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My car is sold :( But buying a Toniq R :)

34K views 148 replies 61 participants last post by  LotusStig22 
#1 ·
A bit of a sad day with some mixed feelings.

We took the Elise to an autocross, for the first time since September. The car was flying and was unreal how well it handled and how fast it was. But the point of taking it to the autocross was to let the prospective owner test it out and it passed with flying colours.

So... the development car for SCCA ASP is now in someone else's capable hands. The new owner is Jason Uyeda, the head technical guy at Neversoft. Jason is a very good driver and proven he can build cars, the last being an Uber S2000. Jason intends on taking the car further than I have.

It is a bit sad for me, since this is the car I have had for 3 and 1/2 years. The car I drove from Georgia to San Diego in 2.5 days. The one that ran the Tail of the Dragon with Killyboy being quoted he had never seen a car that fast ever on Tail of the Dragon. The car that we did a TON of development work on, trying this intake or that header. One of the first imported federal cars. One of the first with LSD.

What is next? Well, there is the Eagle, but that will be a bit of a wait. In the meantime, I am having another car being built for me in Cornwall UK. This will be a 2.4l Duratec turbo engine Seven clone called a Toniq R. More info to follow on that. Seems it will be even more pure of purpose. No ABS, alarm, AC, heater, stereo, windshield, roof.

I might also be picking up a Porsche Boxster S for a daily driver. That is being negotiated.

I am happy my car will be in capable hands and I will not be reducing my involvement AT ALL in the Lotus community. I just will be showing up at events in my Toniq for the next year.
 
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#116 ·
Update. Finally. :)

So a few developments. I bought a Noble. And then I bought a Rossion. And the economy tanked. So we waited. But it is getting close to time to make this happen.
In the meantime, Toniq has been undergoing some improvements with an improved chassis. They brought in an ex-Lotus engineer to help refine the suspension and they report that has worked well. And there have been some other refinements.

I am talking to the factory about starting the build on my car. We hope to have it done by October.

Weight about 1100 pounds. With a removable windshield. Lights are now integrated (I will miss the billet lights). We debated about using a Mazda Renesis engine, but I think we settled on a 2l Duratec mated to a 6 speed gearbox with LSD. Ultimate power goal will be 250-300hp. I think anything over 300 in car this light will be silly.

I will start a new thread when we start documenting the build.
 
#119 ·
......Weight about 1100 pounds........Ultimate power goal will be 250-300hp. I think anything over 300 in car this light will be silly.....
Good call. Worst case scenario, you can always upgrade later if need be.

I've ridden in a Caterham that was putting down just over 300 hp at the wheels and that car was just insane. Keep us posted on your build diary.

Noble
 
#122 ·
All those things are true. :)

We went and visited the car builder in September. Saw the newest improvements. Quite nice.

My car should be coming over in early 2010.
 
#123 ·
Aww, but all the fun's in building it! :p

Just kidding, as Clarkson said, "Your wife leaves you, she's in bed with the milkman, and you're wondering 'Oh, where's my front suspension unit?'" rotfl

Any projected MPG rates. Emissions? (I have to ask, in this economy I can't afford not to)
 
#128 ·
Both the styling and performance have improved since then. Toniq brought in the Lotus engineer to work on the suspension and chassis dynamics.
 
#129 ·
Truly either car would be cool, I am a big fan of the Caterham (and Westfield). But I like being different. :)
 
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