Overview

In the mid-1960s, Formula One faced a reset that demanded more than incremental improvement. New three-litre rules, rising speeds, and rapidly tightening competition turned the race car into a problem of architecture as much as horsepower. Into that moment came the Lotus 49-a machine that did not simply run a new engine, but redefined what an engine could be. By using the Cosworth DFV as a stressed structural member, Lotus collapsed the old boundary between ""power unit"" and ""chassis,"" creating a lighter, stiffer, more compact car that rivals could measure, fear, and eventually copy. This book traces how that idea was born, how it survived the realities of racing, and why it spread so quickly that it became the sport's new grammar. It follows the engineering logic that preceded the 49, the partnerships that produced the DFV, and the practical challenges of turning an engine into structure-interfaces, fasteners, fatigue, serviceability, and the consequences of failure at speed. Along the way, it places the 49 within the era's broader transformation: the arrival and regulation of wings, the intensifying demands of stiffness and reliability, and the cultural shift from building fast parts to building fast systems. The legacy of the Lotus 49 is not confined to a trophy list. Its deeper impact is visible in how modern racing machines are conceived: as integrated structures where performance comes from the disciplined alignment of load paths, packaging, aerodynamics, and maintainability. From aluminium monocoques to carbon survival cells and hybrid-era packaging, the book connects a 1967 breakthrough to the present-day assumption that speed increasingly comes from integration as much as invention-and explains why the Lotus 49 remains the machine that forced everyone else to answer.

Full Product Details

9798901940075

Table of Contents

Reviews

Author Information

Tab Content 6

Countries Available