The Secret Life of Colin Chapman | Full Documentary

Update 011023. Please check: bit.ly/3REDe28
The British motor industry after World War Two was stagnant, lacking in innovation and entrepreneurial vision. Likewise, British racing was in a sorry state, the prospect of a British champion an all but impossible dream. Colin Chapman was finishing up his education, racing cars he designed and gearing up to turn motor racing on its head.
The Secret Life of Colin Chapman is a riveting Channel 4 documentary; a no holds barred expose on the enigmatic rogue. It covers the rise of Chapman as a driver, designer and entrepreneur, charting his immeasurable contribution to the British automotive industry and sporting legacy. His achievements are contrasted against concerns over the safety of his cars, his sportsmanship and the legality of his business practices.
"No stone is left unturned" and the documentary goes into fascinating detail investigating Chapman’s personal character, his relationship with Jim Clark, the deaths of his hero racing drivers, money, parties and the DeLorean controversy that stained his final days.
Most interesting are the frank and uncensored accounts from friends, co-workers and journalists who knew him best: “He was a genius and he was a rogue. Definitely a genius and allegedly a rogue” - Graham Arnold, Lotus Sales Director 1963 - 1981.
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____________________________________________________________________________________________
De Britse auto-industrie stond na de Tweede Wereldoorlog stil en het ontbrak aan innovatie en ondernemersvisie. Evenzo verkeerde het Britse racen in een erbarmelijke staat, het vooruitzicht van een Britse kampioen werd een bijna onmogelijke droom. Colin Chapman was zijn opleiding aan het afronden, hij bereidde zich voor om het autoracen op zijn kop te gaan zetten.
The Secret Life of Colin Chapman is een meeslepende Channel 4-documentaire; een nietsontziende ontmaskering van een raadselachtige schurk. Het behandelt de opkomst van Chapman als coureur, ontwerper en ondernemer, en brengt zijn onmetelijke bijdrage aan de Britse auto-industrie en sportieve erfenis in kaart. Zijn prestaties staan ​​in contrast met zorgen over de veiligheid van zijn auto's, zijn sportiviteit en de legaliteit van zijn zakelijke praktijken.
"Iedere steen wordt omgedraaid" en de documentaire gaat in op fascinerende details over het persoonlijke karakter van Chapman, zijn relatie met Jim Clark, de dood van zijn heldencoureurs, geld, feesten en de DeLorean-controverse die zijn laatste dagen kleurde.
Het meest interessant zijn de openhartige en ongecensureerde verhalen van vrienden, collega's en journalisten die hem het best kenden: "Hij was een genie en hij was een schurk. Absoluut een genie en naar verluidt een schurk” - Graham Arnold, Lotus Sales Director 1963 - 1981.
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[@pR1mal.]

The Black and Gold Johhny Player Special is my all time favorite livery to this day

[@liverpoolscottish6430]

Let's be succinct- Chapman was an engineering and innovative genius. He transformed F1, not once, but THREE times. His influence was huge, his achievements overshadow his 'creative accounting.'

[@Despiser25]

Not to the people that hate the man. For them any tiny failure as a human far outshines any achievement to "the Patriarchy," lol.

[@philtucker1224]

(As a motorsport apprentice back in the early seventies) Colin Chapman came along and stood by my bench to watch me working. I’m sure I saw him nod his approval as he walked onwards, and I’m still proud of that now. Legend!🙏

[@nathanstacey4237]

A true Englishman

[@thomaselliott573]

Get a life

[@TellURide447]

Sure mate. Cool story

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Had a similar experience with the senior engineers at Smith's Industries - Newmark near Croydon, where we designed helicopter fight control systems for Westland, Sikorsky, Bell etc.. The airframe control surfaces and sensors were designed and built around the analogue and digital computers - 1980's/90's.

[@philtucker1224]

@@huwzebediahthomas9193 Still a well respected innovator - to this day.

[@LeoWuerde]

The genius beside Chapan in F1: JIM CLARK - By far the greatest driver ever - no doubt. He is and was the Best of the Best. No other driver in history until today was so superior as Clark. This man is the Olymp of driving - the Michelangelo of racing - a dynamic art at the highest level. So smooth, so precise, so fast....simply out of this world. One, who won in Spa by 5 minutes (!) in monsoon rain...One, who takes back a complete lap (!) in Monza and back into the lead... One, who took pole on the original 22,8 km Nürburgring track by 9 (!) seconds and more....One who won Indy by 2 whole (!) laps...For eternity and by lightyears unmatched in the sport. That`s just four examples of his mesmeric unique genius...

