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Weight Limit...really?

5K views 22 replies 16 participants last post by  jdolluc 
#1 ·
I noticed in the owners manual that it says "The maximum allowable combined weight of the driver and front seat passenger is 440 lbs" and "exceeding these limits can overload the tires and affect the handling of the car, and result in a crash..."

I'm not a skinny guy at about 200lbs, but its crazy to think that I can't bring another person with me that weighs more than 240....is this really a safety concern? The car has Continental Extreme Contacts on it instead of the stock tires.
 
#6 ·
The Ultra Lightweight wheels used on the Sport 410 can not be used on the 400 2+2 nor the GT430 (2+0) with high downforce aero package. Lotus believes in lightweight and that extends to driver/passenger combo.
 
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#7 ·
My son put full race seats in his street car. At 185 I can barely get in it.

“At least you won’t bring any fat girls home”
 
#9 ·
It's particularly noticeable in some cars, the Lotus being one of them. I occasionally take a pax on track, and the handling/speed change around any particular corner is always more than I expect. The Evora is a finely tuned machine and any weight change makes a big difference.
 
#12 ·
I had an instructor at a track day who weighed 240 lbs in my Elise. He looked so uncomfortable, but he picked me out specifically because he loved Lotus cars. I had a little trouble shifting because it was a little cramped, and the car was definitely slower. On the other hand, he was a very good instructor.
 
#17 ·
Pic please?
 
#14 ·
Looks like I picked the right time to go on a diet. Couple months before buying car was 250, now 176. With my huracan at over 800 hp I don't notice a difference in speed but 75 pounds probably make a difference on Evora
 
#15 ·
Always thought the heavier the vehicle the less you notice a passenger. When I did track days in my 2750lb Saab SPG or 3000LB viggen, any passenger at the track would be very noticeable. Especially when those cars had a open diff, sometimes the extra weight gave me better traction in a turn (no one wheel burnout at 70mph+). One of my instructors had a 968 & did NASA, SCCA & Porsche club racing, he stated 7 of the 11 turns the extra weight helped him in the turn. That is as long as the passenger wasn’t to heavy.

One even my instructor was 250++ and under 6ft, he wasn’t pleased when he saw my momo race buckets in the car.... he was only a passenger for part of one session.... once he new I was OK on my own, he wanted out.

When I would take 10 people in my RV I didn’t know they were there....

I wouldn’t think exceeding the 440# number would be a issue, go have fun and report back on how the day went!
 
#20 ·
It is Lotus being polite about not wanting fatties in their cars hehe.
 
#23 ·
Well you guys were right, the instructor I got was a lighter guy, so it wasn't an issue at all!

It was a blast, definitely will be doing that again. Got the tires screaming around a corner and said to the instructor "guess I went in a little hot" and his response was "nah, thats just your tires going WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE" lol


Definitely recommend taking the cars out to the track, especially for an organized event like the one I did through NASA (HPDE)

NASA Great Lakes
 
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