Watch: Lotus head of design Russell Carr speaks to Car Design News

Car Design News: It’s quite the bit of real estate you’ve taken up here, Russell.

Russell Carr: It is fantastic stand, isn’t it? I mean, it’s in a prime position. It’s a good size, lots of space so you can look around the cars and of course we’ve got this dedicated area up here for showing off the Evija too, which is very special.

CDN: I wonder if you could give us your perspective, Russell, on what a show like Goodwood is like for a designer?

RC: Goodwood’s just really different as a designer, but also as a car enthusiast, because it’s alive. You are breathing the smells, the noise, and to see cars moving, it’s just so much more engaging. There’s always a fantastic atmosphere here at Goodwood because you have a mix of true enthusiasts, customers and people just coming for a day out. So it’s a really wonderful mix of things.

We are always looking around taking photographs, seeing what the competition are doing, but of course you get to see all the cars you love from the past as well. And yeah, I’m a big fan of the history of cars and motor sports as well. So everything is here, along with some wonderful characters from the motor industry as well.

CDN: We’re in quite a special venue but we’re also stood next to quite a special car. I wonder if you could tell us a bit about what we’ve got here?

RC: Well, this is indeed a special version of a very special car. The Evija itself is very special – 2000 horsepower and the first British Electric hyper car. We are only making 130 of them and then we are doing a version of it to celebrate 50 years since Emerson Fittipaldi won his 1972 F1 world driver’s Championship.

CDN: And the iconic JPS livery too.

RC: We have interpreted the livery that was on the Formula 1 along with a number of details that are special to the car Fittipaldi raced. We are making eight versions of this car to celebrate the eight victories he had for us. The customers that buy it, buy into an experience package as well, where they meet Emerson, they do certain track events, so it is very, very special.

CDN: And a word on Peter Horbury, who has sadly passed away. I imagine his impact on Lotus will resonate for years to come.

RC: When we are developing cars, the process takes a number of years. So the guidance that Peter’s already given us will be seen in years to come. But also, he shapes our thinking. Peter was a great advocate and mentor, he didn’t dominate you and tell you what to do. He brought the best out of you and supported you if he thought you had a good idea. And that’s why I think he was so well-liked and respected across multiple brands, across multiple products over the years and multiple decades.

Peter always did things with great humor as well. Any conversation was probably 80% laughs and 20% business. But of course, you were left with a clear vision of what you had to do, and he really championed younger designers as well. That’s why we have such a strong connection with him because he was so supportive to us designers.