Lotus Mark VIII

The Lotus Mark VIII car was Colin Chapman’s first fully enclosed aerodynamic design. Chapman's basic requirements for the design were for a car of 1100 lbs powered by an 85 bhp engine and a maximum speed of 125 mph. Work began on this design in late 1953 and Chapman was assisted in the design of the body by the aerodynamicist Frank Costin, who was the brother of Mike Costin, his main collaborator.

The spaceframe chassis for the Mark VIII has been described as "the most nearly perfect sports car chassis". This was Lotus' first true spaceframe and relied on the aircraft experience of Peter Ross and Gilbert McIntosh.{{Cite book

The spaceframe retained the divided front axle independent suspension that Chapman had employed on his earlier cars, and used a de Dion layout with inboard brakes at the rear. A modified MG 1500 cc engine and transmission were installed, and a stressed undertray further stiffened the chassis.

The Mark VIII was a precursor to the later aerodynamic Lotus cars.

Individual cars

One historian claims there were nine Mk VIII cars, of which six remain:

• Number 1. 1954 for the Lotus factory racing team. License "SAR5 MG" and "XPEG 1466". In the UK
• Number 2. 1954 for George Cunane. License "TYC 700". In Holland.
• Number 3. 1954 by Nigel Allen. License "624 BMG". Scrapped in 1972.
• Number 4. 1954 for Dan Marguiles. License ?. In the USA.
• Number 5. 1954 for Richard Steed. Climax FWA 1.1 litre engine #2 engine number FWA ET515/6155. License "HUD 139". In the UK, as "918 EMK"
• Number 6. 1954 for John Coombs. License "KJA 91". In the UK.
• Number 7. 1955 for George Nixon. License "777 FRE". In the UK.
• Number 8. 1955, scrapped in 1967.
• Number 9. 1955 for actor James Dean. Scrapped in 1980. --

Mark X

The Lotus Mark X was an aluminium-bodied sports racing car manufactured by Lotus Engineering Ltd. The Mark X, of which only 6 or 7 were made, was essentially identical to the Mark VIII but made use of the larger 2.0-litre Bristol engine. The Mark VIII, Mark IX and Mark X were transitional forms, although they represent the first full bodied aerodynamic Lotus sports cars and made use of the De Dion tube as a rear suspension locator, together with inboard rear brakes. The more successful Lotus Eleven, of which 270 were manufactured between 1956 and 1958, was the direct descendant of these earlier cars. The earlier cars are today considered rare and highly valued collectible automobiles — even museum pieces — but can still be seen raced in vintage events.