Lotus 70 is a rip-snorting, tyre-shredding video that was launched recently. The clip was shot at the company’s very own Hethel test track at its factory.

A big birthday

70 years ago, in 1948, a race engineer by the name of Colin Chapman built his first competition car in a small London garage. Chapman used the Austin 7 as a base but applied his own own theories to improve performance.

Two years later, in 1952 he formed Lotus Engineering and from there the company continued to innovate in both road and race engineering. Chapman was famous for challenging the norms of the day and introduced several innovations into the automotive world. The most famous of all Lotus cars is the bare-bones Lotus 7.

People say Chapman changed the very nature and intent of car design forever. With an emphasis placed on lightness in modern-day engineering, his theories are relevant today as they were 70 years ago.

No CGI

Ahead of its upcoming 70th birthday, Lotus launched this fantastic video creating a unique logo on the test track at its HQ in Hethel. Leaving a 70-themed mark on the test track’s skidpan was a job for two of its most celebrated models and more than a few sets of tyres. Precise driving required is a fitting tribute to the precision engineering that the marque is world famous for.

Heralding the brand as true driver’s cars no computer imagery was used. Piloted by Gavan Kershaw (Head of Attributes) and Daniel Peck (Vehicle Dynamics Engineer), the duo is part of the Lotus team responsible for instilling the performance and agility that every Lotus has engineered into its DNA.

Be sure to catch an incredible display of speed in this video.

The stars

An Exige Cup 410 and Evora GT410 Sport models star in the smokey, tyre-slaying video. This light-hearted celebration is in keeping with the attributes around which Lotus was built. Chapman would be proud. Learn more about the current range of models by clicking here.

Catch all the action from Lotus 70 below: