-McClarenDesign's-
Very Serious SLS AMG Review of the Car of the Week N Stuff
"The driver should always be the hero, not the vehicle." -Tetsuya Tada
Week 11: 1999 Lotus Motor Sport Elise and 1996 Lotus Elise and 1998 Lotus Elise Sport 190
America. Land of the free, home of the
Doritos Loco Taco. A place so eclectic, that a man driving a $300,000
Cr. hypercar can be cut-off by some 350 lb. slob in a 200 lb. Geo Storm. On any given weekend, in any given city, you're likely to find a wide variety of automotive styles, enough so to satisfy any particular palate. A place that allows one to install a 2,000
Cr. stereo into a 500
Cr. car, and that's what makes it "cool".
On my way to the office this morning, I encountered the not-so-fast-but-desperately-furious Honda driver, the over-the-hill Corvette owner, the Caprice driver on 30 in. wheels, the NBA star/Lambo pilot/Rap icon, Boyd Coddington, John Force... all at the same intersection...
While driving my
very serious SLS AMG.
Sitting at the lights, I marveled at the sight of such machinery, all gathered in one spot at one time. Countless horsepower and Credits, all at one intersection, all ready to exercise their dominance over the other. But something was missing. When the lights turn green, instead of elation and satisfaction, I'm left empty... and I didn't know why.
When I arrived at the office, it dawned on me. Of course, the bread van in Lotus livery didn't hurt, either. What we were lacking was the British.
Enter the 1999 Lotus Motor Sport Elise.
Recently, we've examined the terms "evolution" and "homologation". Lotus takes those two terms to the absolute limit. The Elise is the perfect example of how today's automotive industry has become a lot more collaborative than before, and it's the enthusiast that wins out. This same car also beget the Tesla Roadster and the Hennessey Venom. There's even a model built specifically to go under water.
You don't see anything of the sort coming from Detroit. The Corvette has recently come under the same development philosophy, underpinning the Mantide among a handful of other limited-production models, but nowhere near the scale or complexity of Lotus. Ferrari have outsourced the F430 for a few one-offs, including one for Eric Clapton. Even the Golf has the same underpinnings as the Gallardo... okay, not really, but everything from Volkswagen eventually trickles down in some way or another.
Today, it's about "innovation". Concepts and theories meant to challenge conventional wisdom. The means to maximize performance and results, and minimize weakness. Excellence in excess, simplification with elegance... from a shed in Norfolk. It's about getting the most, from the least, and about giving the finger to anyone in the way.
Like the Beatles... with Kurt Cobain instead of John Lennon.
According to Polyphony Digital via Translator-san:
Translator-san
British sports car manufacturer Lotus first introduced its compact, distinctively styled Elise back in 1995 and, true to the company's heritage, it was a featherweight fighter, tipping the scales at a mere 700 kg.
Adopting a technology commonly used in the assembly of race cars (Lotuses have scored victories in both Formula 1 and the Indianapolis 500), the Elise featured a chassis composed of extruded aluminum that was bonded together with an epoxy adhesive. This not only gave the chassis a very high degree of torsional rigidity, but also the added benefit of light weight, only 68 kg.
Another philosophical carryover from the race track was found inside all four of the Elise's wheel wells: A double-wishbone suspension design that featured uprights composed of extruded aluminum (for low-weight/high strength), complemented by aluminum MMC (Metal Matrix Composite) brake rotors, the latter element a production car first.
Originally, this mid-engine sports car was powered by a 1.8-liter DOHC inline-4 from Rover that produced 116 HP, but with the introduction of the Sports 190 in 1998, its power output was bumped up to 137 HP, thanks to a modified exhaust. A year later, a variable valve-timing-equipped model saw its peak power elevated to 143 HP. Impressive, but the ultimate Series 1 Elise was the radical 340R, with its swoopy race car-like bodywork and mighty 176 HP engine.
Like many cars with a reputation, Lotus has become an acronym:
Loads
Of
Trouble,
Usually
Serious. A quick look at its history reveals the loss of drivers like
Jim Clark and
Jochen Rindt, and a history of bits falling off, breaking, or both. Towards the end, Lotus took a beating in the press for their inability to finish a race.
