A Day Behind The Scenes At Lotus
July 26, 2024
Yesterday, Molly and I had the pleasure of taking a small group on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Classic Team Lotus and the Lotus factory.
lotus
Lotus And Norwich City FC Partnership To End
June 24, 2024
Norwich City Football Club recently announced that our friends at Lotus will no longer be the club’s principal partner. The full statement says: Norwich City
Classic Team Lotus & Factory Tour
May 10, 2024
Since 1966, Hethel (a quiet part of Norfolk) has been home to the development of some of the most exciting and innovative cars of our
The Mince Pie Drive
December 8, 2023
On 1st December 2023, we set off on a festive adventure across the Suffolk countryside – our first-ever Mince Pie Drive. The day dawned bright
Lotus Europa Check Over
December 8, 2023
On, what we thought would be, our final drive of the Lotus Europa prior to it leaving us for its new home, John heard a
Almost Ready For Competition
October 23, 2023
Classic car technician Jonn has continued his work on our 1970 Lotus Europa in preparation for it to be won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions
Jenson Button Debuts His Lotus Evija Hypercar
August 18, 2023
The 2023 Monterey Car Week is one of the biggest talking points right now and, today, what is said to be the crown jewel of
Coming Soon…
July 25, 2023
We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of another new addition to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of a Lotus Europa. It is
From Your Desk To Rome And Back Again
October 13, 2022
Colin Chapman, the late founder of Lotus, once came up with a great idea to put any lotus to the ultimate test. The idea was
One Very Lucky Winner – Handing Over the 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition at Hethel
November 17, 2021
Hidden in the back roads of Norfolk lies one of the greatest automotive manufacturers and most successful racing teams of all time. Lotus Cars. Recently,
Opened Up – Our NCCSF 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition at the Lotus Training Centre
October 7, 2021
The Norwich City Community Support Foundation charity Lotus Elise was at the Lotus Training Centre today for the opening. It joined its other siblings, including
Home From Its Travels – The 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition Back at Bentwaters
October 5, 2021
The charity Lotus Elise has been out doing its promotional tour recently. This time it had been at the Royal Norwich Golf Course to raise
Supporting the Community – Bridge Classic Cars at Norwich City VS Watford.
September 21, 2021
As part of the collaboration between Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, Norwich City Football Club and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation, Bridge Classic Cars transported our
On To A Winner – Update on the Norwich City/Bridge Classic Cars Competitions Final Edition Lotus Elise
September 17, 2021
For those new to the project, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions have teamed up with Norwich City Football Club and their charity, NCFC Community Sports Foundation.
Lotus Elan all checked over!
August 11, 2021
The 1971 Lotus Elan is now ready to leave our workshop! After a general check over was done on the suspension bushes underneath the car
Engine work continues on the Lotus…
August 10, 2021
Ady has been continuing his investigation into the engine of the 1971 Lotus Elan. He’s replaced the points condenser and coil and put fresh oil
New in, 1971 Lotus Elan!
August 10, 2021
We’re welcoming this 1971 Lotus Elan into the workshop! It’s in here because it doesn’t run, so the engine needs checking over to see where
Lotus Elan’s black points.
