Lotus 6
Encyclopedia
After building multiple trials
and road racing
cars, Colin Chapman
introduced his first 'production' car, the Lotus Mark VI, in 1952. The heart of the Mark VI was a space frame chassis. Rather than a complete car, it was available to the general public as kit
, wherein the customer could install any preferred engine and gearbox, making it eligible for a wider number of formulae.
. The Mark VI became a popular sight on Britain's racetracks, and was a frequent winner, beating many more powerful and expensive cars, earning praise for very good handling and superior low-speed acceleration.
An important facet of the success of the kit was Chapman's offering a comprehensive package in the Mark VI, including most of the special parts needed, and not just the chassis. The Mark VI chassis came with mounting points for several different engines including the 1172cc (71.5ci) Ford 10, the 1250 cc or 1500 cc MG TF, the 1500cc (92ci) Consul
, and the exalted Coventry Climax
. Standardized as far as possible for volume production, some units were customized per the owners wishes. Lotus even modified the owner's parts, if needed. The success of the Mark VI in competition and sales (100 built by 1955) established Chapman as a manufacturer of specialty cars.
: Ford E93A Straight 4
Engine Location: Front, longitudinally mounted
Displacement
: 1172 cc / 71.5 in³
Valvetrain
: 2 valves/cylinder, Sidevalve
Fuel Feed: SU Carburettors
Aspiration
: Naturally Aspirated
Gearbox: Ford 3 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive
Torque: 77 Nm / 57 ft·lbf @ 3000 rpm
BHP/Litre: 43 bhp / litre (0.7 hp/ci)
Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.12 bhp / kg
0-60 mph: 15.0 s
Top Speed: 150 kilometre per hour
Classic Trials
Classic Trials are one of the oldest forms of motor sport, dating from the beginning of the 20th century. In those days, the challenge was just to make a long road journey. The three Motor Cycling Club long distance trials in the UK – the Lands End, the Exeter and the Edinburgh – date...
and road racing
Road racing
Road racing is a general term for most forms of motor racing held on paved, purpose-built race tracks , as opposed to oval tracks and off-road racing...
cars, Colin Chapman
Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman CBE was an influential British designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of Lotus Cars....
introduced his first 'production' car, the Lotus Mark VI, in 1952. The heart of the Mark VI was a space frame chassis. Rather than a complete car, it was available to the general public as kit
Kit car
A kit car, also known as a "component car", is an automobile that is available as a set of parts that a manufacturer sells and the buyer then either assembles into a car themselves, or retains a third party to do part or all of the work on their behalf...
, wherein the customer could install any preferred engine and gearbox, making it eligible for a wider number of formulae.
Design
The Mark VI in many ways reflected Chapman's background in engineering: his designs resulted from a stress analysis of loads into the frame, they were extremely light (the 6' space frame weighed only 55 lbs (25 kg)), and the suspension incorporated the latest advances. The prototype chassis was built up by the Progress Chassis Company and the aluminum body was constructed by panel beaters Williams and Prichard. (Both firms would later furnish bodies and chassis for subsequent models.) The cheap and easily available mechanical parts were sourced from the Ford PrefectFord Prefect
Ford Prefect may refer to:* Ford Prefect , a line of British cars produced by the UK section of the Ford Motor Company from 1948 - 1961* Ford Prefect , a character in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, named after the car...
. The Mark VI became a popular sight on Britain's racetracks, and was a frequent winner, beating many more powerful and expensive cars, earning praise for very good handling and superior low-speed acceleration.
An important facet of the success of the kit was Chapman's offering a comprehensive package in the Mark VI, including most of the special parts needed, and not just the chassis. The Mark VI chassis came with mounting points for several different engines including the 1172cc (71.5ci) Ford 10, the 1250 cc or 1500 cc MG TF, the 1500cc (92ci) Consul
Ford Consul
The Ford Consul is a car manufactured by Ford in Britain.Between 1951 and 1962 the Consul was the four-cylinder base model of the three-model Ford Zephyr range, comprising Consul, Zephyr and Zephyr Zodiac...
, and the exalted Coventry Climax
Coventry Climax
Coventry Climax was a British forklift truck, fire pump, and speciality engine manufacturer.-History:The company was started in 1903 as Lee Stroyer, but two years later, following the departure of Stroyer, it was relocated to Paynes Lane, Coventry, and renamed to Coventry-Simplex by H...
. Standardized as far as possible for volume production, some units were customized per the owners wishes. Lotus even modified the owner's parts, if needed. The success of the Mark VI in competition and sales (100 built by 1955) established Chapman as a manufacturer of specialty cars.
Drivetrain
EngineEngine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
: Ford E93A Straight 4
Engine Location: Front, longitudinally mounted
Displacement
Engine displacement
Engine displacement is the volume swept by all the pistons inside the cylinders of an internal combustion engine in a single movement from top dead centre to bottom dead centre . It is commonly specified in cubic centimeters , litres , or cubic inches...
: 1172 cc / 71.5 in³
Valvetrain
Valvetrain
Valvetrain is an all-encompassing term used to describe the mechanisms and parts which control the operation of the valves. A traditional reciprocating internal combustion engine uses valves to control air and fuel flow into and out of the cylinders, facilitating combustion.-Layout:Valvetrain: The...
: 2 valves/cylinder, Sidevalve
Fuel Feed: SU Carburettors
Aspiration
Aspiration
Aspiration may refer to:In linguistics:*Aspirated consonant, a plosive pronounced with a strong burst of air*Debuccalization, the conversion of a consonant to [h] or [ʔ]*Voiceless glottal fricative In engine technology:...
: Naturally Aspirated
Gearbox: Ford 3 speed Manual
Drive: Rear wheel drive
Performance
Power: 50 bhp / 37 kW @ 5000 rpmTorque: 77 Nm / 57 ft·lbf @ 3000 rpm
BHP/Litre: 43 bhp / litre (0.7 hp/ci)
Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.12 bhp / kg
0-60 mph: 15.0 s
Top Speed: 150 kilometre per hour