Lotus announces D.N.A. x DNA, an immersive exhibition opening at the Lotus Mayfair showroom as part of London Design Festival 2025, where Lotus serves as the festival’s official automotive partner.
The showcase explores how the brand’s pioneering design and engineering philosophy, Digital, Natural, Analogue (D.N.A.), has shaped generations of groundbreaking innovations and continues to define the future of performance:
- Digital – representing the immersive, intelligent, and intuitive experience.
- Natural – bringing to life emotional, connected, human-centric design.
- Analogue – Lotus’ continuous advancement of performance engineering.
Seamlessly blending together these core design principles with the latest design and engineering innovations, as well as cutting-edge technologies, enables Lotus to simplify and enhance a car’s experience and performance – making it feel like a car you wear.
“This is an important moment for Lotus today. It’s a powerful reminder to everyone of our rich heritage – the design and engineering breakthroughs that have shaped the automotive world and beyond. And its proof that we are still that same pioneering brand. Lotus will always innovate, always push boundaries, and always lead the way,” said Ben Payne, Chief Creative Officer, Lotus Group.
The activation opens a dialogue between heritage and possibility, bringing together experimental materials, prototypes, and projects from Lotus’ archives that embody the brand’s relentless innovation, culminating in a raw encounter with the award-winning Lotus Theory 1.
Visitors will have the opportunity to see on display:
- Lotus Eleven
A lightweight icon of motorsport, the Lotus Eleven revolutionised racing in 1956, with its advanced aerodynamics and lightweight aluminium body. Its record-breaking success at Monza and multiple Le Mans class wins cemented Lotus’ reputation for performance through engineering ingenuity. - Lotus Type 88B
A radical car in Formula 1 at the time. The Type 88B was the first to feature carbon fibre monocoque chassis in 1981, as well as introduced the twin-chassis concept, separating aerodynamic downforce from suspension. Though banned from racing as other teams refused to race against the car, it remains a symbol of Lotus’ fearless pursuit of disruptive ideas in performance engineering, safety and handling. - Lotus Structure Isolation and Dynamics (SID) Prototype
The SID prototype was a revolutionary experimental research vehicle that combined active and passive suspension technologies to explore advanced vehicle dynamics. Key features included advanced suspension system, dynamic performance and handling, active rear steering, comprehensive data acquisition, and modular suspension mounting. It was the first time that a full understanding of the driver subjective (feel) vs objective (data) could be understood, measured and developed for vehicle dynamics and handling by engineers. The technologies and methodologies developed influenced subsequent Lotus models and contributed to key advancements in the automotive industry. - Lotus Theory 1
The award-winning design study that encapsulates the Lotus ethos for the future. Theory 1 fuses digital intelligence, natural human-centric design, and analogue performance precision, delivering an experience that is immersive, intuitive, and emotionally engaging.
Through Lotus Engineering, the brand’s world-class innovation hub supporting Lotus and customers globally, the exhibition reveals how the Lotus design philosophy transcends the automotive industry, highlighting its global impact.
This includes the iconic Lotus Type 108, from the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Breaking world records and winning the gold medal ridden by Chris Boardman, the Lotus Type 108 applied the company’s motorsport expertise in aerodynamics, composites and advanced manufacturing methods. Lotus Engineering developed an aerofoil frame design, to deliver a forward force in a cross wind or when the bike was ridden on an oval velodrome, to reduce drag and increase speed. It marked a significant leap forward in bicycle design, and setting the stage for future aerodynamic innovations in the sport.
D.N.A x DNA Exhibition Details
Lotus Mayfair, 73 Piccadilly, London W1J 8HS
13-20 September
Free Admission
For more information, please visit: https://www.lotuscars.com/en-GB/ldf2025