Lotus heads for GT racing
New Exige GT3 hits the track
Lotus heads for GT racing
This is the first stage in the Lotus Sport-developed Exige GT3 becoming eligible for FIA GT3 competition. This latest FIA series, which will start in 2006, is for race cars that have an equal power to weight, and that have a direct lineage to their road-going versions.
Sticking to the Lotus philosophy of performance through lightness, it weighs about 750Kg. The car uses a race prepared 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine with a Roots type supercharger and air to air intercooler which utilises the Lotus T4e Engine Control Unit to produce 285bhp at 7,800rpm, providing an impressive power to weight ratio of 380bhp per tonne.
Following a brief shakedown programme at the Lotus Test Track at Hethel, factory test driver Gavan Kershaw carried out final chassis setup work on wet tyres in the morning session at the Paul Ricard test. This was followed by an outing on slick tyres on a drying track by FIA-nominated test driver Christophe Bouchut.
Commenting on the encouraging test session, Chris Arnold, General Manager of Lotus Sport, said: "We were delighted to attend the official FIA test session. Considering the car was still on the drawing board two months ago it's a fantastic achievement by the team to complete the build in such a short time. We knew this test would be a first shakedown for the car on slicks and I'm very pleased with the results. Our winter development programme starts with a wind tunnel test just before Christmas followed by further work in preparation for the next FIA test in March."
The FIA has announced a five race European championship for the new GT3 class with rounds in the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and Italy. Various national GT Championships are also considering amending their regulations to include a GT3 class.
Basic prototype specification
Like the standard Exige, the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 comes complete with the award-winning light weight bonded aluminium chassis. This is complemented by low weight five-spoke forged alloy wheels, carbon body panels, and a revised high downforce aerodynamic package incorporating a race front splitter and adjustable carbon fibre rear wing.
An FIA 6-point roll cage, ignition kill switches, and uprated braking and suspension systems including Öhlins 3-way adjustable dampers also feature on the new race car. A 6-speed sequential transmission system, and full data logging system have been fitted to the single-seater prototype vehicle.
Availability, full specification, and price of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 will be announced in early 2006.
looks are good and weight too! hope they get it all very competing...like that "little" thing on the road too with that 285hp, but maybe a year waiting and it will be an option too... But the aftermarket catch up and also dilivers those outputs with Twin Screw chargers, nice cars these kind of lotus's?.
GTRene
Aston Martin DBR9 2:14.669
Dodge Viper 2:14.938
Porsche 997 2:15.765
Maserati Gran Sport 2:18.252
Lamborghini Gallardo 2:18.316
Ascari KZ01 2:19.804
Nissan 350Z 2:21.172
Lotus Exige 2:25.513
I guess they may change that engine if they want to do something.
Most of it is already out in the open in a FIA GT3 Press Release
www.fiagt.com/system/_download.php?filename=press_kit_monacov8.pdf
toys said:
If Lotus can make a race Exige (based on the standard aluminium chassis) with full rollcage, extinguishers etc weigh 750 kg, then why is the road version nearly 1000 kg??
I suspect there MAY be some carbonfibre used...
;o)
Of course, feel free to specify this option for your road-car, but have your chequebook ready.
Nuvo said:
But the Exige is too slow, the Paul Ricard times:
Nissan 350Z 2:21.172
Lotus Exige 2:25.513
I guess they may change that engine if they want to do something.
Those are road car times, as far as I can work out. From a quick google, the Nissan power to weight ratio is something like 0.19 bhp / kg. The Exige GT3 is 0.38 bhp / kg - in other words TWICE the power of the Nissan. If Paul Ricard gets some times for it, expect some improvement over a stock (series 1?) Exige.
It's interesting to note that a humble 1.8 litre engine is powerful enough to fit the GT series if it's in the right car. No need to go to big bore and lots of cylinders if you get the basic configuration right.
GrahamG said:
They were all GT3 spec race cars - the test session was done to establish what needs to be achieved to equalise performance
That's weird then - so they all had the same power to weight, yet a good ten seconds difference in lap times? Lotus' legendary handling seems to be underperforming if that's the case. Even more worrying if a Lotus is being out handled by a Dodge Viper with the same power to weight..
>> Edited by Tuna on Monday 19th December 16:17
GrahamG said:
They were all GT3 spec race cars - the test session was done to establish what needs to be achieved to equalise performance
An Aston DBR9 in GT3? I saw it wipe the floor with the FIA European GT's at Silverstone in the summer, and that field included Masser MC12s and Maranellos. In fact, Modenas and 911 RSR's from the "GT2" class of the British GT Championship made up the class below, which would suggest that the DBR9 is a GT1 car.
On the equalisation point this session was specifically designed to give the FIA some baseline data - hence the use of a single driver (Christophe Bouchut) to set representative laps in all the cars present.
There are further tests due in the New Year.
havoc said:
If Lotus can make a race Exige (based on the standard aluminium chassis) with full rollcage, extinguishers etc weigh 750 kg, then why is the road version nearly 1000 kg??
I suspect there MAY be some carbonfibre used...
;o)
Of course, feel free to specify this option for your road-car, but have your chequebook ready.
Fair point. I still can't get my head round how you can save a quarter of a tonne from the bodywork though - surely the composite body of an Elise doesn't weigh that much to start with?
>> Edited by toys on Monday 19th December 17:22
That said it should be an attractive price compared to the Aston/Lambo etc, so might be quite well supported (also the parts should be a lot cheaper).
Archibold
toys said:
If Lotus can make a race Exige (based on the standard aluminium chassis) with full rollcage, extinguishers etc weigh 750 kg, then why is the road version nearly 1000 kg??
I suspect there MAY be some carbonfibre used...
;o)
Of course, feel free to specify this option for your road-car, but have your chequebook ready.
Fair point. I still can't get my head round how you can save a quarter of a tonne from the bodywork though - surely the composite body of an Elise doesn't weigh that much to start with?
>> Edited by toys on Monday 19th December 17:22
Lots of other parts on the car will be either lightweight versions of (brakes, suspension, wheels, polycarbonate instead of glass etc), or removed completely (stereo, heater, airbags and so on). For example a race prepped K-series engine could lose about 25kg off a road version which weighed about 100 kgs to start. Drastic weight saving on a road car is not always feasable as the cars have to comply with safety legislation. Now if Lotus still offered self build kit versions...
If 2 vehicles have identical power to weight ratio and aerodynamic package, the heavier one will have higher top speed in straight line than lighter one. So I don't think the light weight structure really give Lotus enough advantage under this kind similar power to weight ratio rules.
My point? It really depends on the circuits. We got whooped at Silverstone GP circuit, as our top speed was about half everyone elses... but we dished out whoopings anywhere with a balance of corners and straights.
I haven't seen the circuits that will be used for FIA GT3. If they are all straights, the Lotus won't win. If they are more balanced I fancy it will do well, in the right hands.
Oh, and I don't think the cars were all running equal tyres at Paul Ricard. We all know thats the most simple way to make a car go faster/slower, except maybe changing the driver!
Barrie Whight
Cadena GTC
So many nay-sayers... oh ye of little faith!
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