[@ASQUITHZ9]

Absolutely spot on

[@tomthumb3085]

What a very sad ending for such a brilliant innovator and engineer. He was always my favourite race personality due to his energy and drive. In my opinion, he was a legend in his own lifetime, and will never be replaced.

[@hagestad]

Lets not forget that he would spend rest of his life in prison had he not died when he did.

[@glennwalker2996]

Gordan murry is number 1 for me!!

[@richardmortimer8147]

The Lotus 79 did not have a carbon fibre tub. The first one came in 1981, 3 years later. 25:35

[@paja2699]

Ano, máš pravdu. Vana "79" byla pouze z hliníku, stejně jako vana "78", ale "79" byla daleko pevnější...

[@tedsmith6137]

I think it was the McLaren MP4/1 of '81 that was the first c/f chassis.

[@norberthofer5830]

I didn't realize how young he was when he passed away. An incredible designer where the cars were fast but deadly. RIP.

[@bengaliinplatforms1268]

He lived the life of three men, in his 50 odd years. He looked far older than that when he died.

[@Despiser25]

Fast but deadly is what made auto racing a great SPORT. Take away any risk and the Sport doesn't exist. I tired of watching a race-long parade lap by the 90s.

[@kryzondaan1855]

I remember recording this from the original transmission in the late 90s, could have been 97 or 98. I watched it a few times, I only had the 5 channels available and often used to watch thing I had recorded multiple times. Having not seen it for 25 years, I knew word-for-word what someone was going to say next, at many points. Consumption and availability of media has changed beyond all recognition. It's only when I am watching something I can remember watching in the old days that I'm aware of just how much

[@keithstudly6071]

Interesting how the program skips over Lotus involvement at Indianapolis. In March 1968 Chapman and Jim Clark were in Indianapolis testing the new 4 wheel drive turbine Indy car. In April Clark was killed and Chapman hired Mike Spence to drive Clark's car at Indianapolis. If no one knew where Chapman was for three weeks it was because he spent most of it at Indianapolis. Then Spence was killed in testing at Indianapolis. Colin went back to England right after. Graham Hill drove at Indy and set a track record in qualifying but early in the race a hub broke and he lost a wheel during the race. Hill never drove at Indy again. In 1969 Chapman and Lotus were back at Indy with cars that were powered by Ford V8 engines but with a chassis very similar to the 1968 turbine cars. There was quite a bit of concern about the construction of those cars and Mario Andretti was the only driver to do any serious practice. Each day they inspected the hubs for cracks. There were cars for Hill and Stewart entered but only Andretti did any serious practice. Then one day a rear hub broke and Andretti hit the wall hard and suffered facial burns in the fire. After the crash Chapman said he was leaving and said his cars were all junk and he was going to "Cut them all up with hacksaws". Leaving out the Indy involvement from 1962 to 1969 was leaving out a big part of the story. One of the attractions to racing in the United States during this time was it was relatively easy to avoid paying taxes on the money you won there. See the movie "Grand Prix" after the U.S. Grand Prix when the winner is handed a fat envelope of cash after the race. All the British teams regarded the race as a really super pay day because it was mostly tax free.

[@westfieldcup]

Please check: kzbin.info/aero/PLGDgnEQz518lIqToJXfVqlyfTlmxOB5lP and/or focus on: kzbin.info/www/bejne/epjIYWmtgMymicU Enjoy!

[@darrenbrailsford6809]

Such a shame what happened at the end. All done through the pressures staying afloat and competitive. Team Lotus did go on to have a little success with Ayrton Senna in the mid 1980’s but nothing like there heyday. Colin Chapman though was and is a legend. Defining formula one into what it is today, aerodynamics, sponsorship, innovation. All down to him. A genius. One of my proudest moments is when I bought one of his creations, a Lotus Esprit. A piece of Chapman perfection. I just wish we could see those good days again. But unfortunately it will never happen.

