RICHARD PORTER

In a parallel universe, one particularly shrewd brand partnership reigns supreme

- RICHARD PORTER

AUGUST 1983 TOYOTA ANNOUNCES THAT IT has bought Lotus. The two companies have been co-operating for over a year, with Lotus getting Toyota parts for the Excel and Toyota getting Lotus engineering know-how for the Supra, but few expected this buy-out. Pundits are intrigued, purists are aghast, the entire car industry has just entered a new era. Over the next two decades every other car company will wither and die in the face of a partnership that can provide two simple yet desirable things: Toyotas that drive like Lotuses and Lotuses that work like Toyotas.

Ford is first to falter, wrong-footed by the world-beating manners of the '89 Starlet, which makes the Mk3 Fiesta of the same year feel flat-footed and useless. Toyota got Giugiaro's number from Lotus years ago, so when the '91 model-year Corolla and Camry arrive in stunning Italian tailored shells covering keen Lotus chassis, they're ready to crush the hopeless Mk4 Escort and unimaginative '92 Taurus, turning Uncle Henry to toast. GM goes the same year, its American market share decimated by Toyota's brilliant everyday sedans, while its flagship Corvette is humiliated by the Italstyled, Lotus V8-powered Supra IV.