54 replies to this topic

[Louis Mr. F1]

I'm sorry if i'm coming up with all these silly questions, but it's the last 2 days of the year and i'm bored at work....while most people I know are still enjoying their holidays!

The question is why was the name 'Lotus' chosen for the ....... Lotus team? The only meaning i know is that it's a flower, kind of ...... a girly name.
Was it picked by Colin Chapman?

Most of the team names are the founders' name, but if you are a team owner, what name would you pick?

[ian senior]

Sorry, I haven't a clue why Chunky named his cars Lotus. But you must admit it's a much better name than Chapman for a car. Which leads on to the second part of your question. I can only assume that some people either have no imagination or that they are simply imbued with a desire to perpetuate their own name. Probably both. I mean, what name could be more boring for a car than "Williams"? No disrespect to Sir Frank, but why couldn't he think of a more evocative name - something that gives one a vision of speed and elegance, such as Jaguar? Oh sorry - someone already thought of that!

And if I were to go in for car manufacturing, I 'd probably call my creation the Lisa. After a lady I know.

[ensign14]

There was a story that Colin Chapman had been at an auction and saw a crate marked as an unsold lot, or 'Lot u/s'...

The Lotus-Eaters were blissed out drug addicts in the Odyssey, as the lotus was in literature to be an addictive plant - maybe this gave some inspiration? The name Lotus Climax always looks to me like something from the Kama Sutra.

As for the name of a car, being a classicist I would choose something old - perhaps the Mercia, after the ancient Middle English kingdom; Apollo would have been perfect had it not been for Loris Kessel and Mercury if not for Carl Kiekhafer. As for Uranus, I'm not touching that.

So maybe the Achilles? He was described as 'swift footed' in the Iliad, and it would be a nice nod to Signor Varzi. Or maybe the Vulcan after the divine smith (the Greek equivalent Hephaistos is less pronounceable) and proto-engineer (in the Iliad Hephaistos built self-propelled tables on wheels - the first mention of model cars in literature?), although that's just begging for puns if the engine grenaded.

[Leif Snellman]

Originally posted by ensign14
So maybe the Achilles?

Achilles, the car with an Achilles' heel! :

Of course from the Iliad came the name "Trojan". Not a winning brand, neither in the Iliad nor in F1.

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by ian senior
I mean, what name could be more boring for a car than "Williams"? No disrespect to Sir Frank, but why couldn't he think of a more evocative name - something that gives one a vision of speed and elegance, such as Jaguar? Oh sorry - someone already thought of that!

And if I were to go in for car manufacturing, I 'd probably call my creation the Lisa. After a lady I know.

I think Williams is a perfect name for Sir Frank's cars - no-nonesense, and lets the car rather than the name do the talking.

Wonder what Dave Richards will call BAR once the tobacco money runs out? He's already said it won't be "Prodrive" - I'll bet it'll be some daft anodyne made-up name along the lines of Corus or Consignia or Accenture or something like that!

pete

[Briancecil]

Chapman overworked his mechanics to the point that they suffered from sleep deprivation, and would sometimes nod off while they were working on the cars, still with their tools in hand. Chapman likened them to the lotus eaters in Greek mythology, and adapted the name Lotus to his cars.

[theunions]

Originally posted by petefenelon
I think Williams is a perfect name for Sir Frank's cars - no-nonesense, and lets the car rather than the name do the talking.

It's also much better than "Politoys" or "ISO-Marlboro."

[Bladrian]

Originally posted by petefenelon


I think Williams is a perfect name for Sir Frank's cars - no-nonesense, and lets the car rather than the name do the talking.

Much like Ferrari, then .....

[David McKinney]

Originally posted by Briancecil
Chapman overworked his mechanics to the point that they suffered from sleep deprivation, and would sometimes nod off while they were working on the cars, still with their tools in hand. Chapman likened them to the lotus eaters in Greek mythology, and adapted the name Lotus to his cars.