[@kevindimauro9689]

We can still see them here. I feel the cars of Jim Clark’s era so much more humanoid and

[@thomaselliott573]

their

[@jonnyfive9415]

Colin was a great listener to both mechanics and engineers and anyone who had a clever idea. He would make notes, refer to them and come up with his ideas which became unique in the sport at that time. A clever man, complexed and driven like most geniuses'.

[@annnee6818]

And could have been another "that austrian guy from the 1940s"

[@saxon-mt5by]

#3.06 Chapman did not create the only British post-war car company - just off the top of my head how about Bristol, Cooper, Elva, Ginetta, Lola, Marcos, TVR? There are dozens of them!

[@royhammond2232]

How many of them won a Grand Prix or anything else for that matter!

[@john1703]

@@royhammond2232 Eric Broadley of Lola helped to create the Ford GT40 in 1964. John Surtees won the 1966 Can-Am series in a Lola T70. Graham Hill won the Indy 500 in 1966 in a Lola T90. Lola T70s came 1st and 2nd at the Daytona 24 hour race in 1969.

[@brianwillcox5369]

So ColinChapman was not perfect but he was a brilliant “thinker outside of the box” man who brought much prestige and honour to Britain. Pity there are few like him today to sort out the shambles of a once proud engineering nation.

[@chrisb8075]

You mean narcississtic dictators who would sell their granny for a step up the ladder? Oh l think you'll find we aren't short of them today.

[@thomaselliott573]

as far as engineering goes, Britain was always primitive and remained so throughout its history

[@dannygray-mi3xn]

Colin was working class, and in England. working class people aren't allowed to be successful. If they are, they must have cheated. It's sickening how Colin Chapman, much like Brian Clough, Don Revie etc, in football, was/were portrayed.

[@user-vj6op6zi2n]

​@@dannygray-mi3xnor their faults, flaws or failures are seen as more important than their achievements.

[@dannygray-mi3xn]

@@user-vj6op6zi2n Yeh, like the people who are seen as ok weren't just as flawed? Miss me with that crap.

[@polygamous1]

This documentary should a been callled the life of the genius Mechanical engineer of the 20th century

[@nervo6321]

A true British legend and ground breaking innovator...

[@groove.central1656]

and crook, lol

[@ronaldsalas7799]

and to say the least- a very questionable business man

[@nathanstacey4237]

@@groove.central1656 why is he a crook? U Bel end

[@erichamilton5932]

A true English legend for sure, they don't' make them like that anymore.

[@helmuthj.zotter7272]

so brilliant his cars fell apart, killing lots of Formula1 drivers....

[@jonathancompression9501]

This is a fantastic documentary, it exposes the great engineer that Chapman was without glossing-over his faults. Nice piece on the DeLorean affair and enjoyed Professor Botsford's opinions 👍

[@davidthompson5460]

There was a British revolution in Formula One in the late 1950s, but it was led by JOHN COOPER.

[@EricIrl]

Yes - although this is a pretty good documentary, it does make a number of assertions that aren't correct. Cooper indeed were more revolutionary, at least in the mid to late 50s. It was Cooper and Vanwall that showed that Britain was on the rise in the world of GP racing. And a British car did win a GP as far back as the 1920s. Also, it's wrong to categorise the race in which Clark died as a "minor Formula 2 race". It was a round of the European Formula 2 championship which, in those days, was an extremely important series and many F1 drivers participated in it. In those days, F1 was not so dominant over other race series as it likes to think of itself today.

[@royhammond2232]

And what did it achieve? Very little compared to Chapman

[@EricIrl]

@@royhammond2232 Nothing, apart from transforming motor sport.

[@tedsmith6137]

The thing this documentary doesn't explain is the Gold Leaf naming. The rules then forbade any markings on the car except number, driver name and team name. So after reading the rules, Chapman changed the team name from "Team Lotus" to "Gold Leaf Team Lotus". Perfectly legal but, along with the new colour scheme, brought the product name to public display, thereby opening the door to the mobile billboards of today.

[@Jim.Hummel]

Colin Chapman's greatness stemmed from being able to squeeze just a bit more out of a performance envelope (and people) than anyone else. His car designs reflected this clearly. His business life was similar as he did not like being constrained by rules, especially when they favored others. All the other great motoring factories have done the same thing. Chapman's elegant engineering efficiency created some of the most iconic automobiles among storied names. His unique approach to problem-solving has forever changed the automotive field for the better. Colin Chapman deserves his heroic status!

