Lotus Clubs and Magazines

[TrevorB]

I have been a member of Club Lotus since owning my Elan and obviously receive the Club Lotus News magazine quarterly.

There is now Lotus Drivers Club and their magazine Chicane. (Have not subscribed to this).

Recently I have had email notification of a new magazine called Absolute Lotus.

What do other LEC members subscribe to and what are your thoughts on their content.

Has anyone else had notification of this new magazine, Absolute Lotus?


TrevorB

[Simon_P]

Club Lotus, because I believe in the greater good of contributing to a club that has a chance at representing all of us, whatever one's interests.

Lotus Drivers Club is eons old, haven't joined because its about driving and I'm more about fixing and restoring, which is after all 1/2 of the reason for owning Lotus.

For a short while in the 80s I subscribed to Lotus World, which was a factory run club... All a bit much for me when I was doing a paper round to pay for it.

[Fredjohn]

Trevor

I have been a Club Lotus member since 1984/5 and consequently have several back copies!! Never joined LDC, although it was my "local" club being originally formed in the Midlands.

I too received notification of the Absolute Lotus mag, but have yet to decide: probably won't though as I am happy with the general mixed content of Club Lotus mags.

Unlike Simon I am into the driving side, but more the touring and meetings rather than racing, as well as the fixing (where I can!).

So Club Lotus mag will remain my main Lotus related read.

[Rambo]

I've been a member of Club Lotus for approx 18 years so that is my quarterly read. I used to keep every issue but have had a big clearing and now ditch one when the most recent copy is received. I usually have 4 back issues.

Like John, I am also in to the driving side. The less time the cars are in the garage and the more times they are not the black stuff the better

[Scott J]

I have been getting Club Lotus for 18 years. Too much content on 1960s for me, prefer modern Lotus and actually driving.
LDC probably suit me better though the Scotland area leader was a bit of a to55er, the new guy is a mate of mine and much better so may join.

as for Absolute Lotus I have taken a subscription for 1 year, see how it goes, I buy plenty car mags from WHSmiths so will just cut them down a bit .

[dapinky]

I'm with CL (first joined back in the early 80's when my Europa was 8 years old) - although i read the quarterly magazine, i am a member for 3 reasons....

1) It is nice to 'belong' to something
2) They provide area meetings (nowt local to me now), national meetings (even though Donington and Stoneleigh are defunct), Castle Combe etc etc
3) I get a bit of a discount on my insurance for both the Elan and Triumph by belonging.

I don't find the printed articles to be high on my list, but I rwad them anyway.

I prefer the 'random' articles on the interweb.

[DeanG]

Publications from Lotus Ltd's and the Historic Lotus Register.

[MPx]

Club Lotus since the 80's - 1/4ly mag

LDC for a couple of years in the 90s, but I didn't take advantage of anything they did so decided to drop it.

Seloc for a year or so but back then they turned out to be a childish bunch so not for me

Autobahnstormers for the decade I had the Lotus Carlton - 1/4ly mag + useful forum

SLOC for the 3 years I had the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus and kept it going for another 10 after I sold it as I enjoyed their company and events - 1/4ly mag + useful forum

There have been several short lived Lotus specialist mags (most started by the factory) which look good and glossy for a couple of issues and quickly run out of anything to say and got quietly dropped - still have most of them somewhere! Have just subscribed to Absolute Lotus and enjoyed the first edition.

But best sources for Lotus reading really are here for the M100 - though last few years have been nothing like as busy as it once was, and TLF for the Esprit and most other things Lotus. I actually enjoyed its predecessor the Lotus Esprit Forum more but Bibs was clever enough to see the future in expansion to cater for all the models so changed to TLF.