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Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman (born 19 May 1928 in London - died 16 December 1982 ) was an influential designer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry. In 1952 he founded the Sports Car company Lotus Cars . He studied Structural Engineering at University College, London where he joined the University Air Squadron and learned to fly. After graduating in 1948 , he briefly joined the Royal Air Force . His knowledge of the latest Aeronautical Engineering techniques would prove vital towards achieving the major automotive technical advances he is remembered for. His Formula One Team Lotus won seven World Championship s and the Indianapolis 500 between 1962 and 1978 . The production side of Lotus Cars has built tens of thousands of relatively affordable, cutting edge Sports Car s. Lotus is one of but a handful of British performance car builders still in business after the industrial decline of the 1970s . Chapman died of a Heart Attack . CAREER In 1948 Chapman started with the Mk1 , a modified Austin 7 , which he entered privately into local Racing events. With prize money won he developed the Lotus Mk2 . With continuing success on through the Mk6 , he began to sell Kits of these cars. Over 100 Mk6 kits were sold through 1956 . It was with the Mk7 in 1957 that things really took off, and indeed Caterham Cars still manufacture a version of that car today - the Caterham 7; while over the years over 90 different Lotus 7 clones, replicas, and derivatives have been offered to the public by a variety of makers. Among a number of legendary automotive figures who have been Lotus employees over the years were Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth , founders of Cosworth . In the 1950s Chapman progressed through the motor racing formulae, designing and building a series of racing cars, sometimes to the point of being in limited production they were so successful and highly sought after, until he arrived in Formula 1 . Along with John Cooper , he revolutionised the premier Motor Sport . Their small, lightweight mid-engined vehicles gave away much in terms of power, but superior Handling meant their competing cars often beat the all-conquering front engined Ferrari s and Maserati s. Eventually, with legendary driver Jim Clark at the wheel of his race cars, Team Lotus came to appear as though they could win whenever they pleased. With Clark driving the legendary Lotus 25 Team Lotus won it's first F1 World Championship in 1963 . It was Clark, driving a Lotus 38 at the Indianapolis 500 in 1965 , who drove the first ever mid-engined car to victory at the fabled "Brickyard." Certainly, Jim Clark would have won many more races were it not for his untimely death in 1968 when a rear tire failed whilst racing a Formula 2 car at Hockenheimring . Chapman, who came from relatively humble roots, was also a Businessman who introduced major Advertising Sponsorship into Auto Racing ; beginning the process which changed Formula One from rich gentlemen's pastime, to multi-million Pound High Technology
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