Lotus 78
The first ground-effect Formula One car, whose inverted-wing sidepods sucked it down onto the track.
About the Lotus 78
Prompted by a 27-page document from Colin Chapman, who had studied the wing radiators of the de Havilland Mosquito, Tony Rudd's team of Ralph Bellamy, Martin Ogilvie and Peter Wright shaped the 78's sidepods as inverted aerofoils, sealed to the track first with brushes and finally with sliding rubber skirts. The resulting low pressure under the car produced downforce with little drag, and Mario Andretti said it felt 'painted to the road'. It won five races in 1977, but the low-pressure area sat too far forward and needed a large rear wing, and Andretti suffered five engine failures as Lotus used development Cosworth engines to compensate. Andretti and Ronnie Peterson each won once more in early 1978 before the Lotus 79 took over, giving the 78 seven wins and nine poles in all.
Lotus 78 specs
| Make | Lotus |
|---|---|
| Model | 78 |
| Years | 1977–1978 |
| Type | Race car |
| Body style | Open-wheel single-seater |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Production | About 5 built |
| Engine | 3.0L naturally aspirated V8 (Ford Cosworth DFV) |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 2,993 cc (3.0 litres) |
| Induction | Naturally aspirated |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual (Hewland FG400) |
| Drivetrain | Rear-wheel drive |
| Weight | 588 kg (1,296 lb) |
Typical figures for the standard car; options, markets and model years vary. Where our specs come from
Lotus 78 rarity in CarSpot
The Lotus 78 is a Unicorn card in CarSpot, with a rarity score of 100 out of 100. The rarest tier: hypercars, one-offs and cars built in tiny numbers, typically fewer than about 500. A Unicorn card is worth 320 XP.
Each model's tier starts from a 0–100 score based on its value plus its power or production numbers. Once enough players have spotted a model, how often it is spotted can move it up or down one tier. How CarSpot rarity works
Rarity is a collectible game mechanic, not an assessment of real-world scarcity or value.
Lotus 78 fun facts
- Peter Wright found the effect by happy accident in the wind tunnel, when the model's shaped underbody was drawn towards the rolling road as its speed rose.
- Rivals struggled to copy it because Lotus offered misleading explanations for its speed and the skirts hid the underside from view.
- Colin Chapman refused Mario Andretti's request to race it in 1976 so that other teams would not discover the secret.