[@phillip5245]

I suppose that's a charitable way to describe a con man.

[@herzkine]

@@phillip5245 at first sight he seems like bernie plus a great engineer in him.

[@roverwaters3875]

Like Ettore Bugatti

[@brianbarney1885]

Enzo was the greatest con man in racing; Ferrari still gets a greater share of FIA funds than any other constructor.

[@eotwh]

Chapmans ability was to get individuals working for LOTUS to "THINK" about solving the problem of the day .... ie one man solves one problem a day ... 50 men solve 50 problems a day, he had that ability to motivate & persevere ,,, all that plus Clark & Clark driving an opportunistic genius.

[@stephenfasick5839]

I adore Moss what a true sportsman! A true Warrior!

[@paulelverstone8677]

Despite his 'creative accounting' he remains one of my heroes. How many people in the world of motorsport can say that they changed the face of F1 3 times (even if active aero was banned). My favourite story (or urban myth) was of one time, strapped for cash, he had to sell the Team Lotus private plane to finance the team. The plane was leased... :o)

[@profpainter5841]

A version of the Lotus Esprit, only very much heavier with that stainless steel body.

[@ponyrang]

Wow... !!! My best friend, It's always great. Your video is excellent quality. We liked and enjoyed to the end. Thanks

[@russthomson6168]

elegant simplicity,,

[@jeremyhowes8059]

Lots of pilfering at Lotus Cars, I recall an Elan+2s being built in a garage where I lived in Norfolk .

[@Adrian_Nel]

Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious seems to have applied to his life as much as to his cars.

[@groove.central1656]

This was awesome.

[@ernestogasulla7763]

I couldn't listen past "before Chapman Britain was the outsider": actually Vanwall and Cooper won a lot of races in '57 and '58, and Cooper the World Championship in '59 and '60 with Jack Brabham. While the first title for Lotus came in 1963 courtesy of Jim Clark. (Even BRM won one before, Hill in '62) The only non-British title in between was in '61, when the Ferrari squalos (shark nose) dominated. And this is without getting into his awful lack of empathy for human lives. His cars killed more F1 drivers than any other, yet he never once gave a thought to improving safety.

[@fabi57iamracer]

The history is better than the sport itself.

[@craigkleber9316]

Tremendously engaging. Thank you for posting. @31:40 and after Chapman accurately assessed what the DeLorean was - a piece gimmicky garbage born from a Detroit huckster. Chapman was no saint and had serious morality issues but was a genius... DeLorean is best 'appreciated' by the car he made, its quality, etc. The sentimentality that DeLorean enjoys amongst some people shows the power sentiment to cloud sound thinking.

[@mgutkowski]

And yet their build quality far outstrips lotus of the same era. Go figure.

[@Goldie1617]

He was a charming but ruthless man to whom the only important person in the world was C Chapman. Brilliant sure. But as a member of the audit team at Lotus when the DeLorean was being designed and the factory set up we knew where the £10,000,000 "design" grant went. We realised that it was a payment made by the government that was kept out of the public eye but was part of the overall package needed to bring DeLorean to Northern Ireland. The whole thing got buried in the files and forgotten.

[@robertwoodliff2536]

Mmmm.........between him and DL it's amazing that anything came out of NI at all..But, when all said and done.,don't think 10mill would have washed the side in a quiet market..I think DMC feel into a similar pool as the XJ220..At the same period there was a record deck factory in NI floated on public money.,which was rushed to market.,half baked.,and fell over it's own laces..

[@_Ben4810]

All with help of Jerry Juhan & his wife & their knowledge of the Swiss & Panamanian banking systems....😉

[@royhammond2232]

No need to say this is there?

[@pistonburner6448]

If only Britain had built a healthy, nurturing culture towards their entrepreneurs and automotive sector. There was no such antagonism towards their industry in Italy, France, Germany, the USA (except towards Tucker). How much of all this (the feeling of being hounded, a need to go offshore, the desperation regarding finances) was really the result of a corrupt British public sector and political class, themselves corruptly entwined with the unions and their own shady dealings (or just jealousy after their own failures to do anything right with 'their' Leylands and other auto industry) and therefore they considered companies like Lotus as adversaries. Again: Contrast how Britain's government mismanaged, hounded all of their auto industry into the ground with how the USA gave theirs a healthy environment with pretty much free reign and Germany, Italy & France literally invested and propped up theirs with massive government aid and by holding their hands all the way.

