Report: Lotus planning Exige-based rally car for Frankfurt,

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus, Racing

The ambition in the Hethel offices of Lotus appears to know no bounds, its road car program rivaled only by its expanding racing operations.

The British automaker already participates, in one manner or another, in Formula 1, IndyCar, GP3 and GT racing. The company is also said to be working on a new LMP2 program to challenge for the second-tier Le Mans category. But before that comes around, reports indicate that Lotus is working on an in-house rally project.

Rather than compete in the top-tier WRC or IRC classes, reports suggest that a production-based Exige is in the works for privateer entries, presumably for tarmac rallies, set to debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Despite the fact that the Exige has gone out of production, it remains a popular choice among privateers who have Lotus road cars converted to rally specifications by independent outfitters, a slice of whose pie Lotus apparently is keen to take.

The growing motorsport division at Lotus is headed by one Claudio Berro, who followed CEO Dany Behar over from Ferrari, where he was once the F1 team's manager. And, like his former boss Jean Todt, Berro comes from a background as a rally co-pilot, navigating a Talbot Sunbeam Lotus through the Group 2 Italian Rally Championship in the early '80s.

Lotus planning Exige-based rally car for Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 18:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Video: Take a look at the fine art of old school pinstriping,

Filed under: Videos, Design/Style

The late Kenneth "Von Dutch" Howard is probably the pinstriper best known to non-hot-rodders - and not because he's considered the father of the modern pinstripe, but because of the clothing label named after him. Yet the art is still practiced by those who care for genuine article, not its vinyl equivalent.

Josh Clason's Depth of Speed series takes a look at one such artist, Andy Kawahara, who admits to pinstriping something every single night, whether it be a car or an old piston. The video after the jump tells the story, and does so beautifully.

Continue reading Take a look at the fine art of old school pinstriping

Take a look at the fine art of old school pinstriping originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments