Lotus Etna Concept

Etna the Sicilian volcano, the highest terrestrial active volcano of the Eurasian plate, which the Arabs called it "the mount of fire" as well as which for me is my playground.

A mention so sum of pregnant as well as far from English linguistic communication civilisation that it seems foreign that Lotus wanted to utilization it for its concept car

Anyone who attended the 1984 NEC Birmingham Motor Show could never forget the star of the Lotus stand: the Italdesign-styled, V8-powered Etna concept car. Styled past times Giorgetto Giugiaro's so top-of-the-world team, the Etna used his production Lotus Esprit equally its basis, adding race-bred cutting-edge technology scientific discipline to acquaint what could good convey move the British industry's kickoff genuine mid-engined 'supercar'.

With a claimed drag coefficient of 0.29 as well as Perspex upper trunk the Lotus Etna achieved huge as well as 2nd populace relations success. 'Car' magazine's forepart concealment headline declared: 'The magnificent Giugiaro-designed Lotus V8 sets out to present the Blue Planet that Hethel tin hit a world-beater. Buy it inwards 1988!'

Lotus saw check to modulate such populace acclaim past times explaining afterwards that it wasn't well-nigh to brand bold claims for a model so far from production, yet nonetheless dropped seductive hints well-nigh what the Etna would offering technologically.

It was to characteristic computer-controlled active ride, embracing anti-dive, anti-roll as well as anti-squat. Adjustable superlative setting as well as self-levelling promised to brand for consistent treatment as well as surgical physical care for inwards all conditions. Given that Lotus was inwards the early on stages of developing such a computer-controlled Active arrangement for Formula 1, as well as had of late shown the Blue Planet its JPS-liveried Grand Prix machine using the same arrangement – to live driven past times Nigel Mansell–all was solely feasible. But at that spot was fifty-fifty more, because the Etna electronics bundle would add together traction control, anti-lock brakes (still a supercar rarity inwards 1984), engine management, fifty-fifty active dissonance cancelling.

And the Etna's engine was really especial too, as well as genuinely far closer to production reality than the balance of the project. In 1978, Colin Chapman had detailed Tony Rudd – the famous World Championship-winning ex-Chief Engineer of BRM - amongst creating a Lotus quad-camV8 engine. The brief was to accomplish 320bhp as well as 300lb ft torque. It was to include equally many parts equally possible inwards mutual amongst the existing 16-valve slant-four engine of the Esprit, Elite as well as Eclat. Above all it was to live a lean-burn pattern capable of exceeding USA emissions requirements.

In termination Tony Rudd combined ii slant-four Type 907 top ends upon a novel V8 block was designed, but piece the double-overhead-camshaft heads were conceptually like to the master copy four's, they were non identical. Maximum Lotus DV8 – or Type 909 – engine ability was eventually quoted equally 335bhp at a little 6500rpm.

But Colin Chapman had precisely died, as well as amongst Group Lotus battling the deep economical recession of that hard menses the Etna had been built, equally a beacon of hope for the future. In 1986 General Motors so bought Lotus as well as had no house for the Etna inwards their plans. The one-time headline grabbing V8 concept machine sat soundless inwards storage inside a Hethel hangar until 2001 when it was offered amongst some of its sis projects for sale inwards an auction sale at Silverstone.

Lotus specialist Paul Matty was the successful bidder as well as he eventually sold it to Olav Glasius. While the machine was beingness trailered downwards the M1 Motorway its Perspex 'greenhouse' blew off as well as was destroyed, rendering already demanding restoration fifty-fifty to a greater extent than arduous. Mr Gasius called inwards Ken as well as Neil Myers, the father-and-son Lotus restoration specialists inwards Northampton, England, to function their magic on a one-off Etna minus its Perspex glasshouse as well as bike trims, inwards mostly wretched condition, amongst tatty interior. Neil Myers recalled: "I started hacking around to come across what was underneath, as well as shortly realised at that spot was to a greater extent than to the machine than the shell. I cutting through the decking, only to uncovering the engine – as well as the gearbox!"

They had discovered that Lotus had sent the Etna's underpinning lengthened Esprit chassis to Italdesign amongst the Type 909 V8 engine included to care Giugiaro bundle his sleek pattern – the engine's presence having evidently been forgotten! The projection became a existent labour of dear – equally the Etna was straight off to live completed to running order.

Quite apart from edifice upwards the 4-litre V8 engine to useable form, working transmission as well as pause had to live incorporated piece precisely rebuilding the all-encompassing perspex canopy was a major undertaking. Rebuilding the Etna took Neil Myers well-nigh a twelvemonth as well as is past times whatever criterion a remarkable achievement. Olav Glasius has twice displayed the finished machine at the Goodwood Festival of Speed as well as it survives today equally a stunning testimony to what mightiness convey been. As Mr. Glasius says, 'It's non genuinely instance of how the Etna would convey been. It's genuinely powered for demonstration purposes...' but precisely the audio of the 4-litre Type 909 V8 engine volition post a shake downwards whatever Lotus enthusiast's spine.

This extraordinary Giugiaro-styled Lotus concept machine occupies a unique house inwards whatever motor present paradigm Valhalla. It is, higher upwards all other considerations, a fondly-remembered landmark model which is straight off 'runnable' cheers to a combination of enthusiasm, dedication as well as sheer perspiration past times some of the motoring world's most committed as well as capable Lotus lovers.

Source https://www.bonhams.com/

https://www.lotuscars.com/

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