For the 1982 season, Team Lotus readied Type 91. Like its predecessor, the car was developed by Peter Wright and Martin Oglive and once again boasted beautiful body lines.

Type 91 was first raced in the second race of the 1982 season at the Brazilian GP in the hand of Elio de Angelis and Nigel Mansell. It later went on to make a dramatic win at the Austrian GP after taking the lead toward the end of the race and fending off a late charge by William' Keke Rosberg to finish ahead by a margin of 0.05 seconds.

As the last car of the Colin Chapman-led Team Lotus era, and because of the dramatic race win it recorded, Type 91 remains to this day in the memories and hearts of many race fans.