Configuration: 8 cylinders in banked ‘V’ configuration at a 90 degree angle Construction: Cast aluminium alloy cylinder block and heads, forged aluminium pistons, steel crankshaft Capacity: 3,500cc Valves: 32 Power: 640bhp Maximum speed: Limited to 10,000rpm (subject to test confirmation) Timing: Double overhead cams driven via compliant gearing from crankshaft Mass: 135kg Fuelling: 8 injectors supplied by a pressurized system at 100bar Ignition: 8 ignition coils each driving single spark plug Engine Control Unit: Pectel SQ6 Lubrication: Dry sump
The following specification for the engine is correct at the time of print. Specification is subject to change without prior notice.
PLanninG, PreParation, PerFection.
God is in the detaiL
Personal exPression and style Choose from a stylization of a ClassiC lotus livery, or seleCt the exos ConCePt design. or as an oPtion, request your own, besPoke livery Created to refleCt your identity or that of your ComPany brand and PastiChe a grand Prix team with overalls, helmet and Car to matCh - a total look. it’s the finishing touCh that ComPletes your exPression. Livery Option 1: ‘Empire Green’ British racing green, the epitome of British motor racing heritage the world over, when combined with a contrasting yellow stripe forms the unmistakable hues of Lotus champions from a bygone era. A truly British classic in every sense of the word.
Lotus 38
British Racing Green
Classic Yellow
Lotus 72 Livery Option 2: ‘Imperial Red’ The pioneering partnership with a sponsor that inspired all future famous liveries - red, white and gold. Simple, elegant and classic.
Livery Option 3: ‘Iconic Black’ The Iconic black and gold monogram livery as driven by some of the all time legends of Formula 1™: Emerson Fittipaldi, Mario Andretti, Ronnie Peterson, Ayrton Senna and Nigel Mansell. It was always stylish and fast.
Imperial Red
Classic Gold
Pristine White
Lotus 79
Iconic Black
Classic Gold
Lotus 99 Livery Option 4: ‘Active Yellow’ The Lotus 99. The car that ‘Came 1st’ for the great Brazilian driver, Ayrton Senna in Monaco and Detroit in 1987.
Livery Option 5: ‘Exos Concept’ Select the Exos concept livery as shown in this prospectus and really ‘Live Beyond’ or make your own mark on the track with the Exos-exclusive option of a bespoke livery designed to your exact taste, specification and requirements. Anything is possible, only imagination can limit our expression.
Desert Yellow
Graphic Blue
Deep Space Black
Atomic Blue
Spectrum Blue
the exPerienCe
From runway to race tracK With your focus fully on the driving ahead, we will assist your travel arrangements and ensure your plane - private or scheduled - is greeted by a Lotus Exos representative and driver. They will take you to the hotel or track and begin your preparations for the coming event. The dedicated Lotus Exos concierge will act as a central point of contact for all arrangements and communications covering all official documentation and special requests - even for those of friends and family joining you for the weekend.
Gear: 2 Speed: 94kmh/59mph G-Force: 2.2 Gear: 5 Speed: 215kmh/134mph G-Force: -3.0
Gear: 6 Speed: 260kmh/163mph G-Force: -4.0 Gear: 5 Speed: 213kmh/133mph Gear: 2 Speed: 81kmh/50mph G-Force: 2.1
Gear: 6 Speed: 280kmh/174mph G-Force: -1.0
Gear: 5 Speed: 240kmh/149mph G-Force: -3.0
acceLerated LearninG Just as Formula 1™ drivers must prove themselves from week-to-week on Grand Prix tracks around the world, the ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ will be held at European circuits with first class facilities, like the famous Paul Ricard Circuit in the south of France, and the Autódromo do Algarve, Portimao in Portugal. You will learn and drive in conditions similar to the most demanding race proven circuits in motor sport. With our sophisticated data-gathering systems you’ll also be able to measure yourself in lap time terms with past and present heroes of the sport and debate braking distances - with braking zones of less than 100m, one of the difficult aspects to master - and overlay racing lines, entry and exit speeds and terminal velocity.
Name: Mistral Straight
Name: Chicane
Gear: 6 Speed: 280kmh/174mph G-Force: 0.0
intimate understandinG
Whether its walking the circuit or familiarizing yourself in one of the Lotus Driving Academy sports cars prepared for the Exos Experience, you will become intimate with every characteristic and detail of the circuit. As with every aspect of the ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ the process is complete and is modeled on the very best practice found at the pinnacle of motorsport, Formula 1™.
you are the drivinG Force a FormuLa 1™ team has a Purity oF PurPose and an area oF Focus so deFined that nothinG can be aLLowed to distract. Driver fitness is not a ‘nice to have’ but an absolute and total necessity. Our team physio will re-boot your diet and exercise patterns to conform to the norms set by the sport’s leading drivers.
brain activity When traveling up to 200mph, an unprepared mind and body will experience a rush of energy and a feeling of anxiety brought on by the ‘fight-or-flight’ hormones: adrenalin and cortisol.