August 10, 2021
Ady has started investigating this Lotus Elan’s engine after the owner bought it into us because of it not running quite right. He’s found that
Behind The Scenes At Hethel: Lotus HQ
July 9, 2021
We’ve been keeping something very exciting under wraps and we’re now delighted to be able to tell the world that we’ve partnered with Lotus and
Lotus spotted At Caffeine And Machine
June 7, 2021
A friend of Bridge was at the automotive café, Caffeine & Machine with Lotus and the latest yellow edition. Renowned photographer, Tom Kahler was also
Lotus Elise S2 Ltd Edition
May 11, 2021
1 of 43 Ltd Edition Lotus Elise S2, with just 9 in red and only 6 in red with a grey cloth interior. Being 1
Lotus In For Service
May 7, 2021
Our Lotus has come back in for a service before the owner takes it out on a road trip. We’ve attended to the engine cooling
New Jobs At Norfolk Lotus
January 27, 2021
With the launch of Lotus’ new Type 131, the company are investing £100m into its state of the art facilities in Norwich. Along with the
Local Businesses Support Ed Sheeran Auction
November 3, 2020
Local charity, GeeWizz has partnered up with Ed Sheeran’s parents, John and Imogen to host the Ed Sheeran ‘Made In Suffolk’ Legacy auction. It aims
Team Turbo
October 22, 2020
The Bridge Classic Cars engine team have been hard at work investigating a knocking noise coming from our 1985 Lotus Esprit Turbo. Ady, our engine
Road Runners Rinse
September 23, 2020
Our striking 1971 Lotus Europa that arrived with us last week is having her first wash in well over ten years. After spending her entire
Cars You Don’t See Anymore – September 2020
September 18, 2020
Our 1971 Lotus Europa was spotted near Debenham this morning by some eagle-eyed classic car fans while being transported to our workshop in Pettistree. It
Anything but mellow…
September 18, 2020
Our eye-catching bright yellow 1971 Lotus Europa arrived with us at Bridge Classic Cars HQ this morning and is anything but mellow. Designed as the
Freddie’s In The Fast Lane
September 11, 2020
Our superstar marketeer Freddie put his ‘out of office’ on today and headed up to Norfolk for a track day. Hosted by Car Chase Heroes,
2003 Lotus Elise Hardtop Retrim
February 26, 2020
Kath has done a lovely job restoring the hardtop for our customers Lotus Elise. She’s applied the brushed black nylon to the roof and re-insalled
A Day Behind The Scenes At Lotus
July 26, 2024
Yesterday, Molly and I had the pleasure of taking a small group on an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of Classic Team Lotus and the Lotus factory.
The day began with a cup of coffee at the main Lotus factory and a briefing from the Lotus team explaining what would happen throughout the day. We then made our way over the road to Classic Team Lotus.
Classic Team Lotus
Classic Team Lotus, founded by the legendary Colin Chapman, is where Lotus’s Formula 1 legacy is displayed. Here, the race cars that once dominated tracks worldwide are restored and maintained by a highly skilled team of technicians. Our guide, the extremely knowledgeable Nick Duckworth, led us through the impressive collection of classic Lotus F1 cars and told us the unique story of each one.
Highlights included seeing the Lotus 25, the car that Jim Clark drove to win the 1963 World Championship, and the Lotus 49, which was recently awarded ‘Race Car of the Century’. Nick shared the stories behind Colin Chapman’s innovative engineering principles and how they changed motor racing forever. The group had the rare opportunity to see these historic machines up close and it was certainly an experience we will all remember.
The Bird In Hand
At lunchtime, we headed over to The Bird in Hand pub. This turned out to be the perfect lunch stop with Lotus being well recognised throughout the pub. There were photos, room names, and lots more nods to the unique connection between the pub and the car manufacturer just 5 minutes down the road!
Lotus Factory
After lunch, we returned to the main Lotus factory. The contrast between the historic charm of Classic Team Lotus and the modern setup of the main factory was very noticeable! In the factory, we got to see what it takes to make a brand-new Lotus every 17 minutes! From automated machines to experienced hands, it was great to see humans and machines working together to produce some of the best-looking sports cars out there.
One of the highlights of the factory tour was our visit to Workshop 3, a part of the factory normally off-limits to visitors. Inside, we had the privilege of seeing the fastest road-legal car ever to complete a lap of the Nürburgring, the Lotus Evija, being made. There will only be about 130 of these cars made and, the ones we got to see up close were a limited run of less than 10 to be made with the recognisable JPS (John Player Special) Lotus F1 livery.
There’s a strict no photography policy throughout the factory so there aren’t any photos to show but, if you get the chance to go, you really need to see the incredible setup and how smoothly the process runs from start to finish.
The entire day was fantastic. The group of people who came with us were such great people and it was a lot of fun to spend the day with fellow car enthusiasts who all seemed to enjoy the tours as much as Molly and I did.
I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined us and another big thank you to Nick and Scott at Lotus for giving us all an incredible day – we will definitely be back again!
Feedback
“Dear Rob and Molly
Just a very brief but heartfelt thanks to you both for a splendid day on Thursday.
