Talk:Lotus 96T
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The Lotus 96 was designed by Gerard Ducarouge and Mike Coughlan for Team Lotus as a potential Indianapolis 500 entry in 1984. The car was designed throughout 1983 and was based on the current Lotus-Renault turbocharged car. Peter Warr, then team manager instructed Ducarouge to create an Indy racer to increase Lotus' and John Player Special exposure in the USA. The car would have been powered by a specially prepared Renault turbo engine.
Ducarouge was mindful of Lotus' past successes and worked hard on the vehicle, until the project was abandoned towards the end of 1983, partly because CART's technical rules were changed and partly because Warr decided to concentrate all the team's efforts on the new season. One chassis was finished before the project was abandoned, but parts of the design were worked into future Lotus chassis designs, particularly the Lotus 97T. I was involved in forming the American Team, headed by Roy Winkelmann. We had Al Unser Jr., and Willy T. Ribbs set to drive, but the team was disbanded when the major sponsor backed out of the deal. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 104.33.148.243 (talk) 07:18, 6 June 2014 (UTC)
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[edit]Where did this information originate? Now I'm not saying I know it to be wrong or anything, but it so happens that what I read about this car contradicts this story. I had read that it was merely an engineering exercise by the staff at Lotus with no intention whatsoever of racing it. How’s about giving references for this story please?--Amedeo Felix 13:20, 3 December 2007 (UTC)