Any current Lotus employees that worked with Colin Chapman still working at Hethel today?

[Lotustoronto]

I was wondering if anyone would know if there are any current Lotus employees at Hethel that worked alongside Colin Chapman? It would be pretty cool from a heritage standpoint that there are still some left from the great heyday of Lotus Motorsport.

 

[TomE]

I don't know for sure but there could be - it was 40 years ago now. There are mechanics at Classic Team Lotus who worked with Chapman, and with Senna, Fittipaldi, Andretti and the other F1 drivers.

When they built the final Elise, Elisa Artioli visited the factory and met several people who had built the first Elise and were still working at Hethel 25 years later.

 

[Lotustoronto]

That's pretty cool... a nice touch to history if they did an interview with someone that worked with Chapman and in someway on the Emira. Would feel like something special or nostalgic in a way. 40 years does seem like a long career tho. Pretty cool that they have F1 mechanics still there from then.

 

[4380r]

Acquainted with Mike Kimberly who penned the Europa Special and served a couple of stints as CEO/COO of Lotus. He still closely watches Lotus and posts about same with some frequency on LinkedIn.

Also acquainted with Morris Dowton, former production manager during the Europa/Esprit/M100 Elan days. Also very active on LinkedIn.

Both share intimate memories of Chapman while commenting on current Lotus.

 

[TomE]

Acquainted with Mike Kimberly who penned the Europa Special and served a couple of stints as CEO/COO of Lotus. He still closely watches Lotus and posts about same with some frequency on LinkedIn.

Also acquainted with Morris Dowton, former production manager during the Europa/Esprit/M100 Elan days. Also very active on LinkedIn.

Both share intimate memories of Chapman while commenting on current Lotus.

Mike was also responsible for getting the Lotus Carlton and Evora built. He was head at Lamborghini between his stints at Lotus. He's on a couple of the Lotus forums and Facebook groups. I believe someone is helping him write an autobiography ... or maybe an auto biography?

Update: Lotus' Kimberley retires | Autocar

Health problems force Lotus chief to quit

www.autocar.co.uk