I thoroughly enjoyed it, and found the whole enterprise most fascinating. Thanks very much for hosting us and I am looking forward to seeing you again.”
“Many thanks for the very interesting and enjoyable visit to Lotus yesterday. It was very well planned, I enjoyed it very much albeit a bit tiring.
I look forward to another.”
Future Events
We have lots more events like this coming up so if you want to join us on one of our future trips, keep an eye on our events calendar.
Lotus And Norwich City FC Partnership To End
June 24, 2024
Norwich City Football Club recently announced that our friends at Lotus will no longer be the club’s principal partner.
The full statement says:
Norwich City can announce that the club’s principal partnership with Lotus will come to an end this summer.
From the start of the 2024/25 season, the club will work with a new principal partner, with the existing agreement with Lotus to conclude.
Norwich City commercial director Sam Jeffery said: “We’ve been really proud to have Lotus adorn our shirts for the last three seasons, not just because it’s such an iconic brand, but because of the shared Norfolk heritage.
“On behalf of the club, I’d like to thank Lotus for their support during this partnership and look forward to welcoming them to Carrow Road for the season ahead.”
Matt Windle, managing director at Lotus Cars, added: “We’ve loved being principal partner and seeing our logo on Norwich City’s shirts for the last three years. We’re looking forward to continuing our support of the club and foundation over the coming years.”
A club announcement on a new principal partner and front-of-shirt sponsor will follow in the coming weeks.
Classic Team Lotus & Factory Tour
May 10, 2024
Since 1966, Hethel (a quiet part of Norfolk) has been home to the development of some of the most exciting and innovative cars of our time.
The Bridge Classic Cars team have organised a very special trip to Hethel to experience, first-hand, what goes on at the Lotus factory. You will get to see the entire production process up close as well as pay a visit to the test track where the Lotus cars are signed off as ready to go.
We will tour the factory, led by a knowledgeable Lotus product specialist to see the end-to-end build process, from bare chassis to completed sports car. We will then head to the local pub, The Bird in Hand for lunch and drinks (not included in price).
Classic Team Lotus
After lunch, we move on to a tour of Classic Team Lotus – a bespoke operation just across the road from the main Lotus HQ, it’s a separate business that’s dedicated to preserving and promoting the Lotus racing legend.
This is a fantastic opportunity to see a unique collection that includes some of the most historically significant race cars ever.
“Experience, first-hand, the production process. Witness the track, where the class-leading sports cars are put through their paces. Walk in the footsteps of the F1 greats, who so admirably filled the Lotus trophy cabinet.”
£140 per person – members will receive a 20% discount*
Not yet a member, why not join the community now?
Please Note
Factory and Heritage Tours involve walking for up to 2 and 3 hours respectively but we can accommodate wheelchair users also. Please let us know in advance if you require any assistance.
Visitors must be 10 years or older. Under 18’s must be accompanied by an adult at a ratio of 1 adult for every 2 children.
2 responses to “Classic Team Lotus & Factory Tour”
Good morning,
Are there still any spaces for the Lotus visit on Thursday?
Looking for 1 ticket but possibly two.,.especially if there is any last minute cheeky discount ?Thank you. for your time.
Hi James,
There certainly are tickets left. Unfortunately, no last-minute discounts are planned but it would be great to see you there. It’s going to be a fantastic day!
Thanks,
Rob
Leave a Reply
The Mince Pie Drive
December 8, 2023
On 1st December 2023, we set off on a festive adventure across the Suffolk countryside – our first-ever Mince Pie Drive. The day dawned bright but extremely cold and icy. We decided to still venture out, albeit with a smaller convoy than first planned. The Bridge Classic Cars team wrapped up warm and headed out (special mention goes to our friends Garry Catchpole and Derek Rush for joining us).
The idea behind our Mince Pie Drive was to take classic cars to several local residential care homes to bring nostalgia and festive cheer to the residents and staff. There were mince pies, kindly provided by The Bakehouse Bakery Woodbridge, and carol singing from Molly and me (sorry about that folks!)
