Scottish legend Jim Clark is considered as one of the greatest F1 drivers ever. Lotus has a rich history in motorsport thanks to some amazing cars and drivers, but none can equal Clark’s super successful 1965 Formula 1 season. Fast forward 60 years and Lotus has created the Emira Clark Edition to commemorate the six decades of glory.
Clark’s greatest accomplishment was winning the second Formula 1 World Championship in the Colin Chapman designed Lotus 33 in 1965. Along with British Formula Two crowns and multiple victories in the British Saloon Car Championship while driving a Lotus Cortina, he also claimed victories in numerous other series that year, including the Indy 500 and the Tasman Series.
Because of their close relationship, Lotus has decided to celebrate Clark’s legacy by producing the Emira Clark Edition, a sports car with many vintage elements. The main body colour of the Clark Edition is “Clark Racing Green,” which is a tribute to Clark’s 1965 Indianapolis 500-winning Lotus Type 38. It contrasts with a black roof, silver mirrors, and a yellow racing stripe that encircles the front grille.
In other places, the body-colored gasoline filler cap has been replaced with a machined aluminium one, and the exhaust tips on the back are yellow. Along with the “Clark Edition” marking on the doors, there is a hand-painted yellow paint stripe down the side.
Red leather and Alcantara for the driver’s seat and black leather for the passenger seat give the cabin a more vintage feel. For a more customised look, each of the 60 automobiles has a carbon fibre treadplate with a unique number. For every buyer, Lotus has even created a unique leather holdall with “Clark Edition” features.
With its precise chassis and supercar appearance, the Emira has swiftly become a popular sports cars during the last few years. Proving its mettle, in 2023, it won its first international race in GT4 form in Macau, China.
With the powertrain remaining unchanged, the 3.5-liter supercharged V6 engine, which produces 400 horsepower, drives the back wheels through a limited-slip differential. The Clark Edition comes with the “Lotus Driver’s pack,” a £2,650 option on the standard Emira V6 that adds sports suspension, launch control, track mode, and switchable exhaust sound.
CARLIST THOUGHTS
We all have our favorite F1 drivers, but Jim Clark would have to be way up there amongst the top 5, if not the top 3. So it’s only fitting that Lotus pull all the stops to celebrate this legend’s 60th anniversary win. In the UK, the Emira Clark Edition costs £115,000, which is £20,000 more than the regular Emira V6.