# What is the best Colin Chapman Lotus car?

> Featherweight roadsters, Le Mans class winners and championship-clinching grand prix machines, all drawn up under one engineer's mantra of adding lightness. Road-going icons and track-bred specials argue it out.

*By YPB Team · Published October 21, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/what-is-the-best-colin-chapman-lotus-car*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Lotus Elan** — score 1000/1000
   1962 lightweight roadster loved for its handling.
2. **Lotus 33** — score 622/1000
   Evolution of the 25 that took Clark to the 1965 F1 title.
3. **Lotus 25** — score 622/1000
   First monocoque F1 car, Jim Clark's 1963 title winner.
4. **Lotus Eleven** — score 551/1000
   Aerodynamic 1956 sports racer that won at Le Mans and Sebring.
5. **Lotus Eclat** — score 551/1000
   1975 fastback coupe that took Lotus upmarket.
6. **Lotus Seven** — score 551/1000
   Minimalist lightweight roadster from 1957 that defined the track-day sports car.
7. **Lotus 72** — score 466/1000
   Wedge-shaped F1 car that won titles in 1970 and 1972 and raced for years.
8. **Lotus Europa** — score 466/1000
   Mid-engined fibreglass coupe launched in 1966.
9. **Lotus 49** — score 466/1000
   1967 F1 car with the Cosworth DFV engine as a stressed member.
10. **Lotus Cortina** — score 466/1000
   Ford Cortina tuned by Lotus, a 1960s touring car and road-car icon.
11. **Lotus 56** — score 363/1000
   Turbine-powered four-wheel-drive Indy car of 1968.
12. **Lotus 78** — score 363/1000
   1977 ground-effect pioneer nicknamed the wing car.
13. **Lotus 18** — score 363/1000
   Rear-engined 1960 F1 car that gave Lotus its first Grand Prix wins.
14. **Lotus 79** — score 363/1000
   Black and gold ground-effect F1 car that won the 1978 championship.
15. **Lotus Mark VI** — score 363/1000
   Kit-built tubular spaceframe sports racer that launched Lotus Engineering.
16. **Lotus Elite (Type 14)** — score 0/1000
   1957 fibreglass monocoque coupe that won its class at Le Mans.
17. **Lotus Excel** — score 0/1000
   Refined 1982 grand tourer that was the last Chapman-era road car.
18. **Lotus Esprit** — score 0/1000
   Wedge-shaped Giugiaro-designed supercar made famous by James Bond.
19. **Lotus 38** — score 0/1000
   Rear-engined Indy car that won the 1965 Indianapolis 500 with Jim Clark.
20. **Lotus 88** — score 0/1000
   Twin-chassis F1 design banned in 1981.

Tags: cars, formula-1, racing, lotus