The need for smooth airflow dictated the car must have clean lines. The chassis was strengthened in specific points, mostly around the monocoque and load bearing points on the chassis tub, and the car was found to be even faster than before.

The 79 produced about 30% more downforce than the 78, something not foreseen by Ogilvie and Rudd, who went back to the drawing board. The car was secretly tested in late 1977 by Ronnie Peterson and proved extremely fast, but the chassis suffered early fatigue due to the severe suction and g-forces generated by the ground effect. In fact, it was the first F1 car to use computers to analyse it in the pits on race weekends. The 79 was also the first F1 car to be designed using computer design aids. This had the advantage of increasing fire protection and moving the centre of gravity to the middle of the car, helping cornering and braking. The fuel tank was one single cell behind the driver, as opposed to separate fuel tanks as on the 78. The car was powered by the Ford Cosworth DFV and constructed of sheet aluminium honeycomb, specially strengthened for the pressures exerted on the car by the ground effect. In all, five chassis were built during the design's lifetime, with the prototype 79/1 being sold to Héctor Rebaque to race as a privateer entrant. These features were, however, later incorporated into the Lotus 80. After work in the wind tunnel, these features were found to be unnecessary, as the car generated so much downforce anyway. When the car first appeared, the upper bodywork was steeply raked and featured 'Coke bottle' sidepods. This allowed a smaller rear wing to be designed, causing less drag.

As a result, the rear suspension was also redesigned to allow the air to exit the rear more cleanly than on its predecessor. This was achieved by extending the rear bodywork to a point inside the rear wheels, allowing the underside to extend further back, instead of ending abruptly in front of the rear wheels as on the 78.

The undercar pressure problems in the 78 were resolved with the 79, with further design work on the venturi tunnels under the car, which allowed the low pressure area to be evenly spaced along the whole of the underside. The Lotus 79 was the first F1 car to take full advantage of ground effects aerodynamics, pioneered in its immediate predecessor, the Lotus 78. Inclusiv Liverypack and 201 Sponsors with Logos and Carlogos !

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