[scot]

As the subject says, can you put the lotus motorsports wing on the elise?

 

[OneFastLotus]

With enough superglue I suppose anything is possible.

 

[scot]

Hmm, wont that just rip off? I think for additional strength I would use duct tape along with the superglue...


No seriously, can it be attached to the elise in a fashion that it is USEFUL. I dont want to put something on the car just for looks. I want to increase the downforce for the track... What I dont know is if the exige uses another substructure or something for the wing, or if the back of the clamshell is pretty much identical to the elise.

Scot

 

[shinoo]

You'll want to add a front splitter to balance it. Check out the new Exige to see how Lotus has done it. Looks good to me.

 

[MickOpalak]

Like this?

 

[MickOpalak]

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[MickOpalak]

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[MickOpalak]

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[MickOpalak]

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[MickOpalak]

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[MickOpalak]

7

 

[tidalwdave]

That wing is larger than the Elise! My first impression is that I don't like it. I do like the front lip though.

 

[Lotus F1]

That wing is larger than the Elise! My first impression is that I don't like it. I do like the front lip though.

It is not as nice as the one they have designed for the new Exige. The factory Exige one is much smaller and is mounted totaly different. The one in the pics I wouldnt get (aftermarket) but the newer styles Exige (factory) one is real nice!

 

[Robert Puertas]

(in my best aussie accent)
"That's not a wing. This is a wing!"

 

[Joetz]

This morning, I saw a wing that looked exactly like that one on the trunk of an 80's accord! I suppose it's possible, but why? I'm sure Lotus has the aerodynamics well sorted and do you really want to aerodynamic drag and weight to a car with modest power to begin with?

 

[MickOpalak]

This morning, I saw a wing that looked exactly like that one on the trunk of an 80's accord! I suppose it's possible, but why? I'm sure Lotus has the aerodynamics well sorted and do you really want to aerodynamic drag and weight to a car with modest power to begin with?

If it was good enough for the Exige...

 

[MickOpalak]

one more...

 

[scot]

Drag is less important than ultimate cornering speed in most cases for the elise. In a lower hp car, you KNOW your max speed is not going to beat a higher hp car, but your low weight gives you part of an advantage in cornering and late braking. Adding in a good amount of downforce lets you really hang on in there through the turns faster giving a higher exit speed eliminating some of the acceleration effect of the higher hp car. Another thing is that your max speed is not outrageously high in the elise, the drag on the car is not going to affect you too much in terms of lowering your max velocity. Plus the car will feel a bit more stable at speed, with both front splitter and rear wing in place.

While there are plenty of pics here with wings on elises (personally I love the look) but no answers as to substructures etc. I dont want to get a wing for looks, only for real track use. Does the exige use some kind of a seperate substructure to support the downforce of the wing?

Thanks!

 

[Bill Swizz]

Scott,

In the Elise/Exige in the UK the faster lapping car on most circuits given the same power engine and the same driver will be the Elise. The wing does not create enough downforce (despite what Lotus and exige owners say) to give a significant advantage except in very fast corners and it cuts speed on the straights considerably. Most of the racers race tuned Elises not Exiges for this reason. Basically 190bhp is not enough power to overcome the drag penalty.

 

[scot]

Cool, if that is the case my car will remain naked. Wonder if a smaller or adjustable wing would be more appropriate for the car?

Then again, as someone else said, maybe lotus did it right in the first place and it has enough downforce.

Scot