CTL Celebrates 60 Years at Hethel
Saturday 24 October 2024: Classic Team Lotus celebrated 60 years of Lotus in Hethel by opening the doors at Hethel to nearly 2,000 people. With all ticket proceeds from the Lotus F1 Show going to the locally based Priscilla Bacon Hospice Charity, CTL realised their ambition to raise £60,000 for the charity that would reflect 60 years of the marque at Hethel.
Lotus Cars helped with the celebrations by opening the doors of its manufacturing site to the public. Event attendees from Norfolk and across the UK and Europe included more than 250 Lotus car owners who were invited to park on site and close to the action.
The focus of the day was the sight and sound of 16 Formula 1 cars on track. Examples of Types 12, 16, 21, 24, 32B, 49, 56B, 57/58, 72, 78, 79, 87B, 88B, 95T, 97T and 125 carried individual QR codes that took you to our webpage at lotusf1show.com with information and images on each Type number running on the day. (This is still available, so try the QR code below)
The 16 F1 cars dating from 1958 to 2010 were fired up in the Start-up area...
...and fed out on to the Lotus Test Track in groups of four to thrill the crowds.
Over the years Lotus has provided cars for many TV and film productions, some better known than others and a display inside the main production hall included two 'Bond' cars (thanks to Martin Williamson for two Esprits) as well as examples of cars that had starred in The Avengers, Pretty Woman, Back to the Future and the little known 1991 movie If Looks Could Kill.
The Emira production line in the Chapman Production building was open for guests to walk round and see how a modern supercar is built. At the end of the line in the paint finishing area were two more F1 cars on display, a 1990 Type 100 and the 1992 Type 102.
In between live commentary by Kevin Piper, Guy Munday, attendees were entertained to the Sounds of the 60's by local 4-piece band The Austin Beats.
A little rain at the end of the day tried but failed to dampen the spirits of eveyone at CTL who after a long day celebrated a "Job well done" back at base.
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