We went first to Highlands in Woodbridge before making our way to Bucklesham Grange Care Home, where we were greeted by the lovely Amanda-Jane Frank, who introduced us to the residents. Several came out to have a look at our cars, with Derek’s BMW proving to be a favourite here. Luke Deal from BBC Suffolk came along to chat with us and see what we were up to. You can listen to that interview here.
Next, we headed to Glebe House in Hollesley. The residents were just having their lunch, and talk about a meal with a view! The mince pies were a very welcome dessert! Lastly, whilst chasing the last hour of daylight, we popped to our neighbours at Lehmann House in Wickham Market.
We are so humbled by all the lovely residents and incredible care workers we met on our Mince Pie Drive. It was so wholesome to be able to remind them of yesteryear by bringing along a spectrum of cars. There really was something for everyone.
We can’t wait to do more events like this in future.
Lotus Europa Check Over
December 8, 2023
On, what we thought would be, our final drive of the Lotus Europa prior to it leaving us for its new home, John heard a slight knocking noise coming from the front so he now needs to do some further investigations to diagnose and repair what is creating this noise.
Almost Ready For Competition
October 23, 2023
Classic car technician Jonn has continued his work on our 1970 Lotus Europa in preparation for it to be won through Bridge Classic Cars Competitions very soon.
After working out where he was going to route the choke cable and how it would operate, Jonn drilled the dash route cable and secured it in the dash. He then connected it at the carburettor end and tested it.
The electric window switches were fitted to the centre console and wired in as Jonn refitted it. He then cable-tied the DLC cable up under the dash, refitted all trims and cleaned everything up.
The wiring to the offside door in the kick panel area was fitted along with grommets to the jacking holes in each sill. Jonn finally tightened the water hoses at the rear of the engine.
Jenson Button Debuts His Lotus Evija Hypercar
August 18, 2023
The 2023 Monterey Car Week is one of the biggest talking points right now and, today, what is said to be the crown jewel of the week, ‘The Quail, A Motorsports Gathering’ is taking place. One of the highlights of the day will be when former Formula 1 World Champion Jenson Button debuts his bespoke Lotus Evija – a pure electric hypercar.
Like every Evija, Button’s car is completely bespoke and based on the specifications that he chose during the consultation process with the Lotus Design team. The unique colour scheme of Arctic White, with Verve Yellow and Carbon Black as accents pays tribute to his 2009 F1 Championship-winning Brawn GP race car. As well as the colour scheme, the number 22 is displayed on the deployable door mirror housing which was the number Jenson had on his car during his championship season.
Lotus Evija Bespoke Details
The level of detail that Lotus can offer Evija customers is highlighted on the aluminium strip that runs vertically through the seat centre and has been laser-etched with the date and location of Jenson’s 15 Formula 1 race wins.
Jenson Button, who will be on the Lotus stand at The Quail, said “The car looks sensational and in a colour scheme which means so much to me. The Lotus team has done an amazing job to deliver the design proposal we dreamed up together – they’ve created a real head-turner.”
Simon Lane, Director, Lotus Advanced Performance, added: “I’m delighted to be with Jenson in California as he reveals his Lotus Evija to the world for the first time. It’s a fantastic moment for the whole team, which has worked so hard to bring Jenson’s vision to life.”
Inside the car, Jenson has chosen white and black perforated leather seats, with an ebony Alcantara headliner and steering wheel. He also opted for Lime Yellow contrast stitching which adds even more detail. This has been taken further with Lime Yellow being used to enhance the look of the pedals, centre console rotary, start/stop button, steering wheel-mounted mode switch and air vent surrounds.
As this is a fully bespoke build, the brake callipers are Verve Yellow and are housed in gloss black alloy wheels with magnesium matt black highlights. In another motorsport-inspired feature, the centre-locking wheel nut has been finished in anodised silver.
