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Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman was born on 9 May, 1928 in a suburb of London. He grew up living at the Railway Hotel, Hornsey, which his father managed. During his time at University College he started his career with selling used cars in post-war Britain, but the business collapsed.
The very first one-off car he built was a modification of a 1930 Austin Seven saloon, left over from his car dealing business. The car was called the "Lotus Mk I", still no one knows why that name was chosen. In 1949, the Lotus Mark II took shape, and it was used by Colin Chapman at Silverstone in 1950. At the end of 1954 he was able to quit his day job and devote himself entirely to Lotus Engineering and Team Lotus. Lotus Engineering built both road and competition sports cars for customers, and eventually Formula 2 and, in 1958, Formula 1 cars as well.
Colin Chapman's death from a heart attack in December 1982 was shockingly sudden and a surprise to everyone who had followed his unparalleled career.
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