Lotus takes center stage at the 2012 Goodwood Festival of Speed!

Forty Lotus cars chased up the renowned hill climb this year, the selection spanning seven decades and showcasing Lotus’ incredible racing pedigree.

To celebrate, a cavalcade of Lotus greats, with Sir Stirling Moss leading the way in the ex-Rob Walker 18 single-seater, motored up the hill climb route.

Many former Team Lotus drivers were in attendance including Emerson Fittipaldi, Jacky Ickx and Martin Donnelly along with aficionados such as Le Mans legends Tom Kristensen and Emanuele Pirro.

Away from the track, Bonhams held an auction of Lotus road and racing cars – models ranging from a Le Mans veteran Team Lotus Type 11 and ex-Formula One Type 18 to a selection of mint road cars and three unique concept cars.

On display Lotus showed its most recent models like the Exige R-GT rally car, making its UK debut, the Lotus T125 and the tyre-squealing Exige S, with Lotus Engineering highlighting a number of technologies to improve both performance and efficiency for cars of the future. Leading the display was the Lotus Evora 414E Range Extender Electric Vehicle, complete with HALOsonic active noise control and a virtual seven speed gearbox. This technology demonstrator produces 414 PS and an incredible 1000 Nm of torque from the two electric motors that drive the rear wheels.