Lotus VI

All the Lotus cars prior to the Lotus Mk VI were "one-off" models, but the Mk VI was the first "production" model, about 100 being built between 1953 and 1957. Here is one that I photographed at the HSCC Summer Race Meeting at Oulton Park in July 1992.

It was driven by Chris Smith in the QED Seven Club Challenge, a race for Lotus Sevens in which the Mk VI was also allowed to run. The Mk VI was generally sold as a kit car into which the owner would fit his preferred engine, usually a Ford, MG or Coventry Climax unit. The programme of the event doesn't state the engine fitted to this one, but shows the capacity as 1350cc. I don't know if I've remembered this correctly, but I seem to recall that the bulge on the bonnet indicated an MG engine.

Here's Chris Smith returning to the paddock after a practice session for the QED Seven Club Challenge race. The Lotus Seven was a road car, also used for competition, based on the Lotus Mk VI and when Lotus ended production of the Seven in 1972 they sold the rights to Caterham who still produce a model based on the same design.

Here's the car rounding Lodge Corner during the race

The first 10 Lotus models were designated Mark I, Mark II etc to Mark X except for the seventh one which was just called the Lotus Seven. The next one was the Lotus Eleven and all the models after that were known by their numbers, 12, 14, 15 etc (the number 13 wasn't used).