Stealth Lotus

[Bossxr8]

This thing looks badass.

http://www.goauto.com.au/mellor/mell...25765D0020D16A

Paint needs a lot of attention though, but well worth it I reckon.

[geckoGT]

Looks awesome. Incredible to think all that work to lose 10kg's, although when a car weighs less than 1000kg there is not many places you can shave more off.

Only 35 built and of those, only 5 for international markets, get one of those and you know it is something special.

Nice little track day toy, I think I have just found my mid life crisis car, pity I don't have the income to support it.

[blueline]

amazing thing is that all that powers the lotus exiges/elises is pretty much a toyota corolla engine.

[kircher]

^^ In Celica state of tune though

[blueline]

still it's the same one as fitted to rollas though isn't it? albeit with a different ecu. and she's have a bit more poke than a celica me thinks. i remember reading bout a 24 hour race in malaysia i think it was, where a race team was happy with running an exige, cos if it blew the engine they could have got another one from the local toyota parts warehouse. which put em a bit over the rivals who were in lamborghinis and ferraris and such.

[kircher]

^^ Yeah, you're right. It is fitted to some Corollas. I don't even know if we still get Corolla Sportivos in Oz though. The last of the Celicas had it too. Not the regular ones that we get. It's this one here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_ZZ_engine#2ZZ-GE

The standard corolla engine is this:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_ZR_engine#2ZR-FE

[blueline]

ahhh, got ya. thanks for clearing that one up, i never even thought of them being the ones fitted to celicas.

[ravenhard]

the engines are supercharged, so they may be the same base as the corollas but I would imagine they have some different internals to be able to handle the almost 100% power increase over the standard Corolla engine

[blueline]

yeah, that's what i meant in my original post, that it's based on the toyota 1.8 litre engine.

either way, these lotus exiges are a nice piece of gear. bit cramped for my 198cm frame though :-(

[Ghiadude]

Ive had the pleasure of going for a ride in a highly modified Lotus Exige turbo built by southern motor works in wollongong. Absolutely jaw droppingly fast, in a straight line, around corners, under brakes. Nothing ive ever driven in has ever come close to how that thing went. A go kart with a roof.

[Rev28K]

While I like the cars I’m not a fan of how the weight has increased over the years.

The original weight of the Elise was quoted as 725kg (the website I looked at had brackets after this – I don’t know if that was a wet or a dry weight) and the later US compliant Elises are up to 895kg. Caterhams are around 500kg and there are lighter bike-engined track cars that are around the 400kg mark.

While I know that Lotus try their best to keep the weight increases minimal I’m still disappointed in them.

[DBourne]

looks gold!

[Neeek]

Dear Santa,

I've been a very VERY good boy this year, my Mummy said so. Can I have that Lotus? Please? PLEASE? Please, please, please...?

Lots of love to you and Rudolph and the elves and your wife (my, doesn't she look DAZZLING this season?)

Nick

PS - have you lost weight? You look GREAT! Please can I have that Lotus? Please??

[asusdragon]

would not say no to having one of those, I have been lucky enough to go from a cruise in a mates Lotus Europa 1970 model and damn that thing was quick, and handled like nothing else I have been in around a corner. As someone said above a go kart with a roof. This thing wsnt even supercharged so hate to know what a supercharged lotus would go like.

[Bossxr8]

I read somewhere that the matt black paint has a rubber like feel to it.

The body is first sprayed in the gloss black of the stripes, which are then masked off, and then the matt sections are painted over the top.

[BPXR6T]

Next car in my garage. Lotus Exige. Already have a bay in the shed complete with lotus flags setup waiting for it.