um das im anderen thread nicht ausufern zulassen, hier die geschichte zu den schwarzen lotus badges - geklaut bei pistonheads:


The JPS sponsorship tie-up didn't happen until 1972 (or, to be strictly correct, the deal with Imperial Tobacco was long-standing, hence the previous Gold Leaf colours, but Lotus re-branded their cars as 'John Player Special Team Lotus' with black and gold livery to support Imperial Tobacco's new brand in 1972).

'Black Badge' Elans were around much earlier - back in 1968 (I know, 'cos I used to own one, though I certainly didn't pay a premium for it!). You'll also come across period photographs of the pre-JPS Lotus 62 (from 1969, in Gold Leaf colours!) and Rover V8-engined GKN 47D (from 1968), along with several of the press road test cars (including the original 1968 road test Europa and some of the early Plus 2's) carrying black nose badges.

But I've had the story direct from the man who ought to know - the late Graham Arnold; Lotus Marketing Director at the time, later chairman of Club Lotus - that the Jim Clark tribute story is indeed a myth. Arnold stated that he had arranged production of a batch of black badges, partly because he simply thought they looked classier and partly because the green in the centre of the traditional Lotus badge clashed with the red of the Gold Leaf colours that were then being promoted on Lotus race cars. He showed the black badge to Chapman, who didn't much like it and veto'd its use.

From there, you're more-or-less back with the truth according to Mr Arnold... some of the black badges found their way onto cars for reasons unknown - probably simply because stock levels of normal badges had run low, and Chapman did indeed 'do his nut'; but because he thought Arnold had disobeyed him by fitting the black badges contrary to his veto, rather than because he wanted to see the stock of green and yellow badges used up first. The fact that several press demonstrators were fitted with black badges is probably not entirely unconnected with Mr Arnold, of course, since he was responsible for the preparation of these cars!

From my experience, the cars so fitted originally were all registered in the period 1968-1970 (before the JPS livery), but of course the ready supply of replica 'black badges' mean that many owners have fitted them as their own personal tribute to Jim Clark to cars built outside this timeframe.


wie so oft bei lotus - man hat einfach föörige teile verbaut, grad so nach lust und laune ohne jegliche logische hintergründe