Nice idea, BC, but I doubt if he employed many mechanics on the construction of the first Lotus

[rdrcr]

Originally posted by Briancecil
Chapman overworked his mechanics to the point that they suffered from sleep deprivation, and would sometimes nod off while they were working on the cars, still with their tools in hand. Chapman likened them to the lotus eaters in Greek mythology, and adapted the name Lotus to his cars.

Originally posted by David McKinney
Nice idea, BC, but I doubt if he employed many mechanics on the construction of the first Lotus

It is a nice idea....


We touched on this subject in the Car Name Origins thread. I did a bit of digging at the time, and found that there were references to that fact.

From grandprix.com :

"...Chapman's first car was a special built using a 1930 Austin Seven and this was entered in a series of trials. It was called a Lotus because Chapman and his friends had worn themselves out building it and they reckoned it had the same soporific effect as the lotus flower..."

From the list that I found from Elias and Daniel Granqvist:

Lotus ------------ Named after the lotus flower

In any event it seems that the name was chosen from the Lotus flower. As to the reason, it does appear that there is some credible reference to the lethargic effect of the Lotus Flower and the fatigue of the founders from building the first cars...

Doug has written several books on the marque, perhaps he can verify this particular story of how Lotus got its name...

[Roger Clark]

The first car was basically an Austin 7 chassis and engine, it was called a Lotus too but I am not going to tell you why. I have been asked many times the origin of the name of my cars but that cannot be divulged for several years. It is one of those things, rather like the chap who will never tell you why his friends call him "Stinker".

Colin Chapman (1954)

[Gary Davies]

Originally posted by rdrcr
... it seems that the name was chosen from the Lotus flower. As to the reason, it does appear that there is some credible reference to the lethargic effect of the Lotus Flower and the fatigue of the founders from building the first cars...

Can't recall where or when (most likely back in the sixties when I was reading about motor racing instead of doing homework) but that is precisely the origin I recall.

Vanwall.

[Schummy]

ensign14: Lotus-Climax It's true, I never thought about it in this way!

In 2002, 7 teams had its name after a founder or owner (I include Renault, although is not exactly the same concept) and 3 are names unrelated (Jaguar, BAR and Arrows, the last one's name I suppose is a bit related to founders).

The 11th name, Toyota, is somewhat a borderline case. Apparently the motor company was created off a non-motor company called Toyoda after its founder called (precisely Toyoda). I don't know japanese at all and I don't know if that change is purely for marketing(?) or there is any languaje-related reason.

[Lotus23]

rdrcr and Vanwall: that's story I'd always heard as well. (Wish I could say that owning one gave me Inside Info, but it didn't!)

[Bernd]

Come on every one who has owned one knows that Lotus stands for.

Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

I always thought rdrcrs comment was correct as well. But did Chunky ever elaborate Roger? I can't recall ever seeing him do so.

[Lotus23]

Never owned one, but once read --as I'm sure most of you have -- that Fiat meant Fix It Again, Tony.

[fines]

Originally posted by Schummy
Toyota - Toyoda

It's the same - remember, Japanese is not a letter-based language (to be precise, neither are the Indo-European languages, but you get my point...), and the syllable is either "ta" or "da" in Roman letters, but always the same in Japanese. Like in "No-da", "Hara-da" or "Fuji-ta"

[bournenville]

Does anybody know the origin of the name of Colin Chapman s team?

Thank You!

[David Birchall]

So far as I know Chapman always kept it a secret known only to himself and his wife Hazel.
Perhaps Doug Nye knows the answer?

[bournenville]

Oh poor Doug!I dont want to bother him...

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by David Birchall
So far as I know Chapman always kept it a secret known only to himself and his wife Hazel.
Perhaps Doug Nye knows the answer?

I could swear I've read about it somewhere... many years ago...

I don't think it's a secret. Just forgotten, perhaps.

[Bernd]

Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious

[Gary C]

I seem to remember from a Lotus video, when Hazel Chapman was asked, she said it was from a Lotus flower that Chapman saw, he thought it looked nice & so named his company after it.

[Mac Lark]

Mike Lawrence claims to know but is sworn to secrecy.

One theory was when an early Lotus - obviously before being called such - was left as an unsold lot - ie Lot u/s.