Lotus Evija
Although personalisation is a huge part of the Lotus Evija experience, every example is identical when it comes to powertrain and performance.
| Battery capacity | 93 kWh |
| Max power | 1500 kW / 2,039 PS |
| Max torque | 1,704 Nm with torque vectoring |
| 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) | Under three seconds |
| 0-300 km/h (0-186 mph) acceleration | 9.1 seconds |
| Max speed | Electronically limited to 350 km/h (217 mph) |
| Range (WLTP Combined) | 346 km (215 miles) |
| Charging time (350 kW charger) | 18 mins |
| Weight | 1,887 kg |
| Overall dimensions (L/W/H) | 4,459 / 2,000 / 1,122 mm |
Coming Soon…
July 25, 2023
We are eagerly awaiting the arrival of another new addition to the Bridge Classic Cars workshop in the form of a Lotus Europa. It is currently making its way to us from South Africa.
We are very excited for it to come through the doors and we are sure it will be a very popular addition to the collection.
From Your Desk To Rome And Back Again
October 13, 2022
Colin Chapman, the late founder of Lotus, once came up with a great idea to put any lotus to the ultimate test. The idea was simple yet provided a challenge to both the car and the driver. You leave your desk when you finish work on a Friday afternoon and drive to Rome and back again, in time for work on Monday morning.
To make things more interesting, if anyone did the route and was able to provide a photograph of the car outside the colosseum, Colin would pay the expenses of the trip.
This trip was recently recreated in a Lotus Exige 410 Sport, albeit over a slightly longer period of time. The idea of doing the journey between leaving your desk on a Friday afternoon and being back in time for work on Monday morning is just the type of micro-adventure that can bring excitement to many car lovers’ weekends.
Of course, doing it in a car like a lotus makes it even more appealing. We wouldn’t mind giving it a go in any one of the classic lotuses that we have restored here at Bridge Classic Cars.
One Very Lucky Winner – Handing Over the 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition at Hethel
November 17, 2021
Hidden in the back roads of Norfolk lies one of the greatest automotive manufacturers and most successful racing teams of all time. Lotus Cars.
Recently, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions joined forces with both Norwich City Football Club and Lotus Cars to help raise money and awareness for the Norwich City Community Sports Foundation. Thanks to a massive group of very generous people, the total raised for the Foundation was £100,000! and each of the entrants wanted a very special car.
Lotus had given Bridge Classic Cars Competitions and Norwich City the first VIN of the 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition. The first car from the last production run of the iconic, enthusiast led sportscar as it comes to an end after 26 years. Alex got hold of the car by being issued ticket number 4970 after buying an entry that went straight to benefiting young people in Norfolk that have different abilities or backgrounds to get into sport.
On Tuesday, November 15th, the teams from Norwich City, The Community Sports Foundation and Bridge Classic Cars convened in the recently finished and redesigned Customer Experience Centre at Lotus Cars for Alex to meet his new sportscar for the first time.
However, Lotus had a very special day planned for Alex and his son Louis.
Lotus put together a full experience day for our very lucky competition winner. A guided tour around not only the factory and experience centre at Hethel but a tour of the collection at the fabled Classic Team Lotus stable located just down the road.
Gratefully, Lotus also included us here at Bridge along with representatives from Norwich City Football Club and the Community Sports Foundation to come along on the whole day. First up, the original Lotus building.
Lotus had begun work on the first building shortly after their move to Hethel in the mid-1960s. This now housed the engine preparation rooms, subframe assembly area and the body shop. Lotus takes great pride in their cars being for true enthusiasts, they create harmonious packages that work with the dynamics and personality of each of the cars that form their sportscar lineup.
Lotus were proud to show the winner Alex around the facility to demonstrate the level of engineering and care that goes into each individual car, including his very own 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition.
The tour took Alex and Louis through the entire build process much like their Elise would have gone through earlier this year. Showing Alex every step of the process from the crate engines arriving all the way to the finished cars taking their all important laps on the track for sign off. Then it was over to the fabled Classic Team Lotus. Where a collection of some of the most important Lotus racing cars is stored and lovingly cared for by some of their original mechanics.
After that, Lotus and Norwich City had organised a very special afternoon for Alex. A lunch with Delia Smith. A key owner of Norwich City Football Club, of which Alex is lifelong fan. Then, it was downstairs to begin the handover process. Norwich had also brought in the chairman of Norwich City Community Sports Foundation Jake Humphrey to present Alex and Louis with a signed shirt and to say his appreciation for being involved in this amazing charity.
