Ron Hickman Ron Hickman Ronald Price Hickman OBE (21 October 1932 – 17 February 2011) was a South African-born, Jersey-based car designer and inventor who designed the original Lotus Elan, the Lotus Elan +2 and the Lotus Europa, as well as the Black & Decker Workmate. Hickman was born in Greytown, Natal, South Africa, where he worked as a courthouse clerk after leaving high school. He moved to London in the 1950s where he was employed by a music publisher. From 1954 Hickman worked for the Ford Motor Company at Dagenham first as a clay modeller and later he helped to style
Birkin Cars Seven. The cars were unveiled to the public at the 1983 South African Grand Prix. The first shipment of completed S3 Roadsters were delivered directly to be sold at Lotus car dealerships. Since the 1980s, Birkin has expanded several times, but has kept its base of operations near Durban, South Africa. Cars are currently sold through dealers around the world in the United States, Japan, and across Europe. The car can be purchased as either a turn-key car, or as a DIY kit, that can be completed by the owner. Several Inline 4 cylinder engines, such as the Ford Zetec