Martin Colvill 1940-2022

Britain’s longest-serving Lotus main dealer Martin Colvill died last week, aged 81, following a long illness borne with typical fortitude.

As a young accountant in the late 1960s, Colvill supplemented his income by building Lotus kits – Elans and Europas – in quantity after hours.

Delivered pre-wired and plumbed, he said two experienced people could complete one in an evening!

Purley Performance Cars also ran the promising Colin Vandervell’s Formula Ford Lotus and F3 Brabham. Despite the volume of kits sold, Lotus was unhappy with the workshop’s presentation and threatened to discontinue its agency.

Fortuitously, architect racer Bobby Bell had aspirations in the motor trade, thus they formed Bell & Colvill Ltd and started operating from more salubrious premises in West Horsley, Surrey, in 1970. The multi-marque business became a performance car mecca.

Both raced successfully when revenue allowed, Colvill wielding AC Cobras and the ex-jw Automotive Gulf Ford GT40 P1084 with panache. He went on to serve as secretary of the BRDC.

Colvill shared not only a love of all things Lotus but also of jazz with former F1 driver John Miles and 1960s band leader Chris Barber (whose race team ran Type 47s and a 63). Martin was a world authority on both.

To his wife Linda, the sport offers sincere condolences.