Then, to give Alex his certificate of authenticity to prove the provenance of the 2021 Final Edition Elise he had one was Lotus Cars MD, Matt Windle. Followed by Delia Smith handing over the keys to Alex’s new Hethel yellow sportscar. During all of this, two surprise guests appeared in the atrium. Formula One legend Jenson Button followed by mechanic and engineer extraordinaire Ant Anstead. They stopped to chat with Alex about the car and congratulate him on his win.
The day wasn’t over yet. To coach Alex on how to get the most out of his new Lotus was former Lotus Formula One Driver and long time Lotus driving coach Martin Donnelly, who took Alex out onto the Hethel test track in an identical Elise to put him through his paces.
We wish Alex all the best in the future with his very special Elise and a huge thank you to everyone who entered and helped raise a staggering amount of donations and awareness of the great work of the Community Sports Foundation.
Opened Up – Our NCCSF 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition at the Lotus Training Centre
October 7, 2021
The Norwich City Community Support Foundation charity Lotus Elise was at the Lotus Training Centre today for the opening. It joined its other siblings, including the all-electric Evija hypercar, to be part of the day’s events.
The Elise is being drawn on October 31st live with all proceeds going to help the Norwich City Community Support Foundation with all of the amazing work they do with young people of different backgrounds and abilities get involved in sport.
You can still get tickets to help support this amazing cause by clicking the link below.
Enter now for the 2021 NCCSF Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition
Home From Its Travels – The 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition Back at Bentwaters
October 5, 2021
The charity Lotus Elise has been out doing its promotional tour recently. This time it had been at the Royal Norwich Golf Course to raise awareness for the Norwich City Community Support Foundation and the incredibly important work they do out in the community.
This stunning example of the final run of the fabled sports car is still up for grabs on our competition site! All of the proceeds will be going straight to NCCSF to help them support young people in the community get into sport.
Just click here and buy your ticket!
Supporting the Community – Bridge Classic Cars at Norwich City VS Watford.
September 21, 2021
As part of the collaboration between Bridge Classic Cars Competitions, Norwich City Football Club and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation, Bridge Classic Cars transported our stunning 2021 Final Edition Lotus Elise Sport 240 for the important match against Watford.
Beginning early, our transportation team loaded this stunning canary yellow sportscar into our secure, enclosed trailer for the quick trip across the border into the heartland of Norfolk. The car is of course a Lotus. Norfolk’s most well-known export and a perfect prize that will benefit an important local charity.
All the proceeds from the upcoming prize draw going to directly support this worthy cause. The Norwich City Community Sports Foundation helps young people within all communities, regardless of background or different abilities, to become more involved in the world of sports.
You still have the chance to win this car and also help out a really great cause. Just click the link below and you could be driving away with a very special car!
On To A Winner – Update on the Norwich City/Bridge Classic Cars Competitions Final Edition Lotus Elise
September 17, 2021
For those new to the project, Bridge Classic Cars Competitions have teamed up with Norwich City Football Club and their charity, NCFC Community Sports Foundation.
Giving one lucky winner the chance to own this amazing sportscar. It’s the 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition. Finished appropriately in bright yellow.
Norwich City has an amazing charity called the Community Sports Foundation which massively helps young disadvantaged, disabled and talented people throughout the county of Norfolk.
Look out for the Community Sports Foundation messages around the stadium on Saturday 18th of September before, during and after the game against Watford for more information about the Foundation. But you can also click the link below for your chance to win this 2021 Lotus Elise Final Edition and support an incredible cause.
Enter for the Bridge Classic Cars Competitions – 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition.
Lotus Elan all checked over!
August 11, 2021
The 1971 Lotus Elan is now ready to leave our workshop! After a general check over was done on the suspension bushes underneath the car by John, no problems were found. You can read about the engine work that Ady did on this car by clicking here and here.
Engine work continues on the Lotus…
August 10, 2021
Ady has been continuing his investigation into the engine of the 1971 Lotus Elan. He’s replaced the points condenser and coil and put fresh oil in the car. The underside of the car needs looking at next, where the suspension bushes are.
