Members’ Cars – North Kent Lotus Group

OWNER: Howard, Swanley, Kent
Model: Geneva Sport
Year: 2002
Colour: Green
Owned since: 2002

A Unique Car built from the body of the Original Lotus Motorsport Elise Geneva Show Car, The car was built by NTC Cars for Howard and has been displayed in the Design Centre at Hethel.
Geneva 190 Sport (Sport Elise) was re-born when Lotus had finished with her services at the end of the Challenge series in the year 2001/2.
She was the first of three pre-production prototypes and was shown at the Geneva motor show.
At the time she was proclaimed as the best thing since sliced bread. I commissioned her for road use after she had completed a tour of the UK main dealer showrooms and special events. She has had a treasured life since with some light track day use.

OWNER: Howard, Swanley, Kent
Model: Exige S
Year: 2015
Colour: Grey
Owned since: 2015

The first incarnation of the Exige was the Sport Elise shown at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show which evolved into the Exige we know today. We have had many variants of the Exige as it has found its way into the world of motor sport and has supported the true values which Lotus stand for. This latest ‘S’ version certainly continues all that Colin Chapman wanted from his cars. A race car for the road. In many ways it is today’s Lotus Elite. If this ‘S’ version should become the last variant of the line then it would be a fitting end to a chapter of Lotus history. With new models being talked about, maybe along the lines of the Evora, we will have to wait and see.

Owner: Vaughn
Location: Kent
Current Model: Elise S2 111S
Previous Model owned: Europa Twin Cam

I always wanted a Lotus Europa after sitting in the “works” racing version (Lotus type 47) driven by John Miles just after the 1967 Brands Hatch B.O.A.C 500km endurance race had finished.

Eventually I managed to purchase a road version (type 74) with a “sprint plus” TC engine, which included a Weslake gas flowed big valve cylinder head, from a well-respected racing mechanic in March 2000. His daughter had previously named it “Kermit” due to the colour and shape.

The photo shows it trying to be a type 47 at Brands Hatch paddock bend after I rebuilt the engine and suspension etc. After eight years of ownership, it was reluctantly sold to make way for my current 2002 Elise S2 111s in 2007.

The Elise is fitted with the 156bhp MG/Rover “K” series Variable Valve camshaft (VVC) engine together with a Lotus sports exhaust.

The first registered owner was Mrs Francis Clarkson the wife, at the time, of “Top Gear presenter” Jeremy!!!

Owner: Ron
Location: Bromley, Kent
Models: 1968 Elan +2 and 1992 Elan M100 SE

I’ve owned the Elan +2 for over 40 years. It’s currently being restored (very slowly) to it’s former glory after being hit by an uninsured driver.

After retiring I wanted to know if I still had the urge to carry on with the +2 restoration, so in 2017 I bought the M100 to tinker with.

It’s 2021 now and I’m still tinkering…..

              Owner: Neil Webb
              Location: Kent
              Model: Mk1 Lotus Cortina
              Year: 1966
              Colour: White & green
              Interior: Rally spec
              Owned Since: July 1999
              Previous Lotus’: S7 series 3, Elan Sprint

Owner: Richard
Location: Sevenoaks
Model: Lotus Elan S3 S/E DHC
Year: March 1968
Colour: Yellow
Owned Since: September 1975
Status: “Nuts & Bolts” restoration

              Owner: John U
              Location: Kent
              Model: Elan M100 SE
              Year: 1990
              Colour: Calypso Red
              Owned Since: 2012

Owner: Neil C
Location: Folkestone
Model: Lotus Elise S2 Sport 135
Year: March 2002
Colour: Laser Blue Metallic
Owned Since: 2013

I bought the car in January 2013 and still own it today, so I’ve now owned it for 8 years and it’s only done 20,000 miles. I’m still running it in!! When I first purchased the car I had a full check over and service carried out at the Lotus factory at Hethel (its birth place) so I would have a full Lotus report stamped in the service book. That year I took it to the Brands Hatch Lotus Festival where it won the Best Car and Best Car in Show much to my delight. Since then I’ve joined the North Kent Lotus group, a great bunch of enthusiastic Lotus owners who are good company, and know more about Lotuses than I do, even if they are quite a distance from me!

Owner: John
Location: Rochester
Model: Elise Sport 135R
Year: August 2003
Colour: Silver Mica
Owned Since: August 2003

Owner: Mark B
Model: Elise S1
Year: 1999
Colour: Ruby Red

My first dip into Lotus life was the welcoming of my new Azure Blue Elise S1 in 1998. Even Mum ‘n Sis showed interest, looking ready to go for a spin! Sadly, due to changing circumstances I didn’t have the car long it but certainly left its impression.

21 years later I’ve jumped back in! Sporting a 135 BHP upgrade, 111S wheels, an aftermarket exhaust and some interesting JK Composites seats, Ruby is my ’99 S1 having joined me from Paul Matty Sports Cars.

Owner: Roger, Sevenoaks, Kent.

Models: 1970 S4 SE Elan, colour white, 2000 S1 Elise, colour Azure Blue.

