LOTUS MARK VIII: THE NEXT LEAP FOR LOTUS

With a strikingly different design than the previous Lotus cars, the Mark VIII manifested a new chapter in the evolution of Lotus. 

It was the winter of 1953 when Colin Chapman put pencil to paper and devised a chassis for a new car. To go with this lightweight chassis he wanted a new, more streamlined body, compared to the existing Mark VI.

The goal? Reduce drag to improve top speed. Although Chapman wasn’t the biggest fan of the body shape — designed by aerodynamicist Frank Costin — the Mark VIII was exemplary of the Lotus approach to engineering. 

AERONAUTICAL ELEGANCE

The shape of the body was developed by Frank Costin. He was an aerodynamicist at the de Havilland Aircraft Company. With no previous experience with cars, his aeronautical background proved invaluable. Costin produced an exceptionally graceful and low body design, with extended front wings tapering to points.

HUMAN SPEED TESTING

Frank Costin and fellow engineers conducted airflow tests at a disused airfield near Chester. Tufts of wool were attached to the body and under the front wheel arches, while Costin was striped on to the bonnet. Where he experienced the airflow firsthand at speeds up to 100mph.

Chapman, who didn’t particularly fancy the body shape, casually remarked:

“You can’t sneeze at an extra free 10mph.”

INNOVATION ON EVERY LEVEL

The spaceframe chassis of the Mark VIII was fabricated by John Teychenne and Dave Kelsey of the Progress Chassis Company. Every tube was triangulated for maximum stiffness with minimum mass.

At the rear there was a de Dion axle located by a sliding block and parallel radius rods. Suspension on the prototype was achieved by a transverse tension spring connected to the top radius rods, to which were also attached the lever arm dampers.

The large Alfin rear drum brakes were mounted inboard alongside the differential.

RACING DEBUT FOR THE MARK VIII

The Mark VIII made its racing debut on 10 April 1954 at Oulton Park circuit and was actually involved in a minor crash on the way to the event. More important than the race itself, is the fact that it was the public debut of the ‘Team Lotus’ name. A name that was on its way to stun the world of motorsport in the following decades.

CROWNING GLORY FOR THE MARK VIII

The epitome of success for this Lotus sports racing car came at the 1954 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Colin Chapman enjoyed the satisfaction of winning the supporting 1500cc race in his Mark VIII, beating Peter Gammon’s Mark VI and Hermann’s Porsche in the process.

MARK VIII AND THE PRIVATEERS

After the start of the 1954 season several privateers expressed their demand for a Mark VIII chassis of their own. Among the first were John Coombs, Nigel Allen, and Dan Margulies. 

The ‘production’ Mark VIII cars were different from the prototype in a number of ways, not least the chassis design.

Production body shells were manufactured in 18-swg alloy. They were similar to the prototype, only without the rear outlet in the boot lid. Preferred engine and body details were up to the buyers.

THE WHITE LOTUS

Early 1955 marked the end of production for the Mark VIII, with the delivery of the 7th car to Tip Cunane, which was famously labeled the ‘White Lotus’. This car was more recently owned by Dutch Lotus enthusiast Olav Glasius.