Essex Petroleum Chapman’s refuelling strategy backfires<\/strong><\/p>\n Introduction <\/strong><\/p>\n Lotus cars sold<\/p>\n They were bought for their:-<\/p>\n All the above were integrated within a total framework design.<\/p>\n The above list is heavily dependent on a select group of components [either bought in proprietary or in house manufacture] that delivered the desired outcomes and met strict criteria.<\/p>\n Many of these components often contributed significantly to the overall aesthetic, many are extremely functional and beautiful in their own right .They formed part of a complementary whole.<\/p>\n In this series we examine:-<\/p>\n Understanding Lotus\u2019s use of proprietary parts provides invaluable learning opportunities not just historical but right up to the present day. These lessons are not just applicable to automotive engineers\/ designers but to the wider Industrial \/Product Design professions.<\/p>\n The Skillful and creative adoption, absorption and integration of components was a powerful factor in the Chapman design methodology and contributed significantly to both competition and commercial success. It also feed his ability to mutate parts and materials to his desired ends.<\/p>\n The use of components is a fundamental skill of the Industrial Designer and the direct provision of added value.<\/p>\n The exact interpretation of sponsorship in conjunction with Lotus is difficult to establish objectively. The appearance of a sponsor\u2019s logo on a car is not necessarily evidence of financial support. Access to historical archive and contracts is sought wherever possible but with the passage of time and for various reasons these are not always available or accessible to the public.<\/p>\n This series also embraces the specialist suppliers to Lotus. We are particularly interested in those suppliers and products that have a connectivity with aviation.<\/p>\n In constructing the historic sponsor series, the A&R looks only at the logos worn in period and assumes the company involved had no objection to Lotus promoting their products. The A&R sees much to be gained by the wider promotion of sponsors but in the event that a specific organization disapproves for any reason that article will be removed.<\/p>\n Sponsorship is an instrument of mutual benefit and promotion. Subscribers might like to see A&R articles on Sponsorship and Product Placement to understand the numerical \/ financial reach provided by sponsorship with its ability to identify and project status through identification.<\/p>\n The principle continues particularly with regard to education based exhibitions [see below for details]<\/p>\n Each of these articles is devoted to a company\/ organization that is believed to have sponsored or supplied specialist items to Lotus.<\/p>\n The intention of each article is to: –<\/p>\n Subscribers might to see complementary and structured pieces to this article: –<\/p>\n Essex Company Profile \/Abbreviated summary from the net etc. <\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cYoung Thieme was interested in design of a rather different kind and won a place to study industrial design at the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and after graduating set up his own industrial design business, specialising in executive aircraft interiors, which one might plausibly suggest were assisted by his father\u2019s connections in the industry.<\/p>\n The firm proved to be extremely successful and Thieme worked with car manufacturers and oil companies on their jets and then began designing other things for them as well. It was in this era that\u00a0he became hooked on a racing as a fan of Parnelli Jones.<\/p>\n In the early 1970s, when Thieme was 30 and already wealthy, he decided to invest in oil trading\u00a0and set up a firm called\u00a0Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation, buying cheap oil at a time when OPEC had instigated an oil embargo, aimed at countries which supported Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The price of oil rose dramatically and would more than double again in 1979-1981. Independent oil traders leapt into the market, offering better terms to governments than were on offer from the multinationals, There were huge profits available for those with money enter the game and the overheads were low, with just a few staff needed to buy and sell the oil and arrange for transportation and refining. And thus it was that by the time he was 37, Thieme had so much money that F1 became a possibility. A deal with Credit Suisse to help finance more purchases led to a boom and he decided to get involved in motor racing, with the former F1 driver-turned-sponsorship agent Fran\u00e7ois Mazet acting as his right-hand man. At the end of April 1979 the first Essex logos appeared on the Team Lotus 80s, driven by Mario Andretti and Carlos Reutemann. Thieme also put money into the Porsche factory entries for the Le Mans 24 Hours, with two 936s, driven by Jacky Ickx\/Brian Redman and Bob Wollek\/Hurley Haywood.<\/p>\n In December 1979 he launched Essex\u00a0Team Lotus at the Paradis du Latin cabaret in Paris, with feather-clad dancers and a Lotus in Essex colours descending from the\u00a0roof, with Mario Andretti, clad in a dinner jacket, descending with it.