ENGINEER
Colin Chapman
1928 - 1982

Colin Chapman
Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman (19 May 1928 – 16 December 1982) was an English design engineer, inventor, and builder in the automotive industry, and founder of the sports car company Lotus Cars. Chapman founded Lotus in 1952 and initially ran Lotus in his spare time, assisted by a group of enthusiasts. His knowledge of the latest aeronautical engineering techniques would prove vital towards achieving the major automotive technical advances for which he is remembered. Chapman's design philosophy focused on cars with light weight and fine handling instead of bulking up on horsepower and spring rates, which he famously summarised as "Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Read more on Wikipedia
His biography is available in different languages on Wikipedia. Colin Chapman is the 61st most popular engineer (up from 70th in 2019), the 1,144th most popular biography from United Kingdom (down from 1,008th in 2019) and the 7th most popular British Engineer.
Colin Chapman was a British engineer and inventor. He is most famous for creating the Lotus cars.
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Among ENGINEERS
Among engineers, Colin Chapman ranks 61 out of 389. Before him are William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong, John Ambrose Fleming, Kurt Gerstein, Valentin Glushko, Su Song, and Masaru Ibuka. After him are Henry Gantt, Hans Kammler, Mikhail Gurevich, Adam Czerniaków, Yuri Kondratyuk, and Charles George Gordon.
Most Popular Engineers in Wikipedia
Go to all RankingsWilliam Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong
1810 - 1900
HPI: 67.28
Rank: 55
John Ambrose Fleming
1849 - 1945
HPI: 66.83
Rank: 56
Kurt Gerstein
1905 - 1945
HPI: 66.79
Rank: 57
Valentin Glushko
1908 - 1989
HPI: 66.79
Rank: 58
Su Song
1020 - 1101
HPI: 66.74
Rank: 59
Masaru Ibuka
1908 - 1997
HPI: 66.63
Rank: 60
Colin Chapman
1928 - 1982
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 61
Henry Gantt
1861 - 1919
HPI: 66.42
Rank: 62
Hans Kammler
1901 - 1945
HPI: 66.40
Rank: 63
Mikhail Gurevich
1892 - 1976
HPI: 66.29
Rank: 64
Adam Czerniaków
1880 - 1942
HPI: 66.27
Rank: 65
Yuri Kondratyuk
1897 - 1942
HPI: 66.26
Rank: 66
Charles George Gordon
1833 - 1885
HPI: 66.23
Rank: 67
Contemporaries
Among people born in 1928, Colin Chapman ranks 94. Before him are Burt Bacharach, John Stewart Bell, Patrick McGoohan, Walter Mondale, Pierre Mauroy, and Jim Lovell. After him are Erik Bruhn, Marco Ferreri, Hubert Selby Jr., Hans Blix, Arman, and Roddy McDowall. Among people deceased in 1982, Colin Chapman ranks 62. Before him are Takashi Shimura, Mario Del Monaco, Vladimir K. Zworykin, Sobhuza II, Kristján Eldjárn, and Giovanni Benelli. After him are Adolf Heusinger, Marty Feldman, Elis Regina, Patrick Dewaere, Giovanni Ferrari, and Percy Williams.
Others Born in 1928
Go to all RankingsBurt Bacharach
MUSICIAN
1928 - 2023
HPI: 66.75
Rank: 88
John Stewart Bell
PHYSICIST
1928 - 1990
HPI: 66.75
Rank: 89
Patrick McGoohan
ACTOR
1928 - 2009
HPI: 66.69
Rank: 90
Walter Mondale
POLITICIAN
1928 - 2021
HPI: 66.57
Rank: 91
Pierre Mauroy
POLITICIAN
1928 - 2013
HPI: 66.56
Rank: 92
Jim Lovell
ASTRONAUT
1928 - Present
HPI: 66.51
Rank: 93
Colin Chapman
ENGINEER
1928 - 1982
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 94
Erik Bruhn
ACTOR
1928 - 1986
HPI: 66.45
Rank: 95
Marco Ferreri
FILM DIRECTOR
1928 - 1997
HPI: 66.42
Rank: 96
Hubert Selby Jr.
