Lotus 112

The Lotus 112 was the proposed 1995 Formula One car of Team Lotus.

Conception

The Lotus 112 was Team Lotus' planned entry to the 1995 Formula One season. It was a stillborn project conceived by chief designer Chris Murphy throughout their final Formula One campaign in 1994. Originally the designation of Type 112 was to be for the model that became the Lotus Elise. However, that car was given type number 111 instead, in homage to the original Lotus Eleven.

As a project little had been confirmed about the car’s final specification. It was rumoured that Lotus were intending to include the promising higher-spec Mugen-Honda ZA5D engine, which had shown great promise at its first outing during the 1994 Italian Grand Prix at Monza. Johnny Herbert had qualified his Lotus 109 4th on the grid before being shunted by a late-braking Eddie Irvine at the Rettifilio. However, in an attempt to reduce the costs associated with an exclusive engine deal Lotus may have had to use a Ford (Cosworth) unit.

Team Lotus were also planning to retain their final 1994 driver line-up of Alex Zanardi and Mika Salo.

In appearance the 112 was broadly similar to other Chris Murphy designed Lotuses. It did, though, incorporate a new and distinctive arrow nose and an unusual pushrod arrangement on the front suspension. Despite this radical departure, the car’s construction retained certain characteristic hallmarks. The tub would have been constructed from the traditional Lotus composite of carbon aluminium honeycomb, with the bodyshell being processed out of carbon fibre. Only a few parts of the 112 were ever fabricated before the project was suspended, along with the scale model for wind tunnel testing which was later to be found in the aeronautical engineering department of City University.

Team Lotus demise & impact on the 112

On 17 January 1995, new owner David Hunt (younger brother of 1976 world champion James) was forced to close down Team Lotus in the face of crippling debt and lack of sponsorship for the forthcoming season.

The Lotus 112 therefore became the last Team Lotus type designation.

Team Lotus
Founder Colin Chapman Noted personnel Frank Dernie Gérard Ducarouge Maurice Philippe Peter Warr Peter Wright Len Terry World Champions Mario Andretti Jim Clark Emerson Fittipaldi Graham Hill Jochen Rindt Other notable drivers Elio de Angelis Martin Donnelly Mika Häkkinen Johnny Herbert Jacky Ickx Nigel Mansell Satoru Nakajima Gunnar Nilsson Ronnie Peterson Nelson Piquet Carlos Reutemann Ayrton Senna John Surtees Derek Warwick Alex Zanardi Drivers' titles 1963 1965 1968 1970 1972 1978 Constructors' titles 1963 1965 1968 1970 1972 1973 1978 Formula One cars 12 16 18 21 24 25 33 43 49 56B 63 72 76 77 78 79 80 81 86 87 88 91 92 93T 94T 95T 97T 98T 99T 100T 101 102 107 109 112 Formula Two cars 12 16 18 32 35 41 44 48 59 69 Formula Three cars 22 31 35 41 55 59 69 Formula Junior cars 18 20 22 27 Formula Ford cars 51 59 61 69 Formula 5000 cars 68 70 Tasman Series cars 32 39 67 Indianapolis 500 cars 29 34 38 42 56 64 96T Sports racing cars 15 17 19 23 30 40 47 53

References