Lotus GKN 47D

The 47D is a one-off show car built by Lotus for the UK parts supplier GKN-Vadervell on a modified Lotus 47 (race version the Europa) chassis in 1968, It has a top speed of 162 mph and is capable of getting to 60mph in 5.0 seconds (standing 1/4-mile: 13.1 seconds @ 108 mph). It was the fastest accelerating street car of it's time

When Ford searched for a race car constructor to design the GT40, Lotus came up with a sketch of the mid-engined car they wanted to build for Ford. Instead Ford chose Lola. Lotus decided to turn that sketch in to the Europa. Later, Lotus built the 47D. With its V8 engine, this car could have been Ford's GT40.

After many years, the restortaion is complete and the 47D won Best of Class awards at the 2014 Boston Cup and the 2015 Misselwood Concours.

Right now, I just have a graph and a couple of photos from the dyno run.

Scanned articles about the Lotus 47D

• 3.5 Litre Engine
  • Autosport: Lotus in 1969 10-January-1969
  • MOTOR week: Behind the driver's ears 3-March-1969
  • Automobile Connoisseur: Lotus-GKN 47D - The Car That Might Have Been - 1969 (Vol 1, No 1)
  • Autocar: VEE-8 Europa 15-May-1969
  • Autocar: Q-Europa 5-March-1970

• 4.4. Litre Engine
  • Competition Car: The Other 180mph Lotus September-1973
  • Autocar: Fastest to 100 mph: 11.1 Secs! 27-September-1975
  • Lotus World: The GKN 47D December-1983 (plus For Sale ad)

Here are some photographs of the Lotus GKN47D taken by an engineer at GKN when the car was new. Probably in 1969.

Here are some recent photos of the Lotus GKN 47D.

Return to the main car page
Return to the main photo page
Return to click Ben's Home page

Please send any comments, suggestions, complaints to seven+47@47d.org