They were designed to win, not to finish, and that's the problem.
So, would today be any different? Has half a century of trial and error taught them anything? Has the company learned the lessons of the past, or are they desperately doomed to repeat it? To find out, we're going to examine a sample of the evolution. Our comparison examples are the base 1996 Elise, and the '98 Sport 190.
Well we could only do two more, or would you rather spend the next few months arguing over semantics? Besides, the Exige and 111s are an entirely different beasts all to themselves.. except they aren't... but...
Performance as Purchased: April 19, 2011, British Racing Green (
Guess.)
Displacement: 1,796 cc
Max. Power:
199 hp @ 7,500 rpm
Max. Torque:
143 ft-lbs. @ 5,000 rpm
Drivetrain: MR
Length: 3,796 mm Height: 1,200 mm Weight: 700 kg
Tires: Racing (Hard)
Performance Points:
482
Mileage: 4,209.3 mi.
Along with our British Racing Green beauty, we also acquired the base 1996 model Elise, as well as the 1998 Sport 190. Perhaps now would be a good time to get acquainted with both. Or at least one... the Sport 190 doesn't seem to want to start.. so while we sort out the electrics, take it away, Translator-san..
According to Polyphony Digital via Translator-san:
Translator-san
The Lotus Elise, introduced at the 1995 Frankfurt Motor Show, embraced founder Colin Chapman's ideals of "add more lightness". The car was as pure as any sports car in history, equipped with only ingredients that made the car quick and agile.
Revolutionary new technology was introduced into the Elise, the main one being the bonds that held the all-aluminum chassis together. Instead of screws and welds, the Elise used what was essentially glue to keep its foundation together (some rivets were sparingly used as a backup measure).
What's more, the Elise was the first production car with its engine bay, rear hub carrier and even its brake rotors composed entirely of aluminum. this helped the compact mid-engined road car rto achieve an astonishingly low curb weight of 690 kg (the weight increased slightly on later models).
The transversely mounted engine came in the form of Rover's 1.8-liter inline-4, mated to a 5-speed gearbox, both units lifted from the MGF. Although maximum output was rated at a modest 116 HP, the Elise's ultra lightweight body enabled it to accelerate like a true sports car. The car ran to 60 mph in less than 6.0 seconds.
The Elise also carried on the Lotus tradition of names starting with "E". It was actually the name of the granddaughter of Romano Artioli, the president of Bugatti, who owned Lotus at the time.
What do you mean it's held together by glue?
Performance as Purchased: March 7, 2011, Mustard Yellow (
Hard one, huh?)
Displacement: 1,796 cc
Max. Power:
114 hp @ 6,200 rpm
Max. Torque:
117 ft-lbs. @ 3,000 rpm
Drivetrain: MR
Length: 3,796 mm Height: 1,148 mm Weight: 755 kg
Tires: Comfort (Soft)
Performance Points:
411
Mileage: 0.0 mi.
No wonder the car received so many upgrades. 114 horsepower? I've got the same from my riding lawn mower, though it does weigh a tad more. 117 torques? I can produce the same amount from a spanner. It's also heavier, with softer tires, which makes me question exactly who would buy this. The Civic has more room, costs less, and gets better fuel economy.
Please tell me the Sport 190 is better.
According to Polyphony Digital via Translator-san:
Translator-san
British sports car manufacturer Lotus first introduced its compact, distinctively styled Elise back in 1995 and, true to the company's...
Excuse me, but Translator-san, you've already said that.
Translator-san
That's right. You gave me the same description as the Motor Sport, moron!
Let me look at that..
Moving on...
Performance as Purchased: March 7, 2011, Nautilus Blue Metallic (
You think?)
Displacement: 1,796 cc
Max. Power:
175 hp @ 7,000 rpm
Max. Torque:
132 ft-lbs. @ 5,000 rpm
Drivetrain: MR
Length: 3,726 mm Height: 1,202 mm Weight: 670 kg
Tires: Sports (Hard)
Performance Points:
475
Mileage: 45,699.5 mi.