New in, 1971 Lotus Elan!
August 10, 2021
We’re welcoming this 1971 Lotus Elan into the workshop! It’s in here because it doesn’t run, so the engine needs checking over to see where the issue(s) lies. Stay tuned for progress on the matter.
Lotus Elan’s black points.
August 10, 2021
Ady has started investigating this Lotus Elan’s engine after the owner bought it into us because of it not running quite right. He’s found that the tips of the points are black, which is not what they should be, and explains why there’s no spark in the engine. Stay tuned for more progress on this…
Behind The Scenes At Hethel: Lotus HQ
July 9, 2021
We’ve been keeping something very exciting under wraps and we’re now delighted to be able to tell the world that we’ve partnered with Lotus and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation to run a charity competition with the to win a very special Lotus Elise.
Our 2021 Lotus Elise Sport 240 Final Edition is set to be one of the most iconic cars in Lotus history and you could win it! In the final year of the Lotus Elise production, this very car is the very first final edition car. To put it simply, it’s the very first of the very last ltd edition Lotus Elise.
All of the proceeds will be given to Norwich City Community Sports Foundation to help thousands of people every year achieve their goals through sport, supporting some of the most disadvantaged, disabled and talented people across the region. Their vision is to support, inspire, and improve the community.
The Bridge Classic Cars team got exclusive access to the world famous Lotus’s HQ at Hethel to shoot with Jake Humphrey and a team from Norwich City Football Club and Norwich City Community Sports Foundation.
With Ellie on the Behind the scenes and supplementary visuals and Freddie directing the crew, we managed to shoot some amazing visuals for the campaign. You can take a peak behind the scenes here:
Lotus spotted At Caffeine And Machine
June 7, 2021
A friend of Bridge was at the automotive café, Caffeine & Machine with Lotus and the latest yellow edition.
Renowned photographer, Tom Kahler was also there as the official press photographer. You can take a look at his stunning shots below.
Lotus Elise S2 Ltd Edition
May 11, 2021
1 of 43 Ltd Edition Lotus Elise S2, with just 9 in red and only 6 in red with a grey cloth interior.
Being 1 of the 6 and being a beautiful, low mileage example, the current owner would like to re-trim the seats, door cards and centre console close to original factory specification.
Lotus In For Service
May 7, 2021
Our Lotus has come back in for a service before the owner takes it out on a road trip.
We’ve attended to the engine cooling fans which are working correctly, we’ve found no oil leaks, we’ve checked over the vehicle to identify any other faults, which we have not found and replaced the oil and filter.
New Jobs At Norfolk Lotus
January 27, 2021
With the launch of Lotus’ new Type 131, the company are investing £100m into its state of the art facilities in Norwich. Along with the major financial investment, Lotus are also opening up 250 new jobs.
With the UK unemployment rate rising to 5% as of the latest ONS (Office Of National Statistics) figures.
CEO, Phil Popham said: “Despite the continuing global challenges, Lotus has emerged from 2020 strong and on track.”
The jobs will be in engineering and manufacturing for Lotus Cars and Lotus Engineering, which is due to open in Warwick later this year.
This year also marks the death of the Elise, which began production in 1995. Exige and Evora models are also due to be cut later this year too.
You can view their press release here.
Local Businesses Support Ed Sheeran Auction
November 3, 2020
Local charity, GeeWizz has partnered up with Ed Sheeran’s parents, John and Imogen to host the Ed Sheeran ‘Made In Suffolk’ Legacy auction. It aims to raise funds for children and young adults from Suffolk and Norfolk who suffer from life-threatening conditions, disabilities, or Cancer
The money raised from the auction will help fund the children’s equipment, care and education as well as providing important support for the families.
The auction includes ‘money can’t buy’ prizes from local businesses. A day of recording or mixing for a band at Decoy Studio, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars VIP Tour with lunch for 4 people, and a VIP visit to Classic Team Lotus in Norfolk are among the prizes.
You can visit the website to learn more here.
Among the sponsors is local business Tru7. CEO Guy Nicholls has pledged his company to be the main sponsor. Guy is passionate about East Anglia and helping local children.
