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A thread about the Lotus Sports Suspension.....
What is it?
Lotus is offering a suspension upgrade for motorsports use. This is not intended to upgrade the car for the street, but to enable a skilled driver to extract a little more peformance from the car on the track.
How much does it cost?
The Sports Package is $2480.00
What is in it?
The Sports Package replaces the wheels with a different set from Rimstock. The front rims are 1" wider (from 5.5" to 6.5"). The rims are a 7 twin-spoke design instead of the standard 8 spoke Lotus rims. These rims are forged and machined. The rims on the cars at the LA Autoshow looked like machined rims.
The tires are replaced with Yokohama A048s. The front 175 series tire is replaced with a wider 195 series.
The struts are replaced with non-adjustable lotus tuned Bilsteins.
Ride height is adjustable. There is a plate for the steering rack to add more space to accomodate the change in height.
Alignment is more aggressive.
I think there is an adjustable front swaybar.
So what does that do to the handling then?
For the most part, it removes some of the tuned in understeer when going into a corner too hot. That means it creates more potential oversteer also.
The car will ride stiffer and can corner flatter.
Should I get this?
This is a very important question! I think many people think in terms of an option being better, because it must be, it's an option and costs more. I think in this case, this is not true. This option has some compromises. And if you are ordering the car without having the ability to test drive a car with LSS, you might want to think about this.
The standard car is not a soft car. The standard car for many people will be harsh. You hear things like drivers mentioning they could feel an insect as they drove over it, and could know if it was an 8-legged spider or a 6-legged beetle. You can certainly feel the road in the standard car. This is no luxo-cruiser by any stretch.
The LSS version will be stiffer. And for many people, it will make daily drives a little more brutal. So that is one of the trade offs then. When you are not on a track, you will get almost zero benefit from this option. Maybe absolutely zero benefit. But you will feel it on a daily commute.
The other downside? The car will be more difficult to drive at 10/10ths in terms of extracting the potential, unless you are somewhat experienced. The tendency to oversteer at speed is a real phenomena that can and will bite many people. A little more understeer is a good thing for 95% of the people out there. And maybe that percentage is too low.
So we are left to consider two major points.
The compromise in ride comfort vs the time you spend on a track or autocross lot.
The increased oversteer and your ability to use it.
And a third point... the difference in ability of the car with LSS, will be at the upper ends of performance. If you go into a corner at 8/10ths or 9/10ths, it will most likely not matter if you have LSS or not. You are not using that upper ability of the car. And keep in mind that the car without LSS is not slouch on a track. You can walk away from other cars in the corners!!
But if you have a potential for misjudging a corner, going in too hot, and then lifting or hitting your brakes... I would suggest NOT getting the LSS.
If you spend most of your time on a commute or drive in the country, and might just take it to an rare track event, I would suggest NOT getting the LSS.
If you have weak kidneys or live where there are potholes, or you have passengers that will not like the harsh ride, please consider that when thinking of the LSS.
Can I order it later?
Of course. If you are on the fence about this, you can order an LSS kit later. Note, they will not sell bits of it, but will sell an entire kit. And it will cost more. But you would end up with an extra set of rims and tires going this method, along with some other spares.
But I am really a serious national autocrosser, is this for me?
Actually, the answer here maybe no also. It depends. If you intend on bolting on some serious external reservoir Penskes or Moutons...then you will not need the supplied struts. And you can also probably find lightweught aftermarket racing rims. And you are not going to use the supplied Yokohama A048 tires. And you are going to do your own suspension alignment.
So what is left? Maybe that spacer plate for the steering rack. And you should be able to buy that as a part from Lotus.
Okay, so who then will want the LSS
The guy who thinks you have to have an option because you can.
And the person that intends on doing autocrossing or track days a bit and wants and can use that little bit of extra ability...AND has some experience driving midengined cars at speed.
That person should consider getting the LSS. All IMHO of course.
What is it?
Lotus is offering a suspension upgrade for motorsports use. This is not intended to upgrade the car for the street, but to enable a skilled driver to extract a little more peformance from the car on the track.
How much does it cost?
The Sports Package is $2480.00
What is in it?
The Sports Package replaces the wheels with a different set from Rimstock. The front rims are 1" wider (from 5.5" to 6.5"). The rims are a 7 twin-spoke design instead of the standard 8 spoke Lotus rims. These rims are forged and machined. The rims on the cars at the LA Autoshow looked like machined rims.
The tires are replaced with Yokohama A048s. The front 175 series tire is replaced with a wider 195 series.
The struts are replaced with non-adjustable lotus tuned Bilsteins.
Ride height is adjustable. There is a plate for the steering rack to add more space to accomodate the change in height.
Alignment is more aggressive.
I think there is an adjustable front swaybar.
So what does that do to the handling then?
For the most part, it removes some of the tuned in understeer when going into a corner too hot. That means it creates more potential oversteer also.
The car will ride stiffer and can corner flatter.
Should I get this?
This is a very important question! I think many people think in terms of an option being better, because it must be, it's an option and costs more. I think in this case, this is not true. This option has some compromises. And if you are ordering the car without having the ability to test drive a car with LSS, you might want to think about this.
The standard car is not a soft car. The standard car for many people will be harsh. You hear things like drivers mentioning they could feel an insect as they drove over it, and could know if it was an 8-legged spider or a 6-legged beetle. You can certainly feel the road in the standard car. This is no luxo-cruiser by any stretch.
The LSS version will be stiffer. And for many people, it will make daily drives a little more brutal. So that is one of the trade offs then. When you are not on a track, you will get almost zero benefit from this option. Maybe absolutely zero benefit. But you will feel it on a daily commute.
The other downside? The car will be more difficult to drive at 10/10ths in terms of extracting the potential, unless you are somewhat experienced. The tendency to oversteer at speed is a real phenomena that can and will bite many people. A little more understeer is a good thing for 95% of the people out there. And maybe that percentage is too low.
So we are left to consider two major points.
The compromise in ride comfort vs the time you spend on a track or autocross lot.
The increased oversteer and your ability to use it.
And a third point... the difference in ability of the car with LSS, will be at the upper ends of performance. If you go into a corner at 8/10ths or 9/10ths, it will most likely not matter if you have LSS or not. You are not using that upper ability of the car. And keep in mind that the car without LSS is not slouch on a track. You can walk away from other cars in the corners!!
But if you have a potential for misjudging a corner, going in too hot, and then lifting or hitting your brakes... I would suggest NOT getting the LSS.
If you spend most of your time on a commute or drive in the country, and might just take it to an rare track event, I would suggest NOT getting the LSS.
If you have weak kidneys or live where there are potholes, or you have passengers that will not like the harsh ride, please consider that when thinking of the LSS.
Can I order it later?
Of course. If you are on the fence about this, you can order an LSS kit later. Note, they will not sell bits of it, but will sell an entire kit. And it will cost more. But you would end up with an extra set of rims and tires going this method, along with some other spares.
But I am really a serious national autocrosser, is this for me?
Actually, the answer here maybe no also. It depends. If you intend on bolting on some serious external reservoir Penskes or Moutons...then you will not need the supplied struts. And you can also probably find lightweught aftermarket racing rims. And you are not going to use the supplied Yokohama A048 tires. And you are going to do your own suspension alignment.
So what is left? Maybe that spacer plate for the steering rack. And you should be able to buy that as a part from Lotus.
Okay, so who then will want the LSS
The guy who thinks you have to have an option because you can.
And the person that intends on doing autocrossing or track days a bit and wants and can use that little bit of extra ability...AND has some experience driving midengined cars at speed. That person should consider getting the LSS. All IMHO of course.