[@richardwathen7627]

No one ever mentions that Jim and Colin's relationship had reduced due to Jim's concern about the safety of Lotus cars and Jim told friends and family that he would leave Lotus at the end of '68. I was told by a member of the family that Ken Tyrrell and Jim were having discussions. My family and the Clark family were friends as fellow Borders farmers. We will never know how how that would have panned out. But I believe Jim would have been in a different team in '69.

[@huwzebediahthomas9193]

Sounds very modern day Boeing.

[@MegaReddevil71]

Great very interesting

[@michaeldelaney7271]

Yes, Chapman was great. But ... John and Charles Cooper pioneered successful British Grand Prix and sports cars. They inspired Chapman to switch to mid-engine cars.

[@lesflynn4455]

What a story. You can't doubt Chapman's drive, charisma and motivation for success. It's a shame he didn't connect with other charismatic, influential people who's ethics might have done more amazing things with Lotus. I'm not dissing Lotus, it's still an amazing company creating brilliant cars. But I'd love it if they stayed in F1.

[@deanstevenson6527]

It amazes me how the Bricklin SV-1 passed emissions and saftey regulations in 1974. Gullwing cars were accepted safety wise. The Saw door Countach was publicised, the front window could be pushed out. The constant financial issues to pay to play in North America was not just something Lotus suffered. It was the problem every 'exporter' had to guarantee forward programms, assuring dollars in an evirnoment that had 1. CAFE , 2. CARB, 3. EPA, 4. Federal Motor Vehicle regulations, 5. National State Highway Traffic Administration and 6. Consumer Liabilty Raiders...all at your throats. IMHO, Colin Chapmam and De Loren did a great job unifying the chassis design. I'd love to know who tried pushing the financial charade. Wait, I know...Ronnie and Maggie.

[@JamesSmith-tv3pz]

Excellent documentary, warts and all. Chapman was a totally underestimated genius . It saddens me to see the 'sheep mentality' modern day youth of this country pandering to anything other than a British product. Most will have no idea who Colin Chapman or Team Lotus were....

[@royhammond2232]

A truly great man, let’s not tarnish his name. The establishment tried to keep him down and must hold their heads in shame

[@chrisb8075]

He had some great ideas, was a great motivator and leader, but a great man? Not even close; and nobody tried to keep him down. If you are "creative" with rules you're going to bump against people and the organization who set the rules, that's all. To paint him as a great man, and blame others for oppressing him? Behave.

[@Jay-Leigh863]

@@chrisb8075 interesting comment about being creative with rules. You've just described every single race car designer.

[@_Ben4810]

He was an admirable rogue who tarnished his own name... He built some wonderful cars but in everything he did or created, there was normally a compromise, a weakness or a fragility in it's design, engineering or manufacture, be that a racing or road car...

[@bobterry9062]

Motor racing today is nothing like as exciting nor engaging as it was when Colin Chapman and his Lotus creations were at their peak.

[@Sirdoolan]

I wasn’t around in the 60’s or 70’s, but I still have to disagree. Last year was possibly the best season I have ever seen.

[@bobterry9062]

@@Sirdoolan Fair enough. We can only comment on what we have personally witnessed. I agree last season was well worth watching.

[@anthonygreen7978]

Lotus change F1 and Indy Cars at the same time. The '65 Indy "500" and F1 in 1965 made a Statement!

[@annnee6818]

But also LETHAL.

[@anthonygreen7978]

There will never be a designer like Coin Champman. Only one that might come close but still many miles behind still is Dan Gurney

[@tomjoseph1444]

His reputation of building light weight dangerous crap cars never went away because it was true.

[@mike.47]

My very first new car was a Lotus Elan +2 S130, (It cost £3200 in 1973 )oh how I loved it. Unfortunately it had to go when my pregnant wife could no longer get in it.

[@ericbrammer2245]

Add 'Lightness'. Great Concept!

[@saxon-mt5by]

A concept that Chapman 'stole' from Jack French!

[@MsVanorak]

kit-e-cat in the cockpit got my attention!

[@patrickvanrinsvelt4466]

Watched this few times now. I will always own a Lotus as my sports car.

