THE ENGINEERING

LOTUS TYPE 23 ENGINEERING AND DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

The Lotus 23 was based on the Type 22 Formula Junior, but adapted for two-seat sports car racing under Appendix C regulations. The design was sleek, low, and highly aerodynamic, contributing to the car’s outstanding agility and performance.

Suspension and Handling
For its suspension setup, Lotus relied on a mix of production components and clever tuning. At the front, the car used Triumph Herald uprights, while the rear suspension was inherited from the Type 22’s Volkswagen-based trailing arm system.

However, to suit the rigours of longer endurance races, the setup was revised with stiffer dampers and slightly firmer springs, giving the Type 23 sharper handling and improved composure at speed.

Engine Mounting and Drivetrain
The engine of the Lotus Type 23 was mid-mounted and placed vertically in the chassis, unlike in the Type 22 where it was canted over. This required a uniquely offset gear linkage to connect the engine to the gearbox.

Gearbox choices typically included Renault or Volkswagen units. The Renault box was often preferred, as its layout placed the lower gears closer to the driver in right-hand-drive configurations, improving shift ergonomics.

Lotus 23 Twin-Cam
Initially, the Type 23 ran a Cosworth-tuned 997cc Ford engine that produced over 100 horsepower at 7,400 rpm. Later examples featured a 1097cc version delivering around 103 bhp. Later, the Twin-cam engine – developed by Lotus for the Elan – proved to be a perfect match for the Lotus Type 23 and was renamed 23B. A late version with revised body, the 23C was built towards the end production.

THE RACING YEARS

FROM NÜRBURGRING TO LOTUS LE MANS CAR CONTROVERSY

The Lotus Type 23 made its world debut at the 1962 Racing Car Show and was entered into the prestigious Nürburgring 1000km 1962 endurance race. In the same year Lotus entered Le Mans with two entries of the 23. Scrutineering officials rejected both Lotus cars because the rear wheels had six-stud fixings and the fronts had four.

The rules required that the single spare wheel should fit anywhere on the car and clearly it wouldn’t. Chapman’s engineers modified the rears to take four studs and resubmitted the car, but scrutineering rejected it again – their view was that if six studs had been required, how could it now be safe with four? 

Lotus Type 23 and the Farewell to Le Mans
After much discussion the car was allowed to race, but by this time everyone else had already started. Chapman, fuming, vowed never to race at Le Mans again and was true to his word.

Though the official works involvement of the Lotus Type 23 was relatively short-lived (1962–63), the Lotus 23 history continued. With the car being actively raced by privateers well into the late 1960s and even beyond.

THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

JIM CLARK AND THE NÜRBURGRING HEROICS

The Lotus 23 racing reputation was established at its debut in Germany at the Nürburgring. The driver was Jim Clark, who in typical fashion made an impressive start and at one point was leading by two minutes. 

In fact, Lotus Type 23 Jim Clark was so far ahead after the first lap that the crowd on the start/finish straight thought there must have been an accident behind him which had blocked the track. Unfortunately, bad luck got the better of Clark, as he eventually crashed having been overcome by fumes from a split exhaust pipe.

THE DRIVERS

LEGENDS BEHIND THE WHEEL

Lotus Type 23 was famously driven by Jim Clark, whose ‘demonstration’ at the Nürburgring became part of Lotus folklore. He showed how even a small-engine sports car could challenge - and beat -bigger, more powerful rivals. Other drivers of the Lotus sports racer included Trevor Taylor and Peter Arundell.