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Is the US Elise going to be drive-by-wire?

2K views 18 replies 12 participants last post by  fastliz 
#1 ·
I ask because the '00-'02 Celica 2ZZ-GE has a mechanical throttle linkage, while the '03+ has a drive-by-wire throttle.
 
#5 ·
I just found this thread doing a search. The same question occured to me being that my WRX-STi has a drive-by-wire throttle. I like it for the quick response. Too bad the Elise didn't go that route.

Mike
 
#8 ·
shay2nak said:
if the Elise is mechanical and the 2003 and on 2zz engines are drive-by-wire, why do we have the old engines then?
If you are a potential rival Manufacturer that is outsourcing parts, you will not get the best/newest.
You sign an agreement not to embarrass the source using said parts.
Lotus had to do this with Rover for the DT of the S1... forgoing more powerful variants of the K series lump initially.
They also have had an agreement with GM Europe, not to turbocharge the Elise and embarass the VX(T).

I'm sure Lotus would have gotten at leat another 20 reliable nags out of the Toyota lump if they were not restrained to do so.
m
 
#10 · (Edited)
Remember also that the drive-by-wire throttle on the Celica 2ZZ is controlled by the ECU. Lotus developed a completely new ECU for their 2ZZ. Maybe they just decided to go with a mechanical throttle so they didn't have to fool with drive-by-wire. One owner of a 2ZZ MR2 Spyder converted his drive-by-wire 2ZZ to mechanical so it would work on the Spyder. I'm not aware of any differences between the engines other than the ECU and how the throttle is controlled. Also, Mr2 Spyder owners don't just look for pre-2003 2ZZ engines because there is no way to make throttle-by-wire work on the Spyder. They want the mechanical throttle so an APEXi PFC can be used. The PFC can't be used on the 2003+ engine as it has no way to control the throttle-by-wire.
 
#12 · (Edited)
Craigy said:
Well you know the Exhaust manifold is different and I'd guess the intake manifold is specific to the elise too. Does anyone know?
Part of that is the throttle body....

Craigy
I guess I should have specified internally. If I had to guess, I would say the Lotus engine is the current Toyota 2ZZ with a mechanical throttle, new ECU, and Elise specific manifolds. Maybe someone else knows for sure.
 
#19 ·
My first (2002) WRX had a mechanical throttle linkage. My '04 STi is drive-by-wire, as I state earlier. I won't profess to have the technical knowledge to justify why one is better than the other. But, I do like the throttle response on my STi better than the WRX. It is noticably quicker, especially in heal-toe downshift throttle blips. Maybe it's my imagination?

Not to worry, though... this will NOT deter me from getting an Elise! :)

Mike
 
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