To commemorate 50 years since Brazilian racing legend Emerson Fittipaldi secured the F1 Drivers’ Championship for himself and the Constructors’ Championship for Team Lotus, the car manufacturer has announced it is to hand-build eight special examples of its Evija all-electric two-seater at its HQ in Hethel Norfolk, UK… to be known as the Evija Fittipaldi.
The Evija is the latest project from Lotus Advanced Performance, the bespoke design and experiential division of the business, launched earlier this year, has more than 2,000PS under the hood creating more than 1,700Nm of torque, making it the most powerful series production car in the world.
Zero-62mph (0-100kmh) is completed in under three seconds, and 0-186mph (0-300 kmh) takes nine seconds from a standing start. The limited maximum speed is 217mph (350 kmh).
The special edition of the car showcases the world-famous black and gold colour scheme – also 50 years old in 2022 – of the Lotus Type 72 that the Fittipaldi won the F1 Championship in.
The hand-painted exterior and numerous other unique design features have been created to commemorate the annivesary. They include a hand-tinted plan view of the Type 72 etched into the exposed carbon fibre roof, and Fittipaldi’s signature hand-stitched into the dashboard. Moreover there is even a rotary dial on the floating central instrument panel. It has been hand-crafted from recycled original Type 72 aluminium, ensuring a genuine piece of the iconic F1 racer is part of each Evija Fittipaldi.
The car has been developed with support of Classic Team Lotus, the motorsport business run today by the family of Lotus founder Colin Chapman to maintain and operate Lotus F1 cars. Also based in Hethel just across the road from Lotus, it hosted the gala dinner at the launch event.
“The word ‘legend’ is often overused, but this project has brought together the Lotus Evija hypercar, Emerson Fittipaldi, the Type 72 race car and our brand’s celebrated Formula 1 heritage. No argument, that is four legitimate legends, all collaborating to deliver a truly unique hypercar and a world premiere that was a real ‘pinch yourself’ moment,” says Simon Lane, director of Lotus Advanced Performance, adding, “Production of the Evija has commenced at Hethel, and these eight cars are a very special celebration of this important moment in our history.”
The Evija is the first Lotus road car to feature a one-piece carbon fibre monocoque chassis, and the Evija also sports a Venturi tunnel through each rear quarter. This ‘porosity’ means optimised airflow, with air channelled not just over, under and around the Evija but through it, maximising downforce while minimising drag. Its front splitter aids grip while channelling cooling air to the battery pack, E-motors and brakes. Further features include a Formula 1-style DRS (Drag Reduction System).
