Lotus 17

Lotus 17 in brief

The Lotus 17 was a sports racing car produced in 1959. Len Terry designed it based on Colin Chapman's ideas in response to the Lola Mk1, which routinely outpaced the aging Lotus Eleven by the end of 1958.

The Lola was smaller and lighter than the Eleven, so Chapman's response was an even smaller, lighter, and more aerodynamic car. It was replaced by the Lotus 19 in 1960.

The tech

This was the last front-engine sports racing car from Lotus. The rear suspension was of the Chapman strut type (used in the Lotus Twelve, Elite, and Lotus 15), and the body was the first Lotus sports car to feature fiberglass.

The car had an extremely small front area and the lightest weight among any road-going Lotus ever: the declared dry weight was 340 kg. Various small-displacement Coventry Climax engines were used: 742 cm³ FWMA, 1098 cm³ FWA, 1216 cm³ FWE, and (in North America) 1460 cm³.

Early teething problems

In the first races in early April 1959, it became clear that handling was poor: the front struts bent and jammed under racing loads. The issue was resolved by replacing them with conventional cross members — this modification was later offered to all 17 owners.

However, by then it was already too late — the race had moved on. Factory Le Mans cars with 742 cm³ engines performed well in their class, but were forced to retire due to electrical faults.

How many remain and can be seen

Only 21 cars were ever produced, and around a dozen are thought to survive today. In modern historic car racing, two cars compete in Europe and two in the USA, and it's only now that their full potential is being realised.

Today, the cars typically run with the 1216 cm³ FWE engine, while those in the USA use the 1460 cm³ FWB.

Versions

This is a race car, so there are no trims to speak of; we list the main variants instead.

Lotus 17 and similar models

The Lotus 17 was a bold but unsuccessful attempt to answer the Lola Mk1; the last front-engined Lotus sports racer.

Frequently asked questions