[@bulterriersanromangomez2152]

Coling era un , Super-dotado Y un genio por tener esa vision que solo tienen los mas avanzados ... 😮😮😮😮

[@peregrinemccauley5010]

I don't think the Establishment and Government had anytime for Chapman . After all , he never possessed the same school tie .

[@theant9821]

it doesn't matter what the rules say, it only matters what the rules do not say.

[@denistorres9318]

Jochen Rindt and Monza 1970 skipped?

[@freemanautomotivedesign8536]

The lotus 79 did not have a carbin tub. fyi

[@fohponomalama5065]

Chapman was a “Rogue” Undeniably. A charming one, but definitely one.

[@nigelrg1]

Very interesting. Another god shattered.

[@Mishima505]

Ronnie didn’t die in the crash at Monza, but survived with two severely damaged legs. It was the operation he underwent that evening to save them that went wrong and bone marrow got into his bloodstream.

[@chrisb8075]

Not quite right, he died from a fat embolism that caused his kidneys to shut down.

[@bradwilliams1691]

My brother died of the exact same thing back in 1976.

[@royhammond2232]

He died because his Lotus broke

[@Mishima505]

@@royhammond2232 no, he survived the crash with two broken legs.

[@royhammond2232]

@@Mishima505 HE DIED BECAUSE HIS LOTUS BROKE! He wouldn’t have been in hospital if it hadn’t broke smart arse

[@currentbatches6205]

3:56 - Sounds like Smokey Yunick. 9:40 - The joke in vintage racing had Chapman removing parts from a new design and sending it out on the track until it broke, when he had the last part put back in... 32:00 - You had it right earlier; DeLorean was a marketer, not an engineer. Steve Jobs had the sense to hire good technical people who could match the product to his marketing views; not DeLorean. 46:03 - Shame; that would have solved the 'purposing' issues and presented no issues which other designers couldn't handle either.

[@craftingpeople7097]

actually the most beautiful car brand / concept. too bad the quality was rather poor ,but Lotus still creates nimble cars.

[@andrewstorm8240]

Yes that mix with DeL caused issues

[@user-sh3cq5zv2i]

In the end, all geniuses are still human. History has already told us that genius does not equal sainthood, and even elementary school students understand this. He made the greatest contribution to the history of F-1. This is a fact that will continue to be engraved in history. Also, if this rumor is true, it just means that he was just a normal human being.

[@marcorinchi5150]

Grazie Chapman per aver costruito le auto da corsa più belle al mondo

[@OwenMichaels]

Thank you for posting. I learned a lot about Team Lotus and their innovative leader that I never knew.

[@jbg48]

Odd editing to put RIndt's death before Clark's

[@peteanderson4395]

Jim Clark.....the best in my opinion..... I'm a Schumacher and Senna fan but Clark was the best...... just my opinion

[@cowanscott9047]

The single biggest name in F1 next to Bernie.. Peas in a pod.. to a certain extent..you've got to love them!!

[@STRGHTSXBNZ]

Victor Muller from Spyker must have really looked up to Mr Chapman😅

[@ronniescott5179]

He had many strengths and many weaknesses . His relationhip with people was often a problem which hindered his financial prospects. He was an inovative designed often relianing on chance which resulted in a good concept with a flawed results. He was a great characted much missed

[@scottdelong1]

The dominant Lotus 79 of 1978 did not have a carbon monococque; it was aluminum. The first full carbon fibre monococque was the McLaren MP4/1 of 1981. This documentary paints a full picture of a complex man. Brilliant, original, and charismatic with the honesty of a three card Monte dealer with overtones of psychopathy. This isn't a crude hatchet job, more like a few deft flicks of a stiletto. The amphetamines were mentioned in a recent biography (Colin Chapman Wayward Genius by Mike Lawrence) and may have accounted for some of his more questionable decisions.

[@stupidhead9117]

Look at how the amazing ambassadors of the sport like Jim Clark compare so highly above tools like Hamilton who are only concerned about themselves and their image.

[@royhammond2232]

You are aptly named

[@anthonygreen7978]

Colin Champman to Auto Racing is like Vince Lombardi to the NFL

[@wendyandgeoffpattison2610]

Of course none of this is true is it. It was Sir Jack Brabham and John Cooper that changed motor racing forever. The Cooper Climax car was the genius car that gave Britain the formula 1 championship.

