The Lotus Turbine was one of four
open-wheel Indy cars released in 1969 as part of the new Grand Prix
Series.
The
Hot Wheels Lotus Turbine is modeled after the cars that Andy
Granatelli's STP team raced at Indianapolis in 1968. The #70 car,
driven by Graham
Hill, was one of three bright orange Lotus Turbines that started the
race (a fourth
Lotus Turbine was destroyed in a pre-race crash that took the life of
driver Mike
Spence). Powered by Pratt & Whitney turbine engines, the
Lotus cars were amazingly
fast. Joe Leonard captured the pole position in the #60 Lotus
Turbine with a then-record
speed of 171.559 mph. Hill started the race from the second
position. All three cars were running near the front, but Hill
crashed on lap 110. Leonard was
leading the race with nine laps remaining when a fuel shaft broke and
forced him to
retire. Amazingly, Art Pollard's #20 Lotus Turbine also had
suffered a broken fuel shaft
three laps earlier. The three STP cars finished in 12th, 13th and
19th
places in the race won by Bobby Unser.
The
three STP Lotus Turbines that ran in the 1968 Indianapolis 500.
As with the other Indy cars, the Lotus Turbine was produced only by the
Hong Kong factory.
It features a
blue-tinted
windscreen and a silver-painted intake vent behind the cockpit.
Lotus Turbines were
painted with a variety of Spectraflame colors, and
included a small "Hot Wheels" decal on the right side of the car.
A waterslide decal
sheet with #70 racing numbers and sponsors logos was included in the
blister pack. Most
Lotus Turbines have
black interiors, but occasionally tan and white interiors can be
found. Most production
cars have bearing (white hub) style wheels, while
later runs
have cap style wheels. Some Lotus Turbines can be found with both
types of wheels. Lotus
Turbines can be found with a black-painted base, which typically adds
about 50% to the
value of the car.
An
orange enamel Lotus Turbine prototype with a white interior and clear
windscreen.
An
orange enamel Lotus Turbine prototype with a snap-on fuel tanks (B.
Rosas).
Lotus
Turbine Color chart
| COLORS: |
COMMENTS: |
| blue | common |
| red | common |
| aqua | common |
| green | |
| purple | |
| olive | |
| orange | |
| copper | hard to find |
| rose ("watermelon") |
hard to find |
| light blue |
very rare (only one known) |
Red and rose ("watermelon")
Lotus Turbines.
A
Lotus Turbine rainbow minus rose!
A
prototype Lotus Turbine in purple (B. Rosas).
