[Eyelise]

What is this I read in the Autoweek article about the FED Elise having 183HP SAE not 190HP. Is this just a miscommunication by LOA. Since when have any U.S. import specifications been reported as DIN? I am confused.

 

[vvtlikick]

I believe 190 DIN hp = 187 SAE hp. So...

 

[MattG]

Maybe Mazda bought Lotus and they just forgot to tell us?

 

[FederalElise]

The Grinch who stole Christmas...

 

[Eyelise]

You're right. I meant to type 187. I stand corrected, somewhat.

 

[vvtlikick]

If the production-spec Elise is rated at 187hp, I wouldn't be surprised. 190hp was just a ballpark figure.

Just count your lucky stars that it isn't a ridiculously overrated engine, like so many Ford/Mazda engines.

 

[Eyelise]

I have to admit I'm underwhelmed with Lotus' tuning efforts. The gains over the Celica GT-S are likely the result of exhaust modifications. I'm beginning to believe Lotus left the ECU basically untouched. The same gains have been realized with aftermarket exhausts for the Celica GT-S. Not that 187HP/138ft-lbs is inadequate, just not much different than stock. I know we haven't seen the curves but without forced induction, it is really hard to shift a torque curve significantly. I was expecting too much from the Lotus tuning engineers. I don't believe for a minute the engine is at peak output. One tuner on the New Celica site has achieved 230HP with a cold air intake, exhaust and custom software. Everything else is stock. The dyno is available on the site. I've always considered the stock engine just a starting point anyway. No sweat.

 

[smoseley]

Eyelise,

Don't be so pessimistic. Less tuning at the factory means more tuning for you. Isn't that one of the fun parts of owning a sports car? Making it uniquely tuned to your liking?

 

[Eyelise]

Actually that is kind of what I meant by "starting point". I love tuning. It's just when I mention modifying the Elise, I lot of people get all bent out of shape mentioning how the Lotus engineers have already given the car their blessing and it would be a sin to violate it.

 

[vvtlikick]

...One tuner on the New Celica site has achieved 230HP with a cold air intake, exhaust and custom software. Everything else is stock. The dyno is available on the site...

Huh? That's news to me.

The only normally aspirated 2ZZ-GEs I've heard about with that much power are the one TRD Japan made and the various "3ZZ" strokers.

 

[_JD_]

The TRD site shows the 2zz-g engine modifications as being "under development".http://www.toyota-trd.com/en/comp/engine.html

 

[vvtlikick]

That page hasn't changed in years ... literally

 

[L8BRAKR]

Remember it's not hard to tune for max horsepower. Where it gets tough is spreading that power over the rev range and keeping good throttle response. Along with those, the factory engineers need to keep fuel economy a concern which may not matter to us but it does to the government.

 

[Eyelise]

I wish I had kept the dyno. I bet a search might yield it. It definitely was a 2ZZ-GE. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[jj808]

Eyelise: Umm...no. No 2zz-ge has ever made that much hp with just I/E/T. Think you might have missed that he or she used nitrous during the dyno pull.

 

[OneFastLotus]

Also, don't believe everything you read on the internet. If I had a dime for every inflation of hp numbers or fibbing about what was really "done" to the car, I'd be a millionare. The internet is the worst for such things. Damn Al Gore to hell for creating it!

 

[FlyLo]

Wouldn't it be good news to learn that our car performs as well as it does, and the engine only puts out 130 hp?

 

[TimMullen]

Remember it's not hard to tune for max horsepower. Where it gets tough is spreading that power over the rev range and keeping good throttle response. Along with those, the factory engineers need to keep fuel economy a concern which may not matter to us but it does to the government.

You also forgot to mention those pesky emission standards. Lotus has to tune the car to meet the standards for at least 100,000 miles with out any major repairs. After-market tuners don't have to bother with such things. So, yea, someone can make the engine have more power (or better economy, etc.), but it is a difficult task to meet the various emission, economy, reliability, NVH, cold start, hot running, etc. requirements along with making the most power - that's where Lotus and other manufacturers spend their efforts.

I've said it many times before, everything is a compromise. For every improvement in one area, something else is suffering (if only that it costs more). Finding the right balance is what Lotus did a very good job at.

 

[TOPGUN750]

My car is so much fun to drive. If I wanted to have the biggest hp number I would have bought a corvette. I believe companies need to be honest and I don't think Lotus has tried to deceive anyone but instead build one of the most unique sportscars on the market especially for the price.

While other companies can make cars with great numbers, Lotus has made one that is incredible to drive which at the end of the day should be why people buy cars.

 

[lotus54]

It could easily be the dyno and/or operator making a big difference.
If they don't do a before under the same conditions and methodology- it doesn't really mean much.
At least from what little I know about dynos.

mark

Huh? That's news to me.

The only normally aspirated 2ZZ-GEs I've heard about with that much power are the one TRD Japan made and the various "3ZZ" strokers.