Lotus T128 (Le Mans Prototype)
LMP2 racer built by ADESS and Kodewa for the 2013 season.
The Lotus T128 was an LMP2 prototype built by ADESS and Kodewa, with design input from James Key, formerly Sauber’s technical director. Kodewa campaigned the car under the Lotus name during the 2013 FIA World Endurance Championship. Stéphane Chosse, ADESS’s founder, first proposed building a Le Mans prototype in March 2011. Construction began in February 2013, eleven months after Kodewa had acquired two chassis. The car’s aerodynamics were the main design priority, studied using Altair Engineering’s HyperMesh software for finite-element simulations and Radioss for crash-test modeling; the scale wind tunnel at Mercedes-Benz’s Brackley Formula One base was also used. Chosse said he took a similar aerodynamic approach to his Formula One work. The T128’s naturally aspirated V8 engine, derived from the BMW S65 (used in the M3), was angled at 90 degrees, rebadged by Praga, and reduced to 3600 cc. It produced about 450 hp, with peak torque of 405 Nm at 7,000 rpm and a maximum of 9,500 rpm. A six-speed sequential gearbox from Hewland Transmissions was custom-fitted, and a roof-mounted intake fed air to the engine. The carbon-fiber monocoque integrated the rollover structure, and the suspension used double wishbones with pushrod-actuated torsion bars and dampers inside the chassis. Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes and power steering were also fitted.
The programme was announced during the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans weekend. A first test planned for December 2012 was delayed seven weeks to allow installation of additional parts. The car’s first public image appeared on 1 August 2012. Lotus entered the 2013 season with two cars. At the season-opening 6 Hours of Silverstone, both failed to finish, but at Spa-Francorchamps they placed in the top six. During the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a legal dispute over unpaid invoices led to the cars being temporarily seized by bailiffs; a Le Mans court ordered their return after Lotus showed the invoices were fictitious. Both cars then failed to finish Le Mans and the subsequent São Paulo round. The team’s only podium came at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas. In the final three races, the T128s finished no higher than sixth. They ended the season seventh and eighth in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Teams. After 2013, Lotus moved to LMP1 and replaced the T128 with the CLM P1/01.
- Class
- Le Mans Prototype 2 (LMP2)
- Designer
- James Key
- Manufacturer
- ADESS and Kodewa
- Engine
- Naturally aspirated V8 BMW S65, 3600 cc, ~450 hp
- Transmission
- Six-speed sequential gearbox by Hewland Transmissions
- First season
- 2013
- Notable result
- Only podium at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas
Lore & Background
The T128's concept originated in March 2011 when Stéphane Chosse, founder of ADESS, proposed building a Le Mans prototype. Kodewa ordered two chassis a year later, and construction began in February 2013. The car was designed to meet 2014 LMP1 regulations for improved driver safety and visibility. Its black and gold livery was designed by automotive futurist Daniel Simon. The naturally aspirated V8 engine, derived from the BMW S65 used in the M3, was rebadged by Praga and produced around 450 hp. The T128's monocoque began production in February 2013 and was homologated a month later. The programme was announced during the 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans weekend. A scheduled first test in December 2012 was delayed by seven weeks for additional parts. Both cars failed to finish the season-opening 6 Hours of Silverstone but finished in the top six at Spa-Francorchamps. A legal dispute over unpaid invoices arose during the 24 Hours of Le Mans, leading to the cars being temporarily seized by bailiffs until a Le Mans court ordered their return after Lotus proved the invoices were fictitious. Both cars failed to finish Le Mans and the subsequent round in São Paulo. Lotus took their only podium at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas, but finished no higher than sixth in the final three races. The two T128s finished seventh and eighth in the FIA Endurance Trophy for LMP2 Teams. After the season, Lotus moved into LMP1 and replaced the T128s with the CLM P1/01.
Reader's Guide
The Lotus T128 represents a brief but notable chapter in LMP2 racing, built through a collaboration between ADESS and Kodewa with design input from James Key. Its development emphasized aerodynamics, using Altair Engineering's software and wind tunnel testing at Mercedes-Benz Formula One's Brackley headquarters. The car's engine, a BMW S65 V8 reduced to 3600 cc, was a production-based unit rebadged by Praga. The T128's racing history was marked by reliability issues and a legal dispute that saw the cars temporarily seized during the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Despite these challenges, the car achieved a podium at the 6 Hours of Circuit of the Americas and finished seventh and eighth in the LMP2 teams' championship. The T128 was designed with an eye toward future LMP1 regulations, and its successor, the CLM P1/01, continued the team's presence in the top class. The car's black and gold livery, designed by Daniel Simon, and its association with the Lotus name gave it a distinctive visual identity. The T128's legacy is that of a competitive but troubled prototype that demonstrated the potential of a small team operating with manufacturer support.
Did You Know?
- The T128's aerodynamic study used Altair Engineering's HyperMesh tool for finite element simulations.
- The car's engine was a naturally aspirated V8 variant of the BMW S65, also used in the BMW M3.
- Both T128s were temporarily seized by bailiffs during the 24 Hours of Le Mans due to a legal dispute over unpaid invoices.
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