Lotus: The Art of Lightness - AACA Museum Special Exhibit

[LotusX180R]

AACA Museum - For Immediate Release

   

December 9, 2014 

 

Lotus: The Art of Lightness

January 24 - April 26, 2015

 

   

Images courtesy of Michael Furman

 

Hershey, PA (December 9, 2014)  The Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Museum presents Lotus: The Art of Lightness from January 24-April 26 2015.  This compelling exhibit will offer a selection of Lotus road cars and racing cars throughout their 66 year history covering over 15 models from a 1956 Mark VI to the 2014 Evora and will also include representative examples of Lotus engineered vehicles.

 

Colin Chapman, the founder of Lotus, and the man behind Lotus' racing successes and iconic road cars said "I believe in getting light weight through elegance of design" translated through folklore as the mantra 'Simplify and add lightness'.  In today's automotive world, making vehicles lighter is the newest method to extract efficiency and performance.  But for Colin Chapman and Lotus it has always been the essence of their design and engineering philosophy.

 

The first Lotus came from the humblest of sources.  In 1948 Colin Chapman, a young engineering student, became enthused with automotive competition and sought to enter the unique world of British Trials competition.  The basis for this was an Austin Seven "Chummy", an antiquated pre-war people's car that Chapman transformed into his first competition special, dubbed Lotus. His forays into competition were successful and led to the formation of Lotus Engineering by 1954. It didn't take long for Lotus Engineering to be in full production of bespoke Chapman designed chassis and Lotus subsequently invaded and triumphed in the world of British Club racing and international motorsports competition.  

 

Since those early days, Lotus and the genius of Colin Chapman have been at the forefront of racing technology and automotive design.  Colin Chapman's philosophy of light weight, efficiency of design and innovation resulted in seven Formula 1 World Championships as well as wins at Le Mans and Indianapolis and championships in Saloon car racing, the World Rally Championship, sports car racing and the lower open wheel formulas.  Colin Chapman's philosophy of simplification, light weight and the least amount of parts effectively deployed that went into his racing car design were directly translated into Lotus' road cars and produced a pantheon of iconoclastic machines such as the Seven, Elite, Elan, Cortina, Europa, Esprit, Elise, Exige, and Evora, truly making them "racing cars for the road".

 

In addition to producing class-leading sports cars, Lotus has become a globally respected automotive engineering consultancy, working with many of the world's most prestigious car manufacturers.  Their expertise in ride and handling has made Lotus the standard to which all others are compared.

 

About  the AACA Museum

The Antique Automobile Club of America Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate, displays beautifully restored automobiles, buses and motorcycles in unique life-like scenes representing the 1890s - 1980s in a cross-country journey from New York to San Francisco.   This Museum, a 501© (3) non-profit organization, is known to be one of the largest automotive museums.  Special exhibits change several times a year and focus on a variety of eras and types of vehicles.  The Museum is in South Hanover Township, located just off Route 39, one mile west of Hersheypark Drive, Hershey, Pennsylvania.  Regular admission $12, seniors age 61 and older $11, juniors age 4-12 $9, children age 3 and under are FREE.  The Museum is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.  For further information, please call 717-566-7100 or visit www.AACAMuseum.org. 

 

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Images available upon request

 

Lotus:  The Art of Lightness Vehicle List

Note:  A special opening reception will be held on Friday, January 23rd from 6-9PM at the AACA Museum.    Ticket Information>>    or phone us at 717-566-7100 ext. 100

 

  

A World Class Automotive Experience!

 

  

AACA Museum Media Contact:

Nancy Gates

Director of Marketing & Publicity

717-566-7100 ext. 123

NGates@AACAMuseum.org

 

 

 

[Bibs]

I'll get that posted up on our news site, looks like a great event

[EspritTragic]

That looks fantastic, I will have to try to manufacture some excuse to be in that part of the world at the right time!

[LotusX180R]

I'll get that posted up on our news site, looks like a great event

 

 

Thanks Bibs.  I'll try and get some photos to you once the Exhibit is open.

That looks fantastic, I will have to try to manufacture some excuse to be in that part of the world at the right time!

 

 

If you make it here from down under I'll put you up!

[LotusX180R]

Lotus awaiting display in the AACA Museum staging area

 

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Antique-Automobile-Club-of-America-Museum-at-Hershey-AACA-Museum/55736814137

[LotusX180R]

Visited the museum today to discuss placement of cars.  The staging area is full of Lotusbeing detailed for the exhibit.

 

 

 

 

 

Opening Reception Jan 23:

 

Join us for a fun evening as we unveil our newest exhibit – Lotus: The Art of Lightness! Be among the first to see these fabulous vehicles, talk with our guest curator about the exhibit along with some of the vehicle owners. Appetizers and beverages included with your ticket price along with full access to all AACA Museum exhibits. Advance tickets required @ $15 each

Tickets may also be purchased directly at the AACA Museum Ticket Counter or via telephone at 717-566-7100 ext. 100

 

Exhibit runs from Jan 24- April 26

 

And Lefty will be there!

[Moxie]

See you there, Kyle. Looking forward to seeing you again, and Chet's looking forward to seeing Colin again. I've barely dug in to reading the show program and I already appreciate all the work you've put in to it. This'll be be a special experience.

[LotusX180R]

Colin will be there in his replica Lotus F1 racing suit.  I have taught him to say "Leave me alone I know what I am doing"

[LotusX180R]

I have been given word that with 10 days to go there have been more tickets for the opening reception sold than any other special exhibit to date!  

[Bibs]

[LotusX180R]

A pretty nice write up in a local paper including pics!

 

http://www.ldnews.com/lifestyle/ci_27346466/lotus-racing-road-cars-feature-aaca-exhibit-hershey

 

 

.

[Moxie]

Excellent. Looking forward to seeing you Friday, Kyle.

[LotusX180R]

We are setting records!

Last week with something like 140 tickets sold the museum told me that Lotus: The Art of Lightness had outsold all prior opening receptions for special exhibits. This is especially significant because Winter exhibits tend to attract less people.

As of yesterday morning ticket sales had reached 320!

Thanks to all of the Lotus enthusiasts who are surely bolstering the ticket sales. I am hoping we go over the 400 mark.

An additional bit of breaking news: We have secured a Lotus Type 79 World Championship winning Formula 1 car for the exhibit.

[Bibs]

[Bibs]

http://www.ldnews.com/lifestyle/ci_27346466/lotus-racing-road-cars-feature-aaca-exhibit-hershey

 

It's made news in Lebanon! 

[LotusX180R]

The opening night of the Exhibit set a record for attendance at an opening.  Here are some selected pictures from various sources:

 

[Bibs]

Looks amazing

[USAndretti42]

Is that Duncan Dayton's type 79?

[LotusX180R]

Is that Duncan Dayton's type 79?

 

 

No It is Paul Rego's

[LotusX180R]

 

You may not be able to get out and enjoy your Lotus at present but you can get your Lotus fix by going to the AACA Museum. The opening reception was a huge success, despite impending snow there was record attendance. If you missed it don't worry the exhibit runs through April 26!

If you go don't forget to use the discount coupon for $4 per person (2 people per coupon)

 

 

 

 

LotusOwnersGroupFlyer.pdf

[LotusX180R]

[Bibs]

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Post by The Lotus Forums.

[LotusX180R]

[LotusX180R]

The museum is making a run of 100 22x28 posters of the event poster - $8.99 plus shipping - or buy it at the retail store in the museum.

 

http://aacamuseumretail.org/Lotus-The-Art-of-Lightness-Poster-p822.html