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
Lotus Europa S Lotus Europa S The Lotus Europa S (Type 121) is a two-seat mid-engined sports car, designed to be a more toned down and comfortable variant of the driver focused Lotus Elise and its derivative, the Exige. The Europa S is a modern version of the Europa line of the 1960s and 1970s. The Europa S features a larger boot (trunk), greater sound-proofing and easier cabin access due to the lower chassis sides and higher roof line. The Europa S includes creature comforts such as air conditioning, a sound system, leather interior and interior carpeting as standard equipment reflecting its grand