So with the base model, we get 114 hp, and 117 torque, comfy soft tires, more weight, and a lower ride height. Upgrading to the Sport 190 adds an extra 61 hp, 15 torques, 65 less kilos, grippy tires, and 54 mm higher off the ground. Meanwhile, the Motor Sport Elise gets 85 hp, 26 torques, 55 fewer kilos, and 52mm higher compared to the base model.
It's a good thing we're only testing these three. We could literally be here for
months.
With three cars, and only the producer and myself, we discovered a logistical problem requiring a desperate solution at a desperate time. Twenty minutes later, we were greated by Oliver Logan, a local driving instructor. Our producer assured me that he'd be the perfect man to deliver our cars to their much needed tune ups, and had a record as spotless as the baby Jesus.
Speaking of the baby Jesus, first into the bays was the virgin Mary. With 0 miles on the base model, we were sure we'd get the best results, minus a little break in. The problem, of course, is that the break-in process is usually quite literal. Remember, these cars are still hand crafted.. in a shed.. in Norfolk...
..with
glue.
In the workshop, the Lotus crew went about doing safety checks. We were pleased to find the body and engine in mint condition, and the subsequent oil change yielded an extra
7 hp and
6 Performance Points... which, to my understanding, are similar to degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. For kicks, we threw in an oil change and a car wash.
For those keeping score at home, other notable data includes: Max. Power: 120 hp, Max. Torque: 123 ft-lb., Max. Performance Points: 418
While Oliver and I discussed the finer points of when to initiate the turn signal indicator before an intersection, the Lotus gents went about sorting out the Sport 190s gremlins. 45k miles of wear and tear had caused a few wires to become exposed, but were quickly sourced and repaired, almost as if this crew had done it many times before.
Using a portable scaffold, they wheeled the car under hundreds of lasers, scanning for imperfections in the bodywork, measuring and calculating variations, with fits and tolerances that would drive the OCD to suicide. An entire engine restoration also yielded
18 hp and
15 Performance Points...
So... then that would put the Sport 190 further from Kevin Bacon... or closer?
For those keeping score at home, other notable data includes: Max. Power: 193 hp, Max. Torque: 145 ft-lb., Max. Performance Points: 490
Finally it was time for the Motor Sport Elise. It's aero package and exhaust show it's the business, even before you get in the cockpit. Of the bunch, this will be the one to test the nerves. But that might also just be the glue.
For having less than 5k miles on the car, 50k
Cr. sure is a lot to pay for bodywork, even if it is Lotus doing the work. Still, for a race car, 50k is cheap. The fact that it's a race car, a Lotus, and still drivable is a miracle in and of itself. 30k
Cr. later, and the engineers gave us 12 hp and 8 Performance Points. If you're a beginning Lotus driver, expect to pay a lot more.
For those keeping score at home, other notable data includes: Max. Power: 211 hp, Max. Torque: 151 ft-lb., Max. Performance Points: 490
As we're about to begin testing, I learn that our driver, Oliver, is no ordinary race car driver. I'd been told that we'd have a driving instructor as a test driver, but what they failed to mention was his level of expertise. Or lack of it. Rather than thrashing about sports cars, he was being thrashed about by teenagers. Instead of
Bob Bondurant, we'd ended up with
James Avery.
Wonderful.
With the '96 base model up first, Oliver launched down the track, timing a
0:15.795 quarter, and
0:07.386 0-60 mph time. During the high speed test, he noted that the engine still had plenty of revs to give. Despite being lowered, this car was aero-limited from its top speed, at least with the length of track given to use. You can plan a pretty picnic, but you can't predict the weather.
For those keeping score at home, other notable data includes: 0-1 mi.: 0:39.540, 0-100 mph: 0:19.312, Max. G-Force: 0.67G, Top Speed: 147.0 mph
Upon his return, Oliver quickly swapped the base for the Sport 190, and lined up for his next run. The evolution from the base model was apparent at launch, yielding 0.13G more grip, propelling Oliver to
0:13.858 quarter mile, and
0:05.367 0-60 mph. That's two seconds faster to 60!
