Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special is the pinnacle of the new Radford Type 62-2 lineup. This revitalised coach building organisation has teamed up with Lotus to build a small run of hand-built drivers cars for retro Lotus enthusiasts. To commemorate Lotus’s iconic John Player Special black and gold livery from its 1970s Formula One car Radford is introducing the Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special at the Goodwood Revival this coming weekend.

The Lotus Type 72D F1 car debuted for the 1970 season where it saw a huge amount of success carrying Jochen Rindt to an F1 championship. Jochen Rindt passed away after a crash at Monza leaving Emerson Fittipaldi to finish out the season. Their combined success made Jochen Rindt the only driver to ever posthumously receive the F1 world champion title.

For the 1971 season, the Lotus team struggled with changes but found their stride in 1972 which is when Imperial Tabaco partnered with Lotus to advertise their new John Player Special cigarette brand. That year Emerson Fittipaldi cemented his legacy as the youngest F1 champion and the John Player Special livery changed from distinct to iconic.

Gallery: Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special Is Design Perfection

Today the Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special celebrates this iconic livery by introducing the top-performing trim of the Radford 62-2. Of the 62 planned total production run only 12 examples of the Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special will be built.

The Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special benefits from a 600 bhp (447 Kilowatts) 3.5-litre engine that includes upgraded pistons, connecting rods, camshafts, calibration, and a larger, upgraded supercharger. There's also a set of larger carbon-ceramic AP Racing brakes Michelin Cup 2 tyres, larger wheels, and revised bodywork.

This bespoke race-focused trim of the new Radford Type 62-2 looks back to the golden age of Lotus Formula One while delivering customers an engaging driving experience. We look forward to seeing the Radford Type 62-2 John Player Special in action very soon.