Colin Chapman

Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman (9 May 1928 - 16 December 1982) was born in London. He founded the famous sports car company Lotus in 1952. His initials are shown in the trademark of Lotus. He died of a heart attack.

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He studied structural engineering at University College, London where he joined the University Air Squadron and learned to fly. After graduating in 1948, he briefly joined the Royal Air Force. His knowledge of the latest aeronautical engineering techniques would later prove useful in several of his major technical advances in cars.

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Chapman started with the Mk1, a small soap box on wheels, which he entered privately into local racing events. With the prize money he developed the Mk2, Mk3 each with growing success, and as such he could begin to sell kits of these cars. It was the Mk7 where things really took off, and indeed Caterham still make that car today, and several copy-cat makes are also available.

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Chapman progressed through the motor racing formulae, until he arrived in Formula 1. He, along with John Cooper, revolutionised the sport. Their small, lightweight vehicles gave away much in terms of power, but superior handling meant they could take on and beat the all-conquering Ferraris and Maseratis. With his beloved driver Jim Clark at the wheel, they could win races almost as they pleased, and Jim Clark would surely have won many more titles where it not for his untimely death in 1968 behind the wheel of a Formula 2 Lotus. Chapman was greatly affected by his death, and never allowed himself to get so close to his drivers again.

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It wasn't purely as a designer that he excelled; he was also a canny businessman who introduced sponsorship into Formula 1, beginning the process of raising the sport from gentlemens' entertainment to a multi-million pound enterprise. Unfortunately, he made a bad decision to become involved with a new venture of his friend John De Lorean, to manufacture sports cars. The full extent of his involvement has never been made public, but it is believed he would have been prosecuted for his involvement of inveigling government funds.

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9 May: REDIRECT May 9...

1928: 1928 was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar)....

16 December: REDIRECT December 16...

Colin Chapman related Images and Photos (experimental)

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