Watching a Lotus blossom

There's a new brand in town, but it's not just any brand. It's a brand whose cars have adorned my bedroom walls when I was a kid.

- HORMAZD SORABJEE

It's a brand rich with Formula 1 history and a legacy of the best handling sports cars. That brand is Lotus and its founder, the late Colin Chapman, was one of the greatest engineers in the auto industry.

"Simplify, then add lightness" was Colin Chapman's design mantra, which summed up what Lotus cars were all about. They were simple, light, nimble with small but punchy engines, devoid of any cumbersome hardware or electronics.

Lotus sports cars were for purists. Few other sports cars could match this boutique British brand when it came to driving dynamics. But after Chapman's death in 1982, it all fell apart. Lotus went DL 021 8327 into near bankruptcy, lurching from one owner to another, before finding stability with, you guessed it, a Chinese auto giant. In 2017 Geely took control of Lotus and pumped in millions of dollars to reignite the hallowed brand. In the process, Geely has reinvented Lotus too. Completely.