Jenson Button, F1 champion, was involved in this amazing tribute to a classic Lotus racer.
Radford is a name you’ve likely never heard of before. Since the 1960s, this British coachbuilding company has been absent. However, designer Mark Stubbs and Ant Anstead, a motoring specialist and Formula One World Champion Jenson button have revived the nameplate. The result is this stunning Lotus Type 622-2 coach built by Radford. It’s the company’s first new project.
This modern version of the Lotus Type 62 race car, which was built in the 1960s, incorporates retro elements with newer components from the Lotus Evora. A supercharged 3.5-liter V6 engine is mounted in the middle. It can produce up to 600 horsepower (447 megawatts), depending upon the specification.
Type 62-2 “Classic”, the base Type 62-2, uses Evora’s standard supercharged 3.5 liter engine to produce 430 hp (321.1 kW). The same engine is used in the “Gold Leaf” model, but it produces 500 horsepower (373 kW) due to improved pistons and camshafts. The “JPS” model is the most powerful, boasting a supercharger and improved tuning software that brings the output to 600 horses (447kW).
The Classic model comes with a six-speed manual transmission and an optional seven speed dual-clutch. The Gold Leaf and JPS versions use the DCT only and have an electronic limited slip differential. The Classic and Gold Leaf models also have four-piston AP Racing brakes. The JPS has stronger carbon-ceramic stoppers.
Each Type 62-2 has the same Lotus monocoque chassis with a bespoke rear subframe that Radford designed to increase strength, stiffness and agility, regardless of trim. This setup helps to keep the curb weight down. The Type 62-2 weighs in at 2,204 pounds (1,000 kg) dry. The company also notes that Jenson Buiton personally calibrated the car in order to get “exceptional steering feel” and driver feedback.
The Classic model is the most elegant. It is designed without a rear wings and has 17-inch wheels at the front and 18 inches at the back. The Lotus Gold Leaf model pays tribute to the classic Lotus race car. It features retro livery and track-focused aerodynamics. Lotus also used a prominent spoiler called “double ducktail” to increase downforce on the track. This model is available on both 18-inch and 19-inch wheels.
The Type 62-2’s interior features two “wingmirror” cameras, which project an image from the outside onto the A-pillars at the passenger and driver sides. A solid rear panel makes the rear-view mirror a camera. A 6.0-inch digital cluster is located just behind the steering wheel. You can use the five speakers inside the cabin to play audio from your smartphone via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity.
Radford does not say how much the beauty will cost. However, there are only 62 worldwide units of Type 62-2, so we don’t think it’s cheap. The company’s California facility will begin production later in the year. The first examples are expected to be on the roads in early 2022.