This however is not the real story.

So will we ever know the real position with respect to this?

[rdrcr]

IT's been talked about here and there ...

copied from one of my posts....

"...Chapman's first car was a special built using a 1930 Austin Seven and this was entered in a series of trials. It was called a Lotus because Chapman and his friends had worn themselves out building it and they reckoned it had the same soporific effect as the lotus flower..."

From the list that I found from Elias and Daniel Granqvist:

Lotus ------------ Named after the lotus flower

In any event it seems that the name was chosen from the Lotus flower. As to the reason, it does appear that there is some credible reference to the lethargic effect of the Lotus Flower and the fatigue of the founders from building the first cars...

Doug has written several books on the marque, perhaps he can verify this particular story of how Lotus got its name... (but he never did comment)

;)

[RTH]

There was once a story in the Club Lotus magazine, so it probably came from the late Graham Arnold that Colin Chapman had seen an advertising hoarding on the continent advertising a toilet paper branded LOTUS and just liked the word.

[D-Type]

As far as I know (which probably isn't very far) nobody really knows. Chapman would never say and Hazel may know.

The sleepless nights and Lotus-eaters version is very early.

I think the Lot/us on an Austin 7 or a box of of bits sounds like a fabrication as does the loo paper.

I have seen some authors, who should know, say "It's a secret between Colin and Hazel"

Cue Doug Nye!

[Ruairidh]

Originally posted by D-Type

I think the Lot/us on an Austin 7 or a box of of bits sounds like a fabrication.

Although to me, in the context of Colin then a Warren Street car dealer, this sounds so much more credible than the Lotus flower and tired mechanics story.

However Mike Lawrence points out that Colin didn't sell at car auctions in those days and that Lotus Mark 1 was only called that in retrospect so I guess we're back to exotic flowers, unless someone else can tell us otherwise.................

[Arjan de Roos]

Although never confirmed, I heard the story more than once that the name of the flower was chosen as it flourishes during the night, around the same time Chapman and his men had their best ideas and work on the cars.

[panzani]

I've also heard the same story, de Roos.

[Frank S]

"...Rosebuddd"

[petefenelon]

Originally posted by Frank S
"...Rosebuddd"

Now wouldn't that have been a different movie if it'd been an Austin 7 spl?;)

[ensign14]

Originally posted by Frank S
"...Rosebuddd"

If the name 'Lotus' has the same origin as to what Hearst called 'Rosebud', no wonder Mike Lawrence won't tell...

[Ruairidh]

Originally posted by ensign14
If the name 'Lotus' has the same origin as to what Hearst called 'Rosebud', no wonder Mike Lawrence won't tell...

Now that would be an origin for the name I could believe

[ensign14]

It would give a whole new meaning to Lotus Climax...

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by ensign14
It would give a whole new meaning to Lotus Climax...

So the reason to keep it secret would be so laughter wouldn't break out every time the name was mentioned?

[Ruairidh]

Originally posted by ensign14
It would give a whole new meaning to Lotus Climax...

[Manel Baró]

Does anyone know why Colin Chapman choosed the Lotus name for his cars?

[David Birchall]

From what I have read Chapman kept it a secret. Perhaps DCN knows something about it?

[Erik330]

I'd be interested to hear DCN's take as well. I have read that Hazel Chapman when asked would also not reveal the origin.

[kayemod]

Originally posted by David Birchall
From what I have read Chapman kept it a secret. Perhaps DCN knows something about it?

You're right, the precise origin of the name was one of Colin Chapman's secrets, which he took to his grave. There were several possible explanations, any one of which could have been true, or equally possibly none of them were. A little known fact about ACBC was that quite early in his life, he obtained some kind of diploma in plumbing or sanitation, and one of his explanations was that he'd seen the name Lotus on a lavatory bowl somewhere. Other stories he told were even more far fetched, but I'd guess the truth is that it was just a word he saw somewhere and liked the sound of, and I think he came to enjoy having created some kind of minor mystery. Many owners of Elans, Europas and especially early Elites, thought it was an acronym of course, for Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious.