WRITER
1928 - 2004
HPI: 66.41
Rank: 97
Hans Blix
DIPLOMAT
1928 - Present
HPI: 66.35
Rank: 98
Arman
PAINTER
1928 - 2005
HPI: 66.22
Rank: 99
Roddy McDowall
ACTOR
1928 - 1998
HPI: 66.17
Rank: 100
Others Deceased in 1982
Go to all RankingsTakashi Shimura
ACTOR
1905 - 1982
HPI: 67.35
Rank: 56
Mario Del Monaco
SINGER
1915 - 1982
HPI: 67.34
Rank: 57
Vladimir K. Zworykin
INVENTOR
1888 - 1982
HPI: 67.32
Rank: 58
Sobhuza II
POLITICIAN
1899 - 1982
HPI: 67.23
Rank: 59
Kristján Eldjárn
POLITICIAN
1916 - 1982
HPI: 66.81
Rank: 60
Giovanni Benelli
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1921 - 1982
HPI: 66.50
Rank: 61
Colin Chapman
ENGINEER
1928 - 1982
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 62
Adolf Heusinger
MILITARY PERSONNEL
1897 - 1982
HPI: 66.34
Rank: 63
Marty Feldman
ACTOR
1934 - 1982
HPI: 66.32
Rank: 64
Elis Regina
SINGER
1945 - 1982
HPI: 66.29
Rank: 65
Patrick Dewaere
ACTOR
1947 - 1982
HPI: 66.28
Rank: 66
Giovanni Ferrari
SOCCER PLAYER
1907 - 1982
HPI: 66.13
Rank: 67
Percy Williams
ATHLETE
1908 - 1982
HPI: 65.99
Rank: 68
In United Kingdom
Among people born in United Kingdom, Colin Chapman ranks 1,144 out of 8,785. Before him are John Russell, 1st Earl Russell (1792), Margaret of York (1446), Frederick Fleet (1887), Stephen Boyd (1931), James Mirrlees (1936), and James Hargreaves (1720). After him are Anne Hyde (1637), Edmund Cartwright (1743), Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom (1868), Joan Plowright (1929), Joseph Chamberlain (1836), and Terence Stamp (1938).
Others born in United Kingdom
Go to all RankingsJohn Russell, 1st Earl Russell
POLITICIAN
1792 - 1878
HPI: 66.54
Rank: 1,138
Margaret of York
POLITICIAN
1446 - 1503
HPI: 66.53
Rank: 1,139
Frederick Fleet
RELIGIOUS FIGURE
1887 - 1965
HPI: 66.53
Rank: 1,140
Stephen Boyd
ACTOR
1931 - 1977
HPI: 66.52
Rank: 1,141
James Mirrlees
ECONOMIST
1936 - 2018
HPI: 66.51
Rank: 1,142
James Hargreaves
INVENTOR
1720 - 1778
HPI: 66.50
Rank: 1,143
Colin Chapman
ENGINEER
1928 - 1982
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 1,144
Anne Hyde
COMPANION
1637 - 1671
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 1,145
Edmund Cartwright
INVENTOR
1743 - 1823
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 1,146
Princess Victoria of the United Kingdom
POLITICIAN
1868 - 1935
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 1,147
Joan Plowright
ACTOR
1929 - 2025
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 1,148
Joseph Chamberlain
POLITICIAN
1836 - 1914
HPI: 66.48
Rank: 1,149
Terence Stamp
ACTOR
1938 - Present
HPI: 66.47
Rank: 1,150
Among ENGINEERS In United Kingdom
Among engineers born in United Kingdom, Colin Chapman ranks 7. Before him are William John Macquorn Rankine (1820), Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806), Hertha Ayrton (1854), Godfrey Hounsfield (1919), William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong (1810), and John Ambrose Fleming (1849). After him are Charles George Gordon (1833), Adrian Newey (1958), Henry Royce (1863), Charles Rolls (1877), Patrick Head (1946), and Robert Stephenson (1803).
William John Macquorn Rankine
1820 - 1872
HPI: 76.98
Rank: 1
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
1806 - 1859
HPI: 69.19
Rank: 2
Hertha Ayrton
1854 - 1923
HPI: 68.90
Rank: 3
Godfrey Hounsfield
1919 - 2004
HPI: 67.50
Rank: 4
William Armstrong, 1st Baron Armstrong
1810 - 1900
HPI: 67.28
Rank: 5
John Ambrose Fleming
1849 - 1945
HPI: 66.83
Rank: 6
Colin Chapman
1928 - 1982
HPI: 66.49
Rank: 7
Charles George Gordon
1833 - 1885
HPI: 66.23
Rank: 8
Adrian Newey
1958 - Present
HPI: 65.55
Rank: 9
Henry Royce
1863 - 1933
HPI: 65.22
Rank: 10
Charles Rolls
1877 - 1910
HPI: 64.56
Rank: 11
Patrick Head
1946 - Present
HPI: 64.52
Rank: 12
Robert Stephenson
1803 - 1859
HPI: 64.27
Rank: 13