Lotus 49

Lotus 49, uma lenda do automobilismo, aqui na versão de sua estreia em Zandvoort 1967 (fez pole com Graham Hill e vitória com Jim Clark ao volante). Excelente kit da Ebbro na escala 1/20. From the 1966 season, F1 cars adopted 3.0 liter engines with Team Lotus fielding machines powered by BRM engine. Meanwhile, Colin Chapman and Maurice Philippe were hard at work designing the Type 49 for the 1967 season. On the engine side, Chapman commissioned a new engine specially designed for Type 49. Former Lotus engineer Keith Duckworth and Mike Costin-who had Just created a new engine design company named Cosworth-where tasked with the job. The resulte as the DFV Cosworth, an engine that went on to write legendary part of F1 history. Type 49 further improved on the monocoque construction already seen in Type 25 with the engine now serving as a fully fledged stress member Just like in member. Right from the start, the 90-degree V8 DFV engine was designed to serve in such a way. With a maximun power of 408 horsepower it was not only powerful but also both light and compact, allowing type 49 to be both light and very streamlined. The rear suspension was designed as a single assembly unit to safeguard the suspension geometry in case the engine or gearbox needed replacement. The Grand Prix of Holland-the 4° round of the season-saw Type 49 and its DFV engine raced for the first time. Having served as the development test driver, Graham Hill Knew the car well and duly went on to take the pole position. Jim Clark-who had drived the car for the first time Just ahead of the race weekend-encountered suspension problems to qualify in 8° position. But the situation was reserved came race Day with Graham Hill retiring following engine problems while Jim Clark recorded the fastest lap on his way to victory, thus giving both Type 49 and its DFV engine their first win on their maiden race. Over the course of this first season, improvements were made to the windscreen, the brakes (the originally ventilated disks were replaced with thinner solid-type ones) and the ignition among others. In the nine races the car was fielded that season, Clark and Hill showed the potential of the car, sharing between themselves all the pole position. Clark went on to Record wins in Holland, England, America and Mexico. In Italy, a puncture relaget Clark at the back of the Pack only to see him recover to finish in 3°. By contrast, Hill’s car was plauged with reliability issues resultin in many retirements. Although the 5DS12-type ZF gearbox had the advantage of being very light, it also lacked rigidity and was difficult to service. So much so that a new, strengthened casing was devised mid-season. Type 49 went on to win the first two races of the 1968 season with Clark winning the season opener in South Africa and Hill returning the favor in the following Spain Grand Prix. An upgraded Type 49B appeared for the 3° round in Monaco earning Graham Hill the driver’s world Champion title and Team Lotus the constructor’s title that season. Retired after the 1970 season, Type 49 is remembered as one of the epoch-making racecars in F1 history. Excellent kit from Ebbro at 1/20th scale.