For those keeping score at home, other notable data includes: 0-1 mi.: 0:34.757, 0-100 mph: 0:12.538, Max. G-Force: 0.79G, Top Speed: 164.2 mph
This time back, Oliver said nothing, and ran straight to the Motor Sport. We'd barely anytime to reset the clocks, before he was off again. When we glanced down at the data, we saw the engine screaming at higher revs, and even more grip from the racing rubber. The quarter ticked off in only
0:13.408, and 0-60 mph came in at
0:05.013.
All the extra bits of Lotus kit were coming together quite nicely.
For those keeping score at home, other notable data includes: 0-1 mi.: 0:33.568, 0-100 mph: 0:11.447, Max. G-Force: 0.95G, Top Speed: 159.2 mph
To finish things off, we found ourselves visiting the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, in Speedway, Indiana. In 1965, Jim Clark led 190 of 200 laps, to give Lotus their only win at Indy. Like Jim, we've got our engine mounted behind us, and behind that a rather large wing.
You may be thinking that a car like this should be tossed around somewhere twisty like Monaco or Spa, but you'd also be a lot more likely to end up dead. The fantastic thing about this car is its lack of weight, but given the history, has our safety been sacrificed?
0:59.835 on the stopwatch reveals exactly how much I want to know.
Sadly, I'm not Dean Evans.
...And neither are you.
Yesterday, on a trip to the shops, I ran across a striking young lady driving and Elise in some horrible shade of "fashion-accessory" green. It got me to thinking about the everyday practicality of such a car. With its low power, it certainly is usable. But in the case of the young lady, it seemed like it was chosen simply because it matched her purse. And shoes.
I bet her other car is a Fiat 500.
Would I drive a Lotus? Everyday? No. Occasionally? Yes. True to its origins, it's a track day superstar, requiring cat-like reflexes to make minute adjustments. It is cool, although I'd avoid most of the radical colors. Driving it fast certainly isn't easy, but once you've figured out the short wheelbase and grip levels, can actually be a fun little car to fling about. It most certainly is a toy, but not one for bustling about town in. It needs the opportunity to stretch its legs, to unwind while flying down the winding.
Absolutely a genius, allegedly a rogue.
Week 1: 2001 Alfa Romeo Spider 3.0i V6 24V
Week 2: 1966 Alfa Romeo Spider 1600 Duetto
Week 3: 2000 Toyota Sprinter Trueno GT-APEX (S. Shigeno Ver.)
Week 4: 2007 Audi TT Coupe 3.2 Quattro
Week 5: 1983 Nissan Silvia 240RS (S110) and 1985 Nissan 240RS Rally Car
Week 6: 1973 BMW 2002 Turbo
Week 7: 2004 DMC DeLorean S2
Week 8: 1971 Nissan Fairlady 240ZG (HS30) and 1971 Nissan 240ZG (HS30)
Week 9: 1985 Lancia Delta S4 Rally Car
Week 10: 1991 Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5- 16 Evolution II and 1992 AMG Mercedes-Benz 190 E 2.5- 16 Evolution II Touring Car
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GTKitty4Prez . Please consult doctor before use. Some assembly required. Wardrobe provided courtesy of Piloti. McClarenDesign registered very serious SLS AMG. DO NOT ATTEMPT. Consult manual before use. Your mileage may vary. Some restrictions may apply. All stunts performed on public roads without law enforcement supervision. Void where prohibited. All your base are belong to us. If not entirely satisfied, please return unused portion for a partial refund. Offer not valid to those that breathe air. May cause drowsiness. Some portions of this show have been filmed before a live studio audience.
) As for racing one in real life, no thanks they've stayed a bit to close to their founders ideas about safety for my tastes. Racing is dangerous and knowing your getting in a car that has been built just well enough so that it probably won't break under hard use isn't my cup of tea. But then again that's part of what makes them special is their uniquely British sportscar ideal of doing more with less.
