Lotus’ newest hypercar no longer relies on internal combustion, a trend that will extend to all future models. Despite bidding adieu to this classic feature, there is a silver lining. As part of the virtually-hosted Goodwood Speed Week, a nostalgic piece of Lotus history has resurfaced.
In honor of the Goodwood festival, the brand has coated its new Evija hypercar with the iconic John Player Special gold and black livery from the glory days of F1. The visual appeal is simply perfect.
For those unaware, John Player Special was primarily a tobacco brand! It famously sponsored the Lotus F1 team during the 1970s and 1980s, splashing the cars with the iconic black and gold livery. Not only did it look stunning, but the likes of Ayrton Senna and Jacky Ickx propelled the JPS colors to legendary status. These same hues were recently adopted by the Haas team in Formula 1 during their Rich Energy sponsorship era. Now, this renowned paint scheme returns on a Lotus vehicle—albeit sans tobacco branding—and the visuals are breathtaking.
The Evija is a fitting canvas for the black and gold theme, surpassing the power of any JPS-liveried F1 predecessor. Packing nearly 2,000 electric horses, it aims to be the most potent supercar ever created, if not the lightest. Weighing in at 3,700 pounds due to its hefty batteries, the Evija does carry some weight. Nevertheless, it more than compensates in the horsepower league.