► Lotus' Type 62 resurrected
► New coachbuilt creation from Radford
► Two specification versions shown
Radford has revealed another version of its Type 62-2 sportscar, this time with an iconic John Player Special livery. Of the 62 cars to be built, only 12 will come in the black-and-gold spec that riffs on Lotus’ 1972 F1 car. And there’s more going on than just new paintwork.
The JPS car features larger diffusers, air intakes and wheels and makes 600bhp from its supercharged 3.5-litre V6. The hike in power is driven by upgraded pistons, con-rods and camshafts – as well as a larger supercharger.
‘The John Player Special Type 62-2 is the most extreme Type 62-2 that money can buy,’ said Radford co-partner and 2009 F1 champ, Jenson Button. ‘It is low, sleek and powerful and sports one of the most iconic racing liveries ever created – one of the liveries that the heroes of Formula 1 such as Emerson Fittipaldi and Ayrton Senna used to race with, in the cars that made me want to be a driver.’
Keep reading for more on the standard car.
What you need to know
Radford, the resurrected coachbuilder from the 1940s and 50s, has revealed its first product – the Type 62-2. It's a recreation of Lotus' Type 62 racer from the late 60s.
It's the first modern coachbuilt car from Radford, with more to come. It's been built in partnership with Lotus itself, and this is our first look at the finished exterior design.
It's quite a looker!
The Type 62-2 is low, wide and has an impressively slick bodyshell. While the overall look is retro, 21st century tech features in the design. LED lighting features, and the bodywork is constructed of carbonfibre and aluminium.
Radford has confirmed two versions: Classic and Gold Leaf. Classic has more obvious cues to the original Type 62 that was designed without a rear wing, with 17/18-inch front/rear wheels.
But it's the Gold Leaf version that's made the public debut. That has a period-specific livery and wings added for more downforce, 18/19-inch front/rear wheels, a double ducktail spoiler.
I need some specs, pronto
Because of the lightweight materials used, race-spec versions of the Type 62-2 have a dry weight of under 1000kg. The body panels are carbonfibre, and the monocoque chassis underneath is all aluminium.
Radford has used a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 in the Type 62-2. In the Classic configuration, it produces 430bhp – leading us to believe it's the engine from the Lotus Evora GT430. The Gold Leaf spec uprates that to 500bhp via an engine remap, upgraded pistons, conrods and camshafts. Both models get a titanium exhaust system, and you can have your Classic's power uprated if you desire. You can spec either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch on the Classic model, with the Gold Leaf model having the dual-clutch auto by default.
Elsewhere, the Type 62-2 has coilover springs with four-way adjustable dampers, unassisted steering and an optional nose lift system. ABS and stability control are included, which you can switch off.
What's Radford?
Radford was originally founded in 1948 as Harold Radford Coachbuilders, building bespoke Bentley and Rolls-Royce models. One of its first was the Bentley Countryman in 1951 and it was involved in creating the fibreglass bodywork of the first GT40 prototype. The brand also had celebrities lining up for one-off creations, including The Beatles.
The coachbuilder has since been brought back to life, with F1 champ Jenson Button, TV presenter Ant Anstead and car designer Mark Stubbs, who's had a career with Bentley, Bugatti, Nissan and Ford. Radford's now based in California.
Can I buy one of these Type 62-2s?
If you have deep pockets. Just 62 will be built, with the first ones making production later in 2021.