Once base fitness is established, specific training will build strength in key areas such as the neck, shoulders and arms experiencing forces to your head and neck four-times that of gravity (4G), many times a lap, will otherwise quickly reduce your competitive edge and ability to concentrate.
necK muscLes A Formula 1™ driver has to sustain an intense weight in his neck. Just supporting the head and an F1™ helmet together weighs in at around 6kg. Add a force of 4G (about the amount experienced when taking a corner in an F1™ car), and the total weight his neck has to support is 24kg.
heat & FLuid Formula 1™ drivers can frequently lose 7lbs in body weight due to sweat and dehydration during a race as cockpit temperatures can reach 150˚F. To prepare for this, a driver must train in sauna-like conditions. To protect themselves from a crash where fire is a risk, a driver will wear a full, FIA approved, Nomex suit, which is made from a durable flame-resistant fiber, but only exacerbates the ‘over-heating’ challenges.
heart rate To perform at their best throughout a 200 mile race, a Grand Prix driver must have extremely high levels of cardiovascular fitness, and therefore they tend to be accomplished cyclists and distance runners. To retain fitness, Lewis Hamilton cycles, plays squash and trains in other high levels of cardiovascular exercise, whilst his team-mate, Jenson Button, competes in triathlons.
arms strenGth A typical Formula 1™ driver’s workout will involve building up the strength in his arms (as controlling the steering wheel of an F1™ car during a race can be compared to holding a medicine ball at arms length for two hours). Emerson Fittipaldi, Brazilian F1™ champion, would train by simulating small turns with his arms stretched out and gripping a 25lb plate.
advice, adJustment & assimiLation
The team around is, of course, comprehensive and expert. You’ll get to know lots of the different specialists and understand where each one fits in to create the military-like precision that characterizes a Grand Prix team. However, as with F1™, too many voices are distracting and only one person can be in control. So you will have one key engineer who will become your primary contact within the Exos Experience. Your dedicated team will respond to your every input and request, quickly locating the relevant people to drive whatever change is needed and will also funnel information from all the various points of the team back to you.
on the shouLders oF Giants With advice and guidance from great drivers - past masters and current Lotus stars such as Jarno Trulli will treat you as a contemporary and drive improvements in your technique - Exos is one long learning curve.
exPeriment, enJoy, exceL. evora.
Having completed a full briefing and walked the track, the next stage is to warm up to the challenge ahead with some track-time in a Lotus Evora Cup GT4. This is an ideal machine for you to (safely) build an intimate knowledge of each track, lap-by-lap. Layer upon layer of information about grip and geometry is added to your mental analysis of the track and for those technical corners or challenging adverse cambers there will always be a Lotus Driving Academy instructor - or you may well find a racer or past Formula 1™ star - in the co-pilot’s seat to advise.
It may feel a long way off but there will come a point when there is no more measuring, preparation or testing to be done. You’ve mastered the turns, noted the braking points and memorized the apexes. The time has arrived when it is just you and your Lotus 125 working as one. This is when everything else becomes a blur. Whatever is happening in your life must be suspended as for a moment you enter a zone where nothing less than 100% focus will suffice. This is where you discover things that no telemetry or postrace de-brief could ever prepare you for. This is where engineering theory is forgotten and your mental drive system that is put to the test. This is where you challenge your limits and then push them again and again. This is where you enter the Lotus exosphere.
Lotus exos event members tracK day scheduLe Your ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ enrollment will commence pre-event when details of each event programme and itinerary are issued. Communication will be informed and frequent via our dedicated Team Exos concierge to ensure you maximize your ownership of a Lotus 125 and a secure ‘Exos’ website will acquire all the relevant personal, physical and technical information and exchange notes when necessary. You and your guests will be met upon arrival at the nearest airport and chauffeur driven to a luxury hotel near the circuit. On evening of arrival an exquisite dinner will be hosted by key personnel from Lotus including expert driver tutors, current or past Formula 1™ drivers, engineers and various other racing specialists, who will be entrusted to make each event memorable and rewarding. Each event will be structured to enable you to hone your skills, to develop as a more complete driver and experience a near facsimile of a Grand Prix weekend. You will be advised on all aspects of car and driver performance to ensure that you benefit fully from your ownership of a Lotus 125. Our team of driver coaches, technicians and physiotherapists will be at your service throughout the event: helping to improve your race-craft, technical understanding and preparation for the physical strains of driving. The ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’, will provide a unique opportunity to extend yourself in a safe but challenging atmosphere and, by doing so, you will join an elite who have experience of a modern F1™ car. A group so select that more people have experienced space travel than F1™ power.
