Lotus has applied for the Eleven trademark in the EU, hinting at a comeback for its lightweight legend. We trace the 1950s roots and 2-Eleven, 3-Eleven legacy.
Lotus is preparing to revive one of its most storied names. An application for the Eleven trademark has surfaced in the European Union Intellectual Property Office database, a badge the British brand once reserved for its featherweight track machines of the 1950s.
The original Lotus Eleven, built from 1956 to 1958, embodied founder Colin Chapman’s philosophy of simplifying and shedding weight. With an aluminum body and engines rated up to 105 hp, it took victories at Le Mans, Sebring, and Monza, reinforcing the idea that agility can trump sheer muscle.
The theme resurfaced later as the Lotus 2-Eleven (2007) and 3-Eleven (2016). Both models prioritized minimal mass and extreme performance, turning every outing into a near race-car experience—clear proof that the brand’s purist recipe still has bite.
If a new Eleven does emerge, it could join a line of sports cars, potentially even in electric form. For Lotus, that would signal a return to its core: unfiltered driver engagement and a devotion to lightness that helped make the marque a motorsport legend. The name seems tailor-made for that mission.