[BTC]

I got this from Head of Product at Lotus Cars today.

I am responding on behalf of Nick Adams concerning your questions over LSD and Tyre fittment to the Elise.
It is our proposal to offer a factory fit LSD (which I believe to be
the clutch type but I am in the process of confirming this) later this year and we are in the process of testing a unit at the moment.

Concerning tires; I would be interested in understanding the
compounds used by the manufacturers you mention as our Sportspack 048 Yokohama tyre runs the lowest tread wear index allowed for road use and assuming the tyres need to be street legal, should be competitive with the other brands you mention.

If you could contact at Yokohama in California he will be able to put you in touch with the right person within Yokohama who will be able to advise the difference in compounds/construction between the 048 and the special Solo tires. I will be interest in the outcome of the conversation as I am keen to make the Elise competitive in as many forms of motorsport as possible.

Regards,
Tony Shute,
Head of Product, Lotus Cars.



Brian

 

[LarryB]

Glad to hear Lotus is responding to request. And looking to make the Elise competitive on the track. Bad news is they can't offer everything up front... at least for some of us.

 

[_JD_]

So if you have an early '05 car, as long as later '05 (ed)versions have the LSD option, you could have it retrofitted w/o penalty in the eyes of SCCA? If that's true, the folks that dropped off their early spots must be on the phone pleading w/ their dealers as we speak (type).

 

[OneFastLotus]

Is there a way to talk to Tony shute personally?

The Hoosier tires are most certainly much stickier than the yok's they're offering..and they're street legal. Someone needs to tell him this and explain the tire situation.

Cheers
Jennifer

 

[Derek]

Good, I just hope it is well sorted and not rushed.
Too bad for those that dropped off because it was not offered. It shouldn’t have been a deal breaker. Like I've always said LSD or not I'm not giving up my spot. I just want this wonderful car.

 

[zvezdah1]

So guys,
How many people think Porsche, MaZda, Honda would've responded to purchasers needs this fast!!!?
Chris

 

[ivan1]

Fantastic that they can do that. But what about my stripes?

 

[_JD_]

So guys,
How many people think Porsche, MaZda, Honda would've responded to purchasers needs this fast!!!?
Chris

You ain't lyin'. That's impressive. Not that I have any doubts about this post, and I'm sure that this type of news is plenty impetus for one's first post, but I would like to see a press release by the Lotus folks just for verification no?

 

[Derek]

You ain't lyin'. That's impressive. Not that I have any doubts about this post, and I'm sure that this type of news is plenty impetus for one's first post, but I would like to see a press release by the Lotus folks just for verification no?

True Dhat!

 

[zvezdah1]

HI Derek,
Head of Product is the correct title for Tony.

Chris

 

[ConeFusion]

So if you have an early '05 car, as long as later '05 (ed)versions have the LSD option, you could have it retrofitted w/o penalty in the eyes of SCCA?

Yes. Unless they change something else on the car during the model year. If this scenario happens: You get an early '05 car. Later you add the LSD. If the resulting car is identical to a car you could have ordered later in the model year (when LSD was available as an option), your car is Stock legal.

 

[danwasdahl]

I am responding on behalf of Nick Adams concerning your questions over LSD and Tyre fittment to the Elise.
It is our proposal to offer a factory fit LSD

Regards,
Tony Shute,
Head of Product, Lotus Cars.

Phenomenal. Outstanding. This sort
of responsiveness to the customer's
wants (and autocross needs) is
unprecedented in my experience.

Simply Brilliant.
Thank You.
Dan Wasdahl

 

[Highlander]

SAAAAAWWWWEEEEEEEEEET!!! Time to get on the waiting list. Who knows, maybe I'll have one before 2006.

 

[Solo2Elise]

I love Lotus now.

 

[James A]

Oh well a quick retro-fit and I'll have LSD, I was already looking into a Quaife LSD to retrofit so this is great, a factory unit will do just fine and already be sorted.

 

[m3box]

Thank You Lotus! LSD = SALES!

If as we believe, the Lotus Elise with LSD becomes a "STOCK" class-beater in SCCA Autocross, than this is what Lotus has to look forward to:

EVERY body in the class will get one.

For example the Honda S2000 became a class-beater in B-Stock. At the 2003 Nationals, out of 60 Entrants in B-Stock, 41 were S2000's.
See:
http://www.scca.com/amateur/solo2/nationals/2003/results/groups/bs.html

The Corvette has become a class beater in Super-Stock. In the 2003 Nationals, out of 43 entrants, 42 were Corvettes.
See:
http://www.scca.com/amateur/solo2/nationals/2003/results/groups/ss.html

Now lets extrapolate using back-of-the envelope calculations: In the examples above, with both the S2000 and the Z06 Corvette, there are *at least* 3 other autocrossers who did not go to the nationals but who drive the same car because they know it is super competitive. THAT IS JUST IN THE NEW YORK Region!!!!.

THERE are Approximately 100 SCCA Regions in the USA. THATS 300 cars that will be bought by DEDICATED AUTOCROSSERS. For a low volume car:

that's significant.

 

[strawtarget]

Awesome! I'd prefer a torsen type to a clutch type, but either way, this is outstanding news! Those vettes had better watch out!!

 

[Randy Chase]

*pinches self*


Awesome!

Now we have to make sure Hoosier 205s fit (we think they will, kinda).

The important thing is all about year model. If the 2005 is what we are getting in May, is the same year as the car they later sell with the LSD. You can not retrofit cars to a later year option.

 

[Prolene]

This is mind boggling how Lotus does seem to be car/sport enthusiast people! Quite awesome!

As to diff type, I am of the understanding that a clutch type diff will still provide some power to the traction tire even if the other is off the ground or totally without grip. A Torsen diff cannot do this. Which would be better for autocross?

"However, if one set of wheels loses traction completely, the Torsen differential will be unable to supply any torque to the other set of wheels. The bias ratio determines how much torque can be transferred, and five times zero is zero." From "How Stuff Works".

 

[ConeFusion]

There was some discussion about different LSD types in an earlier thread. From everything I read, nobody seems to expect that the Elise will lift a rear wheel completely. So the limitation of a Torsen type shouldn't be much of an issue.