Evija Fittipaldi - Celebrating a Remarkable Driver/Car pairing

Lotus just announced a limited edition of the Evija, an EV hypercar that's more often than not referred to as the most powerful production car on the planet. The Fittipaldi is celebrating the 50th anniversary of iconic racer Emerson Fittipaldi and Team Lotus' 1972 win of the F1 Drivers' and Constructors' Championships, respectively.

That pairing of the Type 72 car and Emerson Fittipaldi is considered by many as one of the greatest in F1 history and many F1 scholars will even go as far as suggesting that the remarkable car still holds the title of "Best Designed F1 Car" to this day.

Based on the original Evija that made its debut in 2019, the Fittipaldi takes an already incredible machine and makes it even better; adding a new paint job, a reworked interior, and a slew of perks to emphasize the "special" bit in the term "special edition model."

Engine

The Fittipaldi ships with the same jaw-dropping setup; an electric powertrain that produces a mind-bending 2000 PS and 1,700 Nm of torque. With an electronically limited top speed of 217 mph, the Fittipaldi does 0 to 62 mph in less than 3 seconds and should hit 186 mph in less than nine seconds from a stationary position. The range also remains the same at 250 miles on a single charge which Lotus says should take 18 minutes with a 350kWh charger.

Exterior and Interior Design

Save for the new paint job and badges, the Fittipaldi maintains the regular car's design. Clean lines, alluring curves, and that typical exotic car look with the distinctive Evija touch.

Designed in conjunction with Classic Team Lotus, the Fittipaldi is a masterclass in how to evoke the spirit of an iconic car. Easily the most striking design feature, the new car's black and gold color combination pays homage to Lotus' most iconic car and one that some consider the greatest F1 car ever.

Black and gold lettering features on specific parts of the bodywork while wheels and brake calipers in the same color combination further the cause. The number '8' (the number on Fittipaldi's race car) is stickered onto the B-pillar while decals that celebrate the iconic car feature on the rear wing.

The two-color theme continues on the inside where many of the components are wrapped in black leather with gold stitching. Exclusive roof liner stitching, gold finishes to the air vent surrounds, and a rotary dial handcrafted from recycled original Type 72 aluminum are some of the main attractions on the inside. Emerson's signature is also handstitched on the dashboard too.

Lotus unveiled the Fittipaldi at an exclusive event held at their HQ in Norfolk UK with Emerson Fittipaldi as the guest of honor. Also present at the event were the remaining surviving eight examples of the Type 72 race car.

Prior to the event, F1 World Champion Jenson Button took the Evija and Type 72 for a spin at the Hethel test track. He had a lot of good things to say about the Evija, including the jet-engine-like sound and incredible handling.

With only eight models set to be manufactured, "exclusive" doesn't do the Fittipaldi justice. It goes without saying that all eight units are already spoken for. Deliveries will commence in early 2023.