The Lotus Type 62-2 coachbuilt by Radford has made its public appearance for the very first time at the Quail Lodge show. Production of the sports car is limited to 62 units worldwide, of which only 12 will be finished in this exclusive Gold Leaf livery.
The red, white and gold colour scheme is actually quite a significant part of Lotus’ history, and one of the most famous liveries to grace a Formula One car. It was seen on Graham Hill’s Type 49B race car during the 1968 season, as well as Emerson Fittipaldi and Jochen Rindt’s Lotus 72 in the 1970 season.
However, the most extreme version of the Gold Leaf derivative is the Quail Edition model. Enhancements include bespoke carbon-fibre front splitter and rear diffuser, 18-inch front and 19-inch Dymag carbon wheels (lower the unsprung mass and improve handling characteristics), as well as AP Monobloc calipers that grab onto full carbon ceramic rotors. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres are standard here.
Radford co-owner and designer Mark Stubbs said: “The Radford Type 62-2 in Gold Leaf guise, is a really special car. From a design perspective, the Gold Leaf car with these bespoke additions really stands out, with larger diffusers, and wheels.”
“And sporting one of the most iconic racing liveries ever to grace a Formula One car, gives the car a real presence and sense of occasion. We’re only making 12 of these iconic cars, meaning they are already one of the rarest cars that money can buy. And most of them are already allocated to their owners,” Stubbs continued.
Radford says the Type 62-2 is engineered with Lotus technologies to be a true driver’s car, but sprinkled with the luxury appointments of a bespoke coachbuilder. As such, all 62 owners can customise the cars to their liking.
Without revealing much in the way of performance, the company said the Type 62-2 will be powered by a Toyota-sourced 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine. This supercharged mill is shared with the Lotus Emira, of course. In the Type 62-2 Classic, it will be tuned to make around 430 PS.
Gold Leaf models will pack close to 500 PS, thanks to upgraded pistons, con-rods, camshafts and custom electronic mapping. “The Radford Type 62-2 is engineered for an unadulterated mechanical feel, exceptional engagement and uncompromising poise,” Radford said in a statement.
Ant Antstead (also co-owner) added: “The Gold Leaf Type 62-2 is light, fast and nimble and will hold its own among even the most accomplished of supercars. Naturally, it is also embellished with all of the high-end touches you would expect of a bespoke coachbuilder such as Radford.”
Photos of the interior continue to elude us, but we’re told to expect an uncluttered cabin design that is modern and usable on the daily. It will come with features such as a rear-facing camera, touchscreen display with Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity, a six-inch digital multi-info display, plus a five-speaker sound system.
Radford is still collecting orders for the midship sports car, but states that more than half of the allocation has been sold. Production is set to begin in late 2021, with first deliveries taking place in 2022. Customers are able to follow every step of their car’s development, including the design stage, engineering milestones and project updates. Owners will be invited to attend an exclusive one-day track event with Jenson Button.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
