Coachbuilding firm Radford will be producing its first bespoke car that will be built in collaboration with Lotus’ consultancy division, Lotus Engineering, the coachbuilder has announced.
This will be a modern-day interpretation of the Lotus Type 62/2, and the partnership will provide Radford with the use of Lotus technology, Radford said. The leading figures at Radford include designer Mark Stubbs, broadcaster Ant Anstead, business adviser Roger Behle and 2009 Formula 1 champion Jenson Button.
“This is a hugely exciting project for us. It is a [Lotus Engineering] partnership at heart, but one without the usual constraints of working with a large corporate group,” said Lotus Cars managing director Matt Windle. “A limited run of coachbuilt vehicles is engineering nirvana as it allows us to break free of the usual parameters of a more conventional project,” Windle added.
“It’s going to be truly analogue and thoroughly engaging, but with all the refinements that you expect from a Radford. There is a purity to driving that is lost in many cars today, [and] I will ensure that we create a driver’s car; a trait that is embedded within the DNA of all Lotus cars,” Button said.
So far, Radford has yet to disclose the technical specifications of its modern-day type 62/2 project, details of which will be revealed later this year. The car itself is “already in advanced development, according to Radford, and the firm will start taking deposits for the upcoming car soon.
The original Lotus 62 was of a tubular spaceframe construction, and was powered by a 1,992 cc fuel-injected inline-four engine producing 240 hp. A somewhat similar engine configuration and output can be found in the present-day Lotus Elise Final Edition, which makes 240 hp and 244 Nm of torque from a supercharged Toyota 2ZR-FE 1.8 litre inline-four.
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