September 2004

Lotus Seven & The Independents

By Dennis Ortenburger

In 1957, Colin Chapman introduced the Lotus Seven and, in so doing, ushered in the concept of the “kit car”—that is a car that could be bought in component form and assembled by the owner. Amazingly, 47 years later the Lotus Seven concept is still being manufactured in various guises, making it the most copied car design of all time (even more so than the Shelby Cobra!).