Push your Limits
Every new event will bring new challenges to ensure each is as rewarding and informative as the first. However, all events will include track time in a selection of Lotus Driving Academy cars, driving alongside a professional to train you to master the art of driving your Lotus 125 quickly but safely. Dedicated engineers will prepare your car and teach you to continuously ‘engineer’ the car to best suit your driving style. Sports physicians will help you prepare yourself: mind, body and soul in readiness for the physical experience of driving a modern Grand Prix style racing car on some of the world’s most picturesque but demanding race circuits. On track activities will be for one complete day. On completion of your on-track driving activities engineer and physician debriefs will be conducted and an evening event organized if desired. Post-event, you will be able to review and interrogate the track data, discuss it with your engineers and physicians and expand the enjoyment and challenges of ownership as you strive to become a more complete driver and master of the Lotus 125.
Jim Clark 1936-1968 Formula 1™ World Champion 1963/65 25 wins, 33 pole positions
Innes Ireland 1930-1993 1 win
Graham Hill 1929-1975 Formula 1™ World Champion 1968 4 wins, 5 pole positions
Ronnie Peterson 1944-1978 9 wins, 14 pole positions
Gunnar Nilsson 1948-1978 1 win
Sir Stirling Moss OBE 19294 wins, 5 pole positions
Jo Siffert 1936-1971 1 win, 1 pole position
Jochen Rindt 1942-1970 Formula 1™ World Champion 1970 5 wins, 8 pole positions
Emerson Fittipaldi 1946Formula 1™ World Champion 1972 9 wins, 4 pole positions
Mario Andretti 1940Formula 1™ World Champion 1978 11 wins, 17 pole positions
Find insPiration From heroes
Ayrton Senna 1960-1994 6 wins, 16 pole positions
Design: Interstate, London
exPLoration, the essence oF the human sPirit A relentless pursuit of perfection is the defining factor in your life; good is rarely good enough. Whether it is results for your business or searching out the ultimate destination, you always strive to reach new levels and cross new boundaries. Driven by a quiet voice within, you know that true fulfillment comes from self-challenge where only you can judge the true quantum of the test. And, with ever greater regulation and restrictions, where on earth can you really challenge yourself? Now it is time to face your ultimate challenge. To join the ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ is to enter an atmosphere shaped by the world of Formula 1™, a place of meticulous attention to detail and precision combined with the upmost efficiency and quality. The experience will immerse you in automotive performance and engineering exactitude. You will be surrounded by a team of Lotus experts, each driven in their field, each respected for their ability to make the car/driver package as close to perfection as possible. If you would like to reserve a Lotus 125 and your place in the Exos Experience or would simply like talk to a Lotus expert please contact: Team Exos Lotus Motorsport Potash Lane, Hethel Norfolk, NR14 8EZ United Kingdom Office: +44 (0)1953 608 405 Email: TeamExos@lotuscars.co.uk
Photography The Cahier Archive (Bernard and Paul-Henri), Coterie Images (coterieimages.com), Nick Downes, Patrick Gosling, Darren Heath, NASA Images, Peter Nygaard, Brian Simpson © Group Lotus plc 2010 Terms and conditions apply Lotus reserves the right to change specification and options at any time. All images represented within this book are for illustrative purposes only. All specifications and options are correct at time of going to press August 2010. Lotus Motorsport is a trading name of Lotus Cars Limited, registered address Potash Lane, Hethel, Norwich, NR14 8EZ, England.
Terms and conditions of sale apply Lotus Exos is an exclusive private club restricted to 25 full members. Membership is strictly by Team Lotus invitation only and subject to payment of the appropriate annual fees. Membership is absolutely non-transferable and detailed club house rules specifying regulations and charges are available upon request. The Lotus 125 is a track use only vehicle designed exclusively for the ‘Exos Experience by Lotus’ and Lotus offers no guarantee that the vehicle meets any other recognized racing regulations. Customers are responsible for ensuring compliance with any respective race technical and sporting regulations. The Type 125 is designed to closely replicate the overall design of a current Formula 1 car and whilst a level of adjustability has been designed into the Lotus 125’s cockpit, physical size limits will apply. The extreme performance of the Lotus 125 requires customers to maintain a minimum level of physical conditioning, Lotus therefore reserves the right to request independent medical assessment prior to accepting a Lotus 125 sale and application to join Lotus Exos club.
The Lotus 125 is a high performance vehicle for track use and as such is not covered by Lotus’ standard warranty policy. Vehicle performance data and technical specification is subject to final design and track testing and is therefore subject to change without prior notice. The annual Exos track calendar will be released separately and any circuits referenced in this brochure are indicative only and subject to change. Lotus is happy to discuss storage of customer vehicles at Lotus’ factory in the UK and transportation to/from Exos events but this is subject to separate negotiation and not included within either the vehicle sale price or club membership fee. Lotus 125 and Lotus Exos are trademarks of Group Lotus plc.