The 59 was introduced by Lotus in 1969 to compete in Formula 2, Formula 3 and Formula B. It had an advanced design for its time, with a lightweight tubular chassis and efficient aerodynamics. With a manual Hewland 5-speed gearbox and drive sent to the rear wheels, this car had different engines configurations depending on its category: 1.6L inline 4 Ford-Cosworth FVA (Formula 2), 1.0L or 1.6L inline 4 Ford Twin-Cam or Novamotor (Formula 3) and a less powerful 1.6L inline 4 with carburetion (Formula B). The Lotus 59 was produced until 1970.