Lotus Eleven Series 2 Le Mans

Chassis 514 is one of two works Series 2 Elevens built for the 1958 Le Mans 24 Hours. Unlike its sister car 513, it was given a solid rear axle rather than de Dion suspension to cut mechanical drag. It also has Frank Costin's low-drag bodywork with a high-backed tail and integrated head fairing, and it was intended for the 750cc class.

At Le Mans it was driven by Alan Stacey and Tom Dickson. The works 750cc engine gave trouble in practice, so Chapman fitted the 1957 Index of Performance-winning 750cc unit instead. Dickson dug the car out of a sandbank at Tetre Rouge by hand, and it finished 20th, the only Lotus to reach the end. Lotus then sold it to South Africa, where Don Le Clus raced it. Its later owners took it to Australia and the USA. The Historic Lotus Register regards its history as continuous.

It now has a 1,500cc Coventry Climax FWB engine built by Dave Whitehurst. It has ACCUS FIA HTPs valid to 31 December 2026 and a fuel cell fitted in August 2024. Recent work by Andrew Hibberd includes a new stainless exhaust and new front wishbones. It last appeared at the 2024 Goodwood Revival, where it set fastest lap in the Madgwick Cup before a broken throttle cable ended its race. It comes with spares, including a second set of magnesium wheels, a gearbox and a differential. Price is on application.