\u00a0In 1980 Thieme took the title sponsorship of Team Lotus, with a flashy new red, blue and silver livery for Andretti, Elio de Angelis and later Nigel Mansell. Everything that Thieme did was extravagant, with the 1981 launch at the Royal Albert Hall, with 900 guests and his double-decker hospitality bus parked outside with Thieme\u2019s helicopter (in Essex colours, of course) on top. Ray Charles and Barbara Dickson sang for the guests (including Margaret Thatcher) and an Essex-liveried\u00a0Lotus Esprit was raffled and much Dom\u00a0Perignon was drunk. The 1981 season proved to be difficult with the twin-chassised Lotus 88 causing controversy when it was introduced in Long Beach\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDavid Thieme’s father was the designer of glider aircraft for the US Army during World War II and after moving to New York Thieme attended the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, studying industrial design. In the late 1960s he went into the business of industrial design and made a fortune, investing some of his profits in oil. In 1973 he closed down the business and moved into oil instead, establishing the Essex Overseas Petroleum Corporation, buying oil when demand was low and then selling it at higher prices when there was a demand, usually caused by political instability. This enabled him to make large profits, particularly in the unstable Middle East. In 1977 he began working with funds from Credit Suisse which enabled him to make bigger trades. In 1979 Thieme was able to indulge his passion for motor racing, sponsoring the sidepods of World Champions Lotus with drivers Mario Andretti and Carlos Reutemann. That same year Thieme supported two Porsche 936s at Le Mans with drivers Bob Wollek, Hurley Haywood, Jacky Ickx and Brian Redman.<\/p>\n In 1980 Lotus built a series of 100 Turbo Esprit cars in Essex colours and Thieme announced that he was becoming the title sponsor of the team with Elio de Angelis and Mario Andretti and a third car on occasion for Nigel Mansell. Essex continued as the team’s principal sponsor in 1981 but by then the oil markets had taken a serious downturn following the revolution in Iran and the start and the Iran-Iraq war and a disagreement with backer Credit Suisse resulted in Thieme being arrested in Zurich on charges brought by the banking giant. He was released after a fortnight (with his bail being paid by Akram Ojjeh) but by the middle of the year Essex had disappeared from the cars.\u201d<\/p>\n Lotus Connections <\/strong><\/p>\n Lawrence<\/p>\n \u201cDuring 1978 Colin became involved not only with Delorean but also another interesting business man, David Thieme., head of Essex Petroleum\u2026Thieme was actually an oil broker\u2026 who bought and sold crude oil\u2026<\/p>\n David Thieme had become very wealthy \u2026and he liked conspicuous display of his wealth \u2026sponsorship of F1 team appealed to Thieme for all manner of reasons, including the fact he liked motor racing.<\/p>\n He and Colin had known each other for only a short time, but they got on famously.<\/p>\n They were two of a kind and each admired the other, though for different reasons.<\/em><\/p>\n Essex Petroleum bought the space on the sidepods of the Martini Team Lotus \u2026.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite a very disappointing 1979 Essex Petroleum became title sponsor of Team Lotus in 1980, whole most of the team\u2019s previous backers took their money elsewhere.<\/p>\n When the Type 82 was launched, David hired the Royal Albert Hall\u2026 the occasion was used to launch two special editions Lotus Esprit\u2026 the special editions came in the garish blue, silver and red livery of Essex Petroleum\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n From the net<\/p>\n \u201cIn July 1979. A radical American called David Thieme wanted to promote his Essex Petroleum interests to the audience of Formula One. \u00a0 His presence at the 1979 Silverstone Grand Prix and subsequent encounter with Colin Chapman of Lotus gave rise to one of the most ambitious partnerships in the history of the sport. and changed the face of corporate hospitality as we now know it. \u00a0\u00a0 Until\u00a0Essex Motorsport\u00a0arrived on the scene. There was no celebration utilising the spectacle and thrills of F1 GPs to provide a backdrop to high-level entertaining. \u00a0It’s true that most teams had some form of standard American motorhome for the drivers to use. But\u00a0Essex\u00a0commissioned a triple decker with showers. A bar. And a briefing room \u2013 all firsts \u2013 and dining space for over 130. Including the panoramic open-air top deck for spectating.<\/p>\n Essex Petroleum sponsored<\/p>\n Lotus types 80\/81\/86\/87 \/88 (1979- 1981)<\/p>\n Lotus Sunbeam Talbot (Essex livery)<\/p>\n Lotus Esprit (Ditto)<\/p>\n Figure 1 .Essex Esprit, Archive and Resource collection<\/p>\n Figure 2 …Editors sketch of Lotus 81 Essex livery<\/p>\n Period Address for economic geography exercise<\/strong><\/p>\n David Thieme was reputed to have an office base in Monaco.Possibly<\/p>\n Essex Europe Operation Centre,<\/p>\n Le Sporting D\u2019hiver,<\/p>\n Place du Casino,<\/p>\n Monti Carlo<\/p>\n Principality of Monaco<\/p>\n Learning Opportunities<\/strong><\/p>\n Our learning \/educational opportunities are intended to be challenging thought provoking and requiring additional research and\/or analysis.<\/p>\n These opportunities are particularly designed for a museum\/education centre location where visitors would be able to enjoy access to all the structured resources available in conjunction with any concurrent exhibition.<\/p>\n Understanding the potential of componentry particularly proprietary items provides some of the following learning opportunities; in this instance we suggest the following might be appropriate:-<\/p>\n Specific to Essex Petroleum<\/p>\n General<\/p>\n Exhibitions, Education, Economics and Entertainment<\/strong><\/p>\n In the museum context the editors believe that commercial considerations are both necessary and complementary with its educational objectives.<\/p>\n For these reasons our suggested outline Business Plan includes provision for promoting products and services which share Chapman\u2019s ideals of mechanical efficiency and sustainability. In addition we propose merchandising that explain and interprets the social and cultural context of Chapman\u2019s designs in period. It\u2019s suggested there will be catalogue for on line purchasing.<\/p>\n In this instance we suggest the following exhibition titles might be appropriate:-<\/p>\n Specific:-<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/www.colinchapmanmuseum.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/word-image-5.jpeg\")
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