First ever car back in 1975 was a red series 4 Elan. All downhill from that point on until Lotus ownership was re-established in 2013 with the acquisition of an S1 Elise, still currently owned.

This was joined in 2015 when a 30-year barn-find S4 Elan presented itself. That was put in storage until 2020/21 when working facilities and retirement facilitated commencement of what is obviously a complete nut, bolt, chassis and body restoration.

Owner: Steve
Car: Exige 380 Sport
Year: 2018
Colour: Fire Red

NKLG Code of Practice

Aims of the Group:
To provide for a monthly meeting place for the purpose of social activities, produce a monthly newsletter, provide a dedicated website and the formulation of an annual events calendar.

Membership:
The North Kent Lotus Group is open to all who have an interest in Lotus cars. To qualify for voting rights, a member must be a paid-up member of NKLG.

Subscriptions:
Subscriptions will be set annually by the Steering Committee, and payment will be due 1st March each year. The subscription is to cover the costs of the website and ongoing club needs. Additional activity costs will be funded separately. An additional charge will be made for hard copies of the monthly newsletter if required. Members will be notified of subscription rates for the coming year in the newsletter.

Management:
A Steering Committee shall be elected at the AGM. This committee has the responsibility for all matters arising for Group activities. The stewards of this group shall be existing full members. Should any one person on the Steering Committee be unable to attend a steering group meeting then the duties of that person shall be covered by those at the meeting. All members of the Steering Committee shall stand for two years, at which point they will stand for re-election if they wish.
The committee shall comprise Co-Ordinator, Treasurer, Membership Secretary, Events Secretary, Events Secretary Support, Webmaster and Newsletter Editor. Subject to the approval of the Committee, the make-up of the Committee may expand as necessary to adequately manage the Group.

Steering Committee Members:

Co-Ordinator.
The Co-Ordinator must be appointed at the General Meeting and is responsible for overseeing the North Kent Lotus Group activities and for arranging Committee meetings.

Treasurer.
The Treasurer shall manage all financial matters on behalf of the Group and shall, with the Membership Secretary, be responsible for the collection of membership subscriptions. The Treasurer will also confirm to the Newsletter Editor which members have paid for hard copies of the newsletter.

Membership Secretary.
The Membership Secretary shall keep up to date records of the Group members and shall take the minutes of the Steering Committee meetings and of the AGM. In conjunction with the Treasurer, the Membership Secretary shall collect membership subscriptions. Cheques for subscriptions shall be payable to the Treasurer. It is the members’ responsibility to advise the Membership Secretary of any changes of address, telephone number etc.

Events Secretary.
The Events Secretary shall coordinate events and produce an events calendar, to be approved by the Steering Committee. The agreed programme of events will be passed to the Newsletter Editor and Webmaster for publication.

Events Secretary Support.
This shall be one or more individual, who will assist the Events Secretary in formulating the events calendar, including undertaking necessary research and investigative work.

Webmaster.
The Webmaster shall be responsible for the organisation and operation of the NKLG website. All electronic communication shall be via the Steering Committee or NKLG website. No member shall publish items under the NKLG identity without consent of the Steering Committee.

Group members are responsible for their own personal data security before submitting to the website. By submitting data the member will be deemed to be granting permission to publish these details.For other social media representation, sites shall be created under the NKLG ownership with the approval of the Steering Committee. The type of sites may include, but are not limited to, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Comments can be added to these platforms by non-Members; but the Webmaster reserves the right to remove comments or deny access to contributors (even if they are members), if any comments breach the following guidelines:
• Comments should not be defamatory; libellous; or bring NKLG into disrepute.
• Comments should not contain items or links that breach copyright.
• Comments should not link to items that are illegal.

Newsletter Editor.
The Newsletter Editor will produce a bi-monthly newsletter covering events, activities and general items of interest to the membership, and provide material for the Webmaster to upload to the website.

Annual General Meeting:
A general meeting shall be held each year. If possible this will coincide with the April club night. Nominations for Steering Committee positions shall be made a minimum of one month prior to the AGM and details circulated to the Membership fourteen days prior to the meeting. The sitting Steering Committee members will stand down from their post after a two-year period, but may seek re-election for a further term. The Co-Ordinator must seek to find a working Steering Committee.

Extraordinary Meeting:
An extraordinary meeting can be called as necessary by Co-Ordinator.

Code of Practice Changes:
Changes to this Code of Practice can only be made at the AGM, with the Memberships’ approval.

North Kent Lotus Group:
In the event that NKLG no longer exists the Co-Ordinator shall ascertain the Group assets and seek to sell non cash assets. The resulting cash assets shall be donated to a suitable charitable organisation. If a suitable charitable organisation has not been identified by the Membership, then the Co-Ordinator will be responsible for nominating a suitable organisation.

Data Consent:
By becoming a Member, the Member is giving implied consent that North Kent Lotus Group can use the data collected (as part of the Membership Application or renewal process) to facilitate communication and organisation of activities, within the Club, for the benefit of the Members. Should the Club desire to share this data with external bodies, then explicit consent will be requested from each Member.