[@royhammond2232]

I don’t believe a single word in those 3 sentences is correct

[@DL-ls5sy]

Brabham was the first to try in Indy. 1961 , Cooper Climax 2,7 l. he finished 9 ou 11 th...I don't know. Lotus Ford : 1963, 2 years later

[@lesterbeedell9725]

@@royhammond2232and what do you base your comments on?

[@heliumtrophy]

He was a genius that's no doubt but thank god it didn't gloss over what a bastard he was at times. Gives a fuller picture of the man and I enjoy documentaries that do that.

[@citronr1]

I’ve always thought of Colin Chapman as either the UK’s Enzo Ferrari or Enzo Ferrari Light, having owned and thoroughly enjoyed both a 62 Lotus 7 BMC America and 64 Lotus Super 7 Series 2. More fun than humans should be allowed to have on four wheels …. a car that Chapman reportedly hated although it helped him support his racing team.

[@borjastick]

The real truth about the Delorean money and the double invoicing etc is still known by at least two individuals. One of whom went on the be a senior advisor at the FIA. Seems to me Chapman achieved great things but was a shyster seven days a week. Interestingly those who know the truth were not on this film. Odd that.

[@delahayenator]

Also not mentioning Giugiaro once, who did the design of both the Esprit and DeLorean. Not meaning to say ItalDesign was in on the shady maneuvering.

[@DrJReefer]

Motorsport was built by shysters and scammers. Just ask Bernie.

[@_Ben4810]

The 'real truth' is hardly a secret...Lotus was a big enough company with plenty of people who saw many things...but staff were (& remain to this day...) loyal to Chapman & what he achieved... There had been creative accounting going on for years at Lotus, they were by then already very proficient in it...

[@royhammond2232]

I bet your a barrel of laughs to have a drink with

[@borjastick]

@@royhammond2232 I'm very much enjoyable company, what was wrong with my comment?

[@nigelhoward7403]

Nothing mentioned about his ‘funeral’. A disappearance as fast as his cars.

[@Bouya_Harumichi]

He must've been greatly disappointed if he gets to see the current condition of Lotus

[@weaton25]

Lotus F1 cars have always been the best looking cars having said in many ways it seems he only really cared about his cars winning races if a wheel comes of and the driver gets killed never mind there are plenty of young men willing to risk there life

[@ChrisHopkinsBass]

Whilst Champman was a brilliant engineer and designer but had a touch of the Robert Maxwells when it came to accountancy and corporate responsibility

[@royhammond2232]

No question it seems Chap an was not entirely honest in business, but please Maxwell…..that’s harsh as a comparison surely

[@kevindimauro9689]

I didn’t watch the end of this video. The man was a genius in the automotive world . For me it was case closed.

[@norwichnorfolk1584]

Work for him in the 70s in his boat business not the nicest of person I’ve met, my mate watched them destroy two Deloreans put in a skip with a jcb and taken away!

[@Ellemerob]

Would love to know what Chapman would have made of Senna.

[@_Ben4810]

Obviously highly regarded, but he wouldn't have been able to have kept him in the team as the Ron Dennis/McLaren trajectory of big team sponsorship & investment in R&D & race car engineering rapidly left behind so many established teams like Team Lotus who were still operating from converted stable blocks & a few rooms in an isolated country hall...

[@3RTracing]

Anybody in a signed set of Colin Chapman's books on sports car design?

[@BeesWaxMinder]

Was there any particular reason he chose “Lotus“ as a brand name, BTW..?

[@westfieldcup]

Please check: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fXypfaWolMuqpZI

[@andrewpulford8964]

The Lotus Eaters probably.

[@BeesWaxMinder]

@@westfieldcup T H A N K S !

[@disillusionedanglophile7680]

Italian cars were red, Germans, silver, french, blue, the British cars were the colour of old engine oil. Then came Cosworth, lo and behold, they were green after all

[@alandenson6649]

So much of this unpleasantness could have been avoided if the United States Government given some of the money that it ultimately lent to Chrysler. It could have been a great job creation venture for Detroit.

[@paulshubsachs4977]

Chapman"s early successes were not achieved single-handedly. Spare some thought and acknowledgement for the vital input of Frank Costin's aerodynamics, for which little recompense was received!!

[@alexthedog]

GROUP LOTUS The Secret Life of Colin Chapman | Full Documentary 2:59 AM 727

[@swoondrones]

Money corrupts everyone. He lived large, though.

