Lotus 49

The Lotus 49 is among the most significant and beloved cars in the history of Formula One racing.  Its technical significance stems from the fact that, when it was introduced in 1967, the Lotus 49 was the first successful Formula One car to feature the engine as a fully-stressed, structural component of the chassis.  And what an engine!  Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe designed the Lotus 49 around the new Ford-Cosworth DFV which would go on to become one of the winningest engine designs in the history of motorsports.

But racing fans have an emotional attachment to the Lotus 49 that goes deeper than their appreciation for its revolutionary chassis design and prolific engine.  In the car’s debut, Lotus teammates Jim Clark and Graham Hill dominated the 1967 Grand Prix of the Netherlands with Hill winning the pole and Clark taking the race victory.  Clark would go on to three more victories in the Lotus 49 that season, the final wins of his tragically shortened career, while Hill captured his second World Championship in a Lotus 49B the following season.

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