Lotus Type 62-2 by Radford is available in three variants
British coachbuilder Radford has introduced its first car, the Lotus Type 62-2. If you never heard of Radford before, we can't blame you, but you have to admit their latest creation is a sight to behold. Based on a few underpinnings of the Lotus Evora (or possibly some extra bits from Lotus Emira), Radford Type 62-2 pays homage to the Lotus Type 62 racing car from the 60s, hence the retro-inspired shapes and livery.
Harold Radford established the coachbuilding brand in 1948. The company lost steam in the 1970s until falling in the hands of car designer Mark Stubbs in 2019. With the help of lawyer and business adviser Roger Behle, motoring expert Ant Anstead, and Formula One world champion Jenson Button, the Radford name is back with a coachbuilt rendition of a retro-modern Lotus racing car.
And like the Lotus Evora and Emira, the Radford Type 62-2 will have a Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter supercharged V6 in three states of tune. The base Type 62-2 Classic variant has the Evora's standard supercharged V6 with 430 horsepower and a six-speed manual gearbox (a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic is optional). Meanwhile, the Type 62-2 Gold Leaf has a 500-horsepower version of the supercharged V6 with upgraded pistons and camshafts. The Gold Leaf is available exclusively with a seven-speed DCT automatic transmission and an electronic limited-slip differential.
The range-topping Type 62-2 JPS has a 600-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine with updated tuning software and a new supercharger. Power goes to the rear wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic tranny. Furthermore, the JPS model has ceramic brakes, while the Classic and Gold Leaf have four-piston AP Racing anchors.
The Classic model champions subtlety above all else on the styling front, but it does come with custom 17-inch wheels in the front and 18-inch wheels in the back. The Gold Leaf model has retro livery, better aero, a custom double ducktail rear spoiler, and 18-inch front/19-inch rear wheels. The JPS version is more track-focused with bare carbon aero bits and carbon wheels.
No matter which you choose, the Radford Type 62-2 shares the same Lotus monocoque chassis and a reconfigured rear subframe developed in-house by Radford. Each Type 62-2 will have a dry weight of 1,000 kilograms (2,204 pounds), and each car's suspension and chassis will be calibrated by no less than Jenson Button himself. The last time an iconic F1 driver tinkered with a production car was Ayrton Senna with the first-gen Acura NSX.
Radford will make 62 examples of Type 62-2, and each vehicle is bespoke to its owner. We have no word on pricing, but the exotic styling and F1-derived engineering will command a six-figure MSRP according to our calculations. Production begins in California later this year, and the first deliveries will arrive by early 2022.