In late summer 1982, Colin Chapman was already working on the design of a ground-effect car to be fitted with the Renault EF1 V6 Turbo engine from the French manufacturer, with whom he had secured a supply deal. Unfortunately, the sudden regulation change in October '82, followed by Chapman’s unexpected death, left Martin Ogilvie as the only engineer under the direction of sporting director Peter Warr. They had to resort to a simple update of the previous Lotus 91.
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| LOTUS 92, Nigel Mansell Montréal, Canadian GP 1983 |
The Lotus 92 was thus a straightforward evolution of the 91, adapted to the new regulations requiring a flat bottom and reduced rear wing surface. The design process was fast and somewhat rough to ensure the car would be ready for the first Grand Prix of the 1983 season in Brazil in mid-March.
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| LOTUS 92, Nigel Mansell Jacarepaguà, Brazilian GP 1983 |
The new 92 used an aluminum monocoque chassis, cheaper and faster to produce than carbon fiber ,and was powered by the traditional Ford-Cosworth DFV 2993 cc V8 engine, paired with a Lotus/Hewland gearbox. The car ran on Pirelli tires, had a wheelbase of 2799 mm, weighed 580 kg, and featured no major technical updates compared to the 91, even retaining the same aerodynamic layout.
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| LOTUS 92, Nigel Mansell Jacarepaguà, Brazilian GP 1983 |
The 1983
driver lineup remained the same with Italian Elio de Angelis and
Briton Nigel Mansell. However, only Mansell used the 92 in races up
to the eighth round, scoring only modest finishes, except for a sixth
place at the Detroit Grand Prix. De Angelis used the 92 only in the
season opener in Brazil after testing the new turbo-powered 93T. Due
to the engine switch during the same event, he was disqualified
post-race, despite finishing 13th behind Mansell.
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| LOTUS 92, Nigel Mansell Paul Ricard, French GP 1983 |
Mansell’s sixth-place finish in Detroit remained the only point scored by the Lotus 92, the last Lotus F1 car to be equipped with a Ford-Cosworth DFV V8 engine, ending a 17-year collaboration between the historic British team and the engine manufacturer.
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