“In 1958—59, we were playing around with Formula 1. The front-engined cars were Formula 2 designs and nothing more. As far as I’m concerned the first Formula 1 car I ever designed and built was the type 18…” —Colin Chapman

Following a disappointing year with his Lotus 16, Colin Chapman went back to the drawing board to create an all-new Grand Prix car for the 1960 season – one to beat the dominant mid-engine Coopers.

Developed in five weeks, the brilliant Lotus Type 18 was a well-rounded, all-purpose machine, capable of entering in Formula 1, Formula 2, and Formula Junior events. Simplicity was the project’s watchword, and Chapman’s goals were to minimize power losses, reduce the frontal area, and keep the center of gravity as low as possible.

The Type 18’s heavily triangulated, tube-frame chassis was a brilliant example of geometrical refinement and mechanical simplicity, offering many advantages of a pure space-frame design: rigidity, strength, and light weight. The suspension was a bold departure from typical Lotus practice, with unequal-length wishbones at the front, and an entirely new double transverse-link arrangement at the rear. Power was provided by a 2.5-litre Coventry Climax engine driven through a proprietary sequential transaxle, which featured mounting points for inboard rear disc brakes. In typical Chapman fashion, weight was removed wherever possible to achieve a dry weight of just 980 pounds.

Chapman’s Type 18 soon proved to be the fastest Grand Prix car the world had ever seen. It earned Lotus its first Formula 1 victory in April 1960, when Innes Ireland won the Glover Trophy. Its first World Championship win came that May, when Stirling Moss won the Monaco Grand Prix in Rob Walker’s Type 18. At the end of the 1960 season, Lotus had finished in 2nd Place at the Constructors’ Championship, establishing the firm as a serious contender at the highest levels of motor sports.

The Type 18 presented here, chassis 374, is the last of just six examples built for Team Lotus. After two Type 18s were written off at the Belgian Grand Prix, this car made its official debut at the French Grand Prix in July 1960, where it was driven by Ron Flockhart to a 6th Place finish. At the British Grand Prix in July, it was entrusted to Team Lotus’ newest driver, Jim Clark, in his fourth ever Formula 1 event. Clark’s best results in 374 include a 3rd Place finish at the Portuguese Grand Prix, and 2nd Place in the Snetterton Lombank Trophy. He also campaigned the car that year at Solitude, Brands Hatch, and Oulton Park. Grand Prix legends John Surtees and Graham Hill raced 374 in Formula 2 events during 1960.

Team Lotus continued to race 374 during the 1961 season. In March, Innes Ireland drove it in the Lombank Trophy, while Trevor Taylor placed 9th at the Pau Grand Prix and 19th at the Aintree 200. Jim Clark drove the car at the Brussels Grand Prix, the Silverstone BDRC International Trophy, and the Syracuse Grand Prix, where he placed 6th Overall.

Following two seasons with Team Lotus, 374 was sold in mid-1961 to Jim Diggory, a wealthy amateur racer. He planned to have Bruce Halford drive the car at Silverstone and Brands Hatch, but ultimately entered it in only one club race in October 1961. The following year, the Lotus was sold to Phil Cade of Massachusetts. An amateur driver who had campaigned a Maserati V8-RI and 250 F, Cade raced 374 at Thompson and Watkins Glen until its gearbox failed, sending it into an early retirement.

In 1987, noted car collector Joel Finn bought 374 from Cade and shipped it to the UK, where it was restored by Cedric Selzer. During the restoration process, the Lotus was found to be in highly original condition down to its serial-numbered Coventry Climax Climax engine. Following its restoration, Mr. Finn entered the Lotus in vintage events through 1998, when it was sold to the current owner. Under the consignor’s care, 374 was extensively restored with an eye toward competitive vintage racing, a process that involved magnafluxing numerous components and repairing previous chassis damage.

Offered with an outstanding history file, which includes original receipts dating to 1963, correspondence with the Historic Lotus Register, restoration records, and setup sheets, this Lotus Type 18 is an exceptional example of a groundbreaking Chapman-designed Grand Prix machine.

Campaigned by Team Lotus in 1960 and 1961, and raced by some of the era’s best drivers, including Jim Clark, Innes Ireland, Graham Hill, and John Surtees, 374 represents a significant opportunity to acquire an unusually authentic, historically significant, and event-eligible Formula 1 car.

*Please note that this vehicle is sold on a Bill of Sale.