Take a 'drive' around the Lotus track

Since Google made available Google Earth and Google Maps with the street view feature, people have been able to get a look at all kinds of places on the planet and for those interested in the auto industry, it’s been possible to see the factories and test tracks of many companies (including Proton’s and Perodua’s, if you know where to look).

Google’s Street View feature is especially useful as it takes you down to street level where you can see the surroundings (not in real-time of course… only the CIA has that sort of capability). Taking advantage of this feature, Lotus invited Google to record a testing session of selected Lotus cars and to give fans of the legendary British sportscar brand a chance to look around normally hidden areas of the Lotus Headquarters in Norfolk, UK.

On the Lotus test track, sharp-eyed Street View users will spot the Lotus 2-Eleven being driven quickly and enthusiastically (just as it is intended to be!), a development Lotus Exige 265E which is fuelled by sustainable, environmentally-friendly ethanol and a number of prototypes of the new Lotus Evora.

Nigel Marshall, Head of Facilities Management for Lotus said: “We decided to give Street View users an opportunity to look around part of the Lotus HQ and to virtually 'drive’ around the test track. Only a select number of drivers have driven on the Lotus circuit over the years but now anyone can get a closer look at where some of the most iconic British sports and racing cars have been tested and developed. To see some dynamic track driving of the Lotus 2-Eleven, just check out the North Hairpin!”

Matthew Prestopino, Google's Head of Street View Operations in Europe said, "Being invited to come and drive alongside some of the UK's coolest cars was a real treat. This is the first ever circuit in the UK to be photographed for Street View and car fans are going to love taking a virtual tour and locating their favourite Lotus cars in action on the track".

For a Street View of the Lotus Headquarters, click here. Users can access street-level imagery of the Lotus site by zooming into the lowest altitude on Google Maps, or by dragging the orange "Pegman" icon on the left-hand side of the map onto a blue highlighted road such as the Lotus test track.

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