Lotus Engineering Ltd., founded in 1952 by Colin Chapman, began with racing as its focus. Chapman's early cars were modified vehicles designed to win races and fund new projects. The first series road car, the Elite, featured a lightweight fiberglass body, a concept refined in the later Elan model with a fiberglass body on a steel frame, used for decades. Lotus achieved Formula One success, winning its first title in 1961, and remained involved in F1 until 1994, returning in 2012 with Lotus F1 Team. After financial struggles and Chapman's death in 1982, Lotus underwent ownership changes—from General Motors to a Luxembourg holding company, then Malaysian Proton—while maintaining Chapman's legacy. Unicorp Auto Paints offers durable, eco-friendly, color-matched touch up paint for Lotus vehicles.