[@ASQUITHZ9]

Hey a positive Angel compared to the post office!!!

[@brucebelcher]

Chapman was a big part of the movement that woke Grand Prix racing up. Other contributors were Cooper, Brabham, Lola and McLaren

[@321-Gone]

In this documentary we can see the direct line between Italy and France's subsidies of their teams, and how Brittan didn't, that led to Chapman's early death. In Chapman's eyes, he brought prestige to Brittan that surpassed what Ferrari did for Italy. So he felt he should've been rewarded for it. Instead he burned his life out trying everything he could to keep that prestige alive. Once he was truly backed into a corner by the same country that he rewarded with prestige, and the unhealthy lifestyle he had to keep that dream alive, His life was forfeited. If Enzo was in his shoes, he could well likely have left a similar legacy.

[@devonbikefilms]

Chapman was a flawed genius no doubt. His world largely centred around him he lied to his family, to his colleagues and ultimately it seems to himself. If he’d been an oil magnate or led a banking company instead of the leading in the glamorous and equally flawed world of F1, he’d more likely been vilified rather than deified. Loads Of Trouble Usually Serious might be a fitting epitaph after all.

[@davidclarke7728]

Hold on what about Jaguar , what a one sided story

[@frederickbowdler8169]

Colin's structures were too weak and safety and reliability suffered.

[@ChrisCysterOne]

There was a time before Ford

[@davidthompson5460]

Bull shit. Rindt omitted the crotch belt, saying something about its threatening his manhood.

[@janveit2226]

I just see signs of psychopathic behaver written all over. And it is hard to accept, knowing what brilliant designer Chapman was.

[@stuffthings3728]

What is the craic with money he took

[@peteanderson4395]

For all his faults... I will say the most innovative designer.. not just in F1 but at Indianapolis

[@Schlipperschlopper]

Sadly soon all combustion cars and trucks including classics will be banned from public streets in entire EU and Scandinavia :-( In Germany the Green Peoples Party gave order to shorten fuel supply from 2025 on by reducing all conventional fuel stations to only one state operated central gas station per city or county. Car washs will be forbidden too because they are climate killers, now they want to slow down all the gas station pumps from 20 litre per minute to 2 litre per minute...From 2027 on in the EU certain car spare parts will be banned too....as exhaust systems, turbo chargers and even some engine and gearbox oils...California and New York will do the same from 2027 on.... So no investments should be done in oil burning cars any longer....They even created a new kind of crime here, called emissions and smoke crime.!!! (BABVVEN & TEBBVEN & BEFVO laws)!!

[@pioshelby7611]

It looks like he had ADHD. The amphetamines are very like stimulants that people with ADHD are prescribed today. Also I think a touch of narcism. That ability to believe something he just said even though it was not real at all. What an absolute genius though.

[@royhammond2232]

Sounds like you must have known him well

[@DL-ls5sy]

I agree. he eats amphetamine. I have read "Colin Chapman, wayward genius" (Mike Lawrence). great book !

[@darrylwalker1867]

Except ADHD sufferers are not prescribed amphetamines as stimulants, the opposite in fact.

[@gertjanboot5535]

A ruthless man who totally did not care for the safety of his drivers !! many deaths on his behalf , ask Nina Rindt , Chapman did not care at all !!

[@dickmccall4343]

Why can’t we get a PM like colin

[@dipling.pitzler7650]

You got one and his name was Boris Johnson! Always be careful to what you wish for. LOL

[@georgeburns7251]

You can have Donald Dump. Not an engineer, but otherwise a draft dodger

[@Despiser25]

Funny, Colin Chapman is a bad man for dealing with DeLorean while the 6th Keating named John McLame was allowed to run for President.

[@juancarlossaavedra6757]

Many racing drivers died from their mistakes or accidents on the track, but in Lotus cases they where because of car mistakes.

[@plymouthrock5281]

What a insight. History as white washed a lot of his exploits, when you hear f1 people talk about him you would never know what a geezer he was

[@ViN-kr3ri]

Yes, a great designer and innovator, but also a very dodgy character and amongst other things a fraudster proven liar. Would have received at least 10 years in prison if he'd lived to face trial. Reducing his cars' weight was also more important to him than driver safety, and some of his cars were deathtraps, particularly those driven by Rindt.