1959 Lotus 15

I took this photograph at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1998.

1998 was the 50th anniversary of the first Lotus to be produced and this was one of several cars displayed by the Historic Lotus Register at the meeting. It's the Lotus 15 of Paul Samuels, one of 27 cars that were produced between 1958 and 1960. The 15 was a successor to the Lotus Mk X, developed from the Lotus Eleven but designed to accommodate engines from 1½ to 2½ litres. It was intended for International Sports Car racing, but though cars were entered in the 1958 and 1959 Le Mans 24 Hour race none of them managed to finish.