You can see his pledge video below.
Team Turbo
October 22, 2020
The Bridge Classic Cars engine team have been hard at work investigating a knocking noise coming from our 1985 Lotus Esprit Turbo.
Ady, our engine expert explains the process; “we removed the whole engine to investigate. The pistons were in bad shape. We’ve gone right through the whole engine and all its components.”
The Lotus has been treated to four brand new pistons, new gaskets, new bearings and a new cambelt. It was also discovered that a loose clip has caused the pully to rub on the waterpipe, causing a leak.
It’s taken the team three days and a whole lot of tea! But we’re finally over the worst. The engine is only waiting on a new water pipe to be fitted and she should be raring to go soon!
Road Runners Rinse
September 23, 2020
Our striking 1971 Lotus Europa that arrived with us last week is having her first wash in well over ten years.
After spending her entire life as part of the Dew family in Suffolk, having been passed down through the generations, it was finally time for the Lotus to be welcomed into a new family; the Bridge Classic Cars family.
Like most barn find classics, we first needed to give her a well-deserved and thorough scrub.
We’re still toying with the idea of removing her Road Runner sticker from the side panel. It certainly brings some fun to the classic sports car, but it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea that’s for sure!
Next we plan to remove the gearbox, recommission the brakes and service the engine.
Hopefully she’ll be be back to her road-running self in no time!
Cars You Don’t See Anymore – September 2020
September 18, 2020
Our 1971 Lotus Europa was spotted near Debenham this morning by some eagle-eyed classic car fans while being transported to our workshop in Pettistree. It was then appropriately posted on the Facebook Group ‘Cars You Don’t See Anymore’.
They’ve clearly got a keen eye, as not only did they spot straight away that she’s a Lotus, they also spotted that she’s in need of a good wash!
Well, we’re happy to oblige… So, next on the ‘to-do’ list is give this stunner a well deserved wash. Thereafter, we’ll be figuring out what work needs to be done to get her back on the road.
Anything but mellow…
September 18, 2020
Our eye-catching bright yellow 1971 Lotus Europa arrived with us at Bridge Classic Cars HQ this morning and is anything but mellow.
Designed as the optimal Grand Prix sports car, the Europa has a lightweight fibreglass body and super responsive throttle making it great fun to drive.
Our little beauty has been in the same family since new, passed down through generations and spent the last ten years or so in a barn in Suffolk.
Her latest owner, Dan Dew of Demand Engineering in Stonham Aspal, inherited the rare sports car from his Grandfather Lawrence Dew back in 2010. “It’s been mine inherently for some years now, but still stored in my Grandfathers barn” Dan tells us. “As he’s got older, I felt it was the right time to take her off his hands and get her restored.”
There was a real buzz in the workshop today as Bridge Classic Car owners, father and son, Gordon and Craig, gushed over their latest purchase.
“It’s not often I get excited” Gordon expressed, “but today, I’m excited. You can’t take the smile off my face.”
The team at Bridge Classic Cars plan get her cleaned up and the engine recommissioned, then plan what the future holds for this little sports car from there.
We’re excited to see the progress made on our idyllic Lotus Europa, we’re sure you are too!
Freddie’s In The Fast Lane
September 11, 2020
Our superstar marketeer Freddie put his ‘out of office’ on today and headed up to Norfolk for a track day.
Hosted by Car Chase Heroes, Freddie is spending the day in some exceptional company with a Porsche 911, a Lotus Cortina, a Ford MK1 Escort, a Jaguar E-Type, a Chevrolet Corvette, a Ford Mustang GT500, a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Ferrari 348.
Freddie’s having a great day, we can’t wait for him to get back to Bridge HQ and tell us all about it. Enjoy Freddie!
2003 Lotus Elise Hardtop Retrim
February 26, 2020
Kath has done a lovely job restoring the hardtop for our customers Lotus Elise. She’s applied the brushed black nylon to the roof and re-insalled the plastic trim. The roof is now looking fabulous! Great work Kath!
Does your interior need a freshen up? Get in touch today to see how we can help rejuvenate your vehicle.
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