Colin Chapman and Hazel Williams founded Lotus in 1948. Little did they know that the Lotus Mark I would become the base of a legendary sports car brand. In 2023 we celebrated the 75th anniversary at the spot where a great deal of the magic happened: Norfolk, England.
Lotus didn't know what to do, regarding the 75th anniversary in 2023. At the start of the year they thought they were going to organise an event, but then they didn't. We were in the midst of organising a tour for the anniversary, when the grapevines let us know there wasn't going to be an event in Hethel in 2023. We didn't back down organising our own tour and besides the hassle it has been to pull it off, we don't regret it one bit! It has been an epic tour, with driving wonderful Suffolk and Norfolk roads and visiting Lotus heritage locations. A highlight was visiting Ketteringham Hall and East Carleton Manor, the residence of the Chapman family, and meeting Mike Kimberley. The main event was the Lotus Heritage Dinner, with speakers like Bob Dance, Sarah Mogford (writer of the Moonraker book), John Berry (former Lotus Sales manager) and MC Richard Parramint. But also the Sunday drive with Lotus Drivers Club East Anglia, creating a huge '75' with our cars, and the factory visit/Classic Team Lotus works tour/parade laps on the Hethel test track were unforgettable. Together with the wonderful participants we managed to create our own anniversary event that won't be deleted from our minds, ever. Check out the photos and video below. The fantastic car shots at Ketteringham Hall and East Carleton Manor were done by Red Fin Photography & Design.