[f1steveuk]

Clive Chapman went for the auction theory. Colin went to sell his MK1 at auction, but it remained unsold. When Chapman went to pick it up and the tag attached read "LOT U/S" . Someone I spoke to who worked with Chapman (Pritchard I think) also thought this was the origin as well. Bit like the story of how Nosmo King got his name, sounds likely, but.............

[h4887]

Originally posted by kayemod


Many owners of Elans, Europas and especially early Elites, thought it was an acronym of course, for Lots Of Trouble, Usually Serious.

Sounds plausible - they had their very own Parts Fair at Stoneleigh today, which was apparently very well attended...
By the way, does anyone think they know the origin of the name Ginetta?

[Bill Becketts]

And while we are on the subject..why did the names of the Lotus road cars always begin with the letter E ;)

[Frank S]

This appeared yesterday in another forum:
> Any idea where the word lam comes from? (as in life on the lam)

"LAM" was an acronym formerly used by clerks who kept records of
prison inmates: "Location: Absconded/Missing".

Followed shortly by:
>> Fascinating. Any source available?
>
> Well, it's not on my list of "False and Dubious Acronyms." Whether I put
> it on there will depend on whether Ross just tossed this off from his
> imagination or he actually saw someone else try to pass this off as
> real. Whether it's a newborn or a yearling, so to speak.

Guilty, m'lud. I posted it supposing, perhaps unreasonably, that
pretty much everyone would twig the reference to the First AUE/AFU Law
of Word Origins, which states that any acronym-based etymology of a
slang or taboo word can safely be treated as false.
(emphasis mine)

--
Frank S
(AUE = alt.usage.english
("hhhhRosebuddd')
(Didn't we do this one earlier?)

[David Birchall]

Originally posted by Bill Becketts
And while we are on the subject..why did the names of the Lotus road cars always begin with the letter E ;)

Apparently something to do with 'aliteration'.

The first use of a 'E" word was 'Eleven". This sounded good, ie it 'Aliterated' so from there came the Elite, Elan, Etcetera

[bradbury west]

Perhaps early Lotuseer Ernie Unger or Chapman's buddy John Campbell Jones can throw some light on it. JC-J was very close to Chapman, as he was to Graham Hill, something often forgotten by Lotus historians.

Roger Lund

[ensign14]

Didn't Chapman tell Dr Mike Lawrence but swear him to secrecy?

I did hear that it referred to a pet name of an interesting part of Hazel Chapman's anatomy. That's probably scurrilous. But it would put a new spin on Lotus Climax.

[Tim Murray]

Originally posted by h4887
By the way, does anyone think they know the origin of the name Ginetta?

Geoff, I'm sure you're aware of Bob Walklett's version, as related in Ginetta - The Inside Story:

. . . we returned to the serious business of choosing a name.

We went through the whole animal kingdom again. Jaguar was great but that had been done! Puma? Panther? (a motorcycle name) Leopard? Cheetah? - all had been used in one way or another. Ivor said: 'What about "Genetta", a cat-like creature from the mongoose family, as agile on the trees as it is on the ground: fairly extinct in Europe but around in Africa - small, aggressive and agile, just like a sports car should be? Douglas said: 'I like it: it is certainly different. How does one spell it?' 'G,E,N,E, double T, A.' We then decided on changing the first E to an I, making it GINETTA, which would be totally exclusive to us.

The more we repeated it the more we liked it. Trevers said:'I am prepared to agree on that - I really like it.' 'Are we all agreed then?' 'Yes we are.' 'Then Ginetta it is!' We drank a toast to Ginetta! We had our name. We then made a pledge between the four of us never to divulge the origin without the express agreement of each of us. We kept that pledge . . .

Is there any reason to doubt this account?

[h4887]

Originally posted by Tim Murray

Geoff, I'm sure you're aware of Bob Walklett's version, as related in Ginetta - The Inside Story:


Is there any reason to doubt this account?

Hi, Tim,
As the Duke of Wellington once remarked, 'if you believe that, you'll believe anything!'