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.

Lotus Mk VIII?

I photographed this car amongst the Historic Lotus Register vehicles at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1997.

It appeared to be a Lotus Mk VIII of the mid-1950s and I had labelled it as such, but since deciding to show this photograph I've been trying to find out more about the car. According to Bill Vincent of the Historic Lotus Register nine Lotus Mk VIIIs were built, but 624 BMG was scrapped in 1972 and no longer exists. After much rooting around I've come across a reference in an online Autosport forum that this 'Lotus Mk VIII' was recreated by Graham Capel of the Historic Lotus Register from the remains of a Dutton. If it's an accurate recreation it should have a 1350cc MG XPAG engine.

Lotus Mk II

This was one of the cars displayed by (I think) the Historic Lotus Club at the Coys International Historic Festival meeting at Silverstone in July 1998.

It's the 1949 Lotus Mk II, and next to it is the 1947 Lotus Mk I - you can read about the Mk II here, and here you can read about the cars on the Historic Lotus Register.

.

Lotus 15

The Spring Historic Race meeting at Oulton Park in May 1987 organised by the Historic Sports Car Club included a race for the Pre '60 Historic Sports Car Championship. One of the cars that took part was this 1959 Lotus 15.

The Lotus 15 was the successor to the Lotus X and you can read about the car in this Wikepedia article. According to the Historic Lotus Register 27 of these cars were built but details of the individual cars don't seem to be available.

The car's entrant is shown in the programme of the meeting as P.R.W. Hillingdon Motors and the driver as Peter Walker

Here's Peter Walker in the race just going into Lodge Corner