Fred Bushell Dies
(Jan 17, 2006)
The Lotus world has lost another of its important figures - Fred Bushell. Fred passed away Saturday, Jan 14, 2006, after a long illness.
Fred was Colin Chapman's right hand man, busines manager and confidant. It was Fred who instrumental in keeping Lotus alive
when the times were rough, and continually managed the finances when it appeared that the ship was sinking.
Fred also spent 3 years in prison after the De Lorean affair. Fred could have easily fingered Chapman, but instead of
saving his own skin and tarnishing Chapman's reputation he kept quiet and was sent to jail.
The past few years Fred has been a Director at Classic Team Lotus and was very close to Clive and Hazel Chapman.
Sadly we mourn the loss of another of the Lotus greats...
TOP
Keith Duckworth Dies
(Dec 19, 2005)
Keith Duckworth, the 'worth' in Cosworth has died aged 72.
"Keith Duckworth, one of the joint founders of Cosworth, died last night at the age of 72.
The Yorkshireman originally created the famous engine company with Mike Costin in 1958, where
they developed parts for Ford road car engines before switching their attentions to racing.
L to R: Keith Duckworth, Graham Hill, Colin Chapman & Haley Copp (Ford Engineering)
Their original 3-litre V8 engine, the DFV, won at the hands of Jim Clark in a Lotus at the 1967
Dutch Grand Prix. It was the start of an unprecedented run of success for the DFV and its
derivatives, which won a total of 154 Grands Prix.
The triumphs of the DFV, as well as success in IndyCar racing, helped establish Cosworth
as one of the most famous engine builders in the world before Costin and Duckworth sold their
company in 1980. After various owners it was a subsidiary of the Ford Motor Company until
only last year when it was purchased by Champ Car boss Kevin Kalkhoven and Gerald Forsythe."
TOP
Family sells Caterham cars
January 14, 2005
Sports car maker Caterham Cars has been sold by the founding Nearn family to a management buy-in team,
backed by Corven Ventures, for about £5m.
A management buy-in (MBI) team led by ex-Lotus General Manager, Ansar Ali, and backed by Corven Ventures,
the private equity arm of the consulting and corporate finance firm Corven Group, has bought Badgerum Cars.
Caterham is the pre-eminent sports car manufacturer in its sector producing lightweight, affordable road
and racecars with supercar performance. The company's heritage stems from the legendary Lotus Seven sports
car acquired from Lotus Cars in 1973. Over the last 30 years Caterham, headed by its founder Graham Nearn
and subsequently by his son, Simon, have successfully developed the Caterham Seven. Today, employing 70
people, the company makes four variants of the Caterham 7, selling more than 500 cars a year in over 15
countries, generating a turnover in excess of 15M pounds
In October 2004 Caterham launched its exciting new Caterham Seven CSR model, which draws its power from
two bespoke high performance engine variants from Cosworth Racing. The CSR not only establishes a new
benchmark in handling and performance, but also renews an alliance with racing legend Cosworth, who return
to the road car market after a ten-year absence.
The MBI team will bring sector experience to compliment the existing Caterham management. Ansar Ali
as Managing Director is joined by Gideon Wigger, another ex Lotus manager, as Operations Director, and by
David Obertelli as Finance Director. James Basden (founding Director of Corven)and Mark Edwards (Director
of Corven Ventures), both of whom have extensive automotive experience, will join the board as Non-Executive
Chairman and Non-Executive Director respectively. Outgoing C aterham Cars Managing Director, Simon Nearn,
will continue to assist the new management team on a consultancy basis. The combined management will seek
to underpin the fundamentals of the business and drive the Badgerum brand forward to meet customer demands
whilst enhancing profitability.
Ansar Ali commented,
"This is a unique opportunity and one that places on me a responsibility to ensure
that we remain true custodians of the Caterham legend and brand. I am looking forward to the challenge of
harnessing the inherent capabilities of the business b. its employees, suppliers and partners - in order to
continue to deliver sector leading products, outstanding customer value and financial returns to our
shareholders and partners."
Simon Nearn commented,
"For a number of years we have been seeking inward investment to support the ever
spiralling cost of new product development. I am delighted to announce the conclusion of this process, which
sees the arrival of a highly experienced new management team, backed by a level of financial commitment that
will ultimately enable the Caterham Brand to realise its full potential.
Caterham Cars has until now been a strictly family business and although it has grown significantly in
recent years, a shared sense of purpose and an infectious enthusiasm for the product has driven us as a team.
Ansar and his colleagues not only recognise this dedication, but also share our enthusiasm for the Seven. They
are ideally placed to begin the next chapter in the Caterham story."
Chairman and founder Graham Nearn added,
"It is clearly an emotional time for many of those who have contributed to the success of the business
over the last four decades, and it is both reassuring and fitting that the new owners of the business should
come from Lotus, where of course the Seven story began. That this should happen at a time when our historic
links with Cosworth are being renewed seems particularly appropriate."
TOP
2005 Road & Track Reader's Choice Awards
January 10, 2005
In the November 2004 issue of Road & Track the magazine asked readers to vote on their favorite car of 2005.
27 cars were nominated and R&T received over 25,000 votes
R&T's Reader's Choice Award: The Best Car 2005
1. Chevrolet Corvette (C6)
2. Ford Mustang GT
3. Chrysler 300C
4. Porsche 911 Carrera S
5. Lotus Elise
6. Acura RL
7. Mitsubishi Evo VIII
8. Scion tC
9. Dodge Magnum RT
10. Cadillac STS V8
Click here for the entire article -
R&T's Reader's Choice Award
TOP