Lotus 20

Last updated

Lotus 20
Lotus 20.jpg
Overview
Manufacturer Team Lotus
Production1961-62
Body and chassis
Class Formula Junior
Body style Open wheel
Powertrain
Engine 1098 cc Cosworth Mk.IV
Chronology
Predecessor Lotus 18
Successor Lotus 22

The Lotus 20 is a Formula Junior car built by Lotus for the 1961 season as a successor to the Lotus 18.

Contents

1962 Lotus 20 Lotus 20 engine detail.jpg
1962 Lotus 20

The chassis is a spaceframe, clothed in fibreglass bodywork. It has front double wishbone suspension, but the rear had a lower wishbone with the driveshaft being fixed length and therefore used as a top link. Originally fitted with Alfin drum brakes at all four corners, it was soon upgraded to discs in front and inboard drums at the rear. Equipped as standard with the Cosworth Mk.IV engine and with either a Renault Dauphine gearbox or Hewland-modified VW box.

Compared with the Lotus 18, the 20 has a much reduced frontal area and lower centre of gravity, aided by the fact the driving position was reclined so the driver was nearly lying down, compared with being more upright in the Lotus 18.

A 1962 Lotus 20 can be found hanging from the ceiling on the first floor at the Canadian Automotive Museum.

Lotus 20B

The 20B was mostly the same as the 20, but with sway bar and stock inboard drum brakes in the rear. Occasionally, 20Bs ran with Lotus TwinCam, and therefore didn't race as a Formula Junior, but as Formula Libre and in other series such as the Tasman series. [1]

A Lotus 20 was entered in the 1965 South African Grand Prix for Dave Charlton but failed to pre-qualify. [2]

Complete Formula One World Championship results

YearEntrantEngineTyresDriver12345678910PointsWCC
1965 Ecurie Tomahawk Ford 109E 1.5 L4 D RSA MON BEL FRA GBR NED GER ITA USA MEX 0NC
Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Dave Charlton DNPQ
Brian Raubenheimer Flag of South Africa (1928-1994).svg Brian Raubenheimer WD

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References

  1. "1964 Australia Tasman Races". Archived from the original on 31 August 2007. Retrieved 5 September 2007.
  2. Small, Steve (1994). The Guinness Complete Grand Prix Who's Who. Guinness. p. 103. ISBN   0851127029.