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The Lotus legend is almost entirely built on the success of Colin Chapman’s Formula 1 team and the exceptional road cars his company built during the golden age of this program. However, the company also raced sports cars at the time, including the oft-forgotten Type 62, which raced and won in class as a test mule for the company’s 907 engine during the 1969 season. The freshly resurrected British coachbuilders at Radford felt this car was worth remembering, so they announced a limited production of 62 lightweight sports cars that perpetuate its design cues and spirit. They also have a suitable partner: the Radford Type 62-2 will be built in alliance with Lotus themselves.
Both inspired and built in collaboration with Lotus, the Type 62-2 places a strong emphasis on weight savings. Lightness is added primarily by an aluminum chassis and carbon fiber bodywork, a combination that Radford says leaves the car’s dry weight below their target of 2,204 pounds. the “simplify” half of the Lotus formula, however, has been cleverly bypassed; it is a lightweight sports car inspired by a vintage racing car, but it is also intended to perform as a practical and usable road car.
Radford
The uncompromising design shares all of the dramatic characteristics of the original Type 62, including some unique elements of a vintage racer of the era. However, these visuals come with a few well-crafted tips to turn the irritating elements into delicious perks. Yes, the door line starts much higher than on an average road car, but the door itself features a GT40-style roof indentation (according to Radford, this is a tribute to the work of the original Radford bodybuilder on these doors on early GT40 prototypes) which made getting into the car quite easily. A solid rear compartment would make traditional mirrors unnecessary, but a smart camera solution built into the housings for what would normally contain side mirrors allows the driver to mimic the visibility of a much more traditional car. Even that densely packed engine bay leaves room for luggage, a space that becomes even more useful if the buyer opts for custom luggage built by Radford partners Mason and Sons.
All Radfords Type 62-2 come equipped with a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 that will look very familiar to Lotus enthusiasts. However, the power output of this engine will be determined by the trim level chosen by the buyer. The Classic Appearance boasts 430 horsepower, but the Gold Leaf trim level featured here brings internal upgrades that bring the power up to 500 horsepower. A JPS edition mentioned in the spec sheet improves the supercharger, bringing the car up to 600 horsepower. The two top trim levels come with a standard 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and limited slip differential. Classic Edition cars come with a standard 6-speed manual transmission, but buyers will have the option to upgrade to both the 7-speed DCT and the more powerful Gold Leaf engine.
Radford
Classic Edition cars will feature solid colors and more conservative aerodynamics inspired by early incarnations of the Lotus Type 62. Gold Leaf cars will sport aggressive dual spoilers from the final race car shapes and a red-like livery. -classic gold. Lotus white scheme used when the car competed in 1969. JPS cars will feature even more extreme aerodynamic characteristics and will likely be adorned with the black and gold John Player Special Lotus livery made famous in his later Formula 1 seasons.
Radford says his partner Jenson Button, the 2009 Formula 1 world champion, was directly involved in building the car’s driving dynamics. Partner Mark Stubbs designed the car himself. Both, along with TV personality Ant Anstead and businessman Roger Behle, are the co-founders of the modern embodiment of the legendary coachbuilder.
Only 62 Radford Type 62-2 will be built, each to the exacting custom specifications of the car’s individual buyers. As a result, every Type 62-2 is expected to be truly one of a kind.
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