Shell Optimax and S2 111s

Shell Optimax and S2 111s

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Discussion

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
Does anyone have any experience of running Shell Optimax in an Elise? An article in a recent copy of Evo concluded it offered significant performance gains over both Standard and SuperUnleaded. Any comments?

On another subject I accidentally gate crashed what appeared to be the Press launch of the S2 111s at Dunston Hall on Monday.

There were eight shiny new S2s all badged as 111s. From all accounts power is up to 160bhp and they have lengthened the gear ratios.

Visual differences were limited to new alloys (the shiny reflective kind - naff in my eyes), new grills (under the number plate at the rear), new exhaust tail pipes and a new undertray (split height as in the original S2 press releases).

Apparently it's 'The Mutts Nuts' - their words not mine!

James

PS - I also heard a rumour that the US Elise has been canned ... fingers crossed that's not true.

Bonce

4,339 posts

286 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
quote:
PS - I also heard a rumour that the US Elise has been canned ... fingers crossed that's not true.


Hopefully that was a typo/mispronunciation and it's actually being CANED around the test track ready for launch in the US.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
No I'm afraid not. The comment I heard confirmed that it had indeed been going to be use the Toyota engine, but that for some reason the whole project was now in doubt ...

>> Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 15th May 15:32

adeewuff

567 posts

277 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
How official was this person who made the comment? It seems a very odd thing to say what with the recent news about further crash and engine testing. Mind you saying that with a company like Lotus anything is possible!

Good news about the S2 111S, it really does sound like they've got the grunt to match the looks.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
He was pretty well connected and seemed rather fed up about it.

Having said that it was breaking news to him as well so let's just hope it's not correct and that they not only sell the Toyota engined car in the US, but in the UK as well, hopefully with the six speed box thrown in for good measure!

Bonce

4,339 posts

286 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
Back to the Optimax question, I'm running it in my 111S at the moment and notice no improvement in fuel economy or performance. Lotus have said on many occasions in the past that higher octane fuels do not improve performance on the 1.8 K Series - I guess the ECU would need modification to take advantage of it.

Nightmare

5,230 posts

291 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
indeed...the K-series does NOT have a knock sensor in it - which the ECU then 'understands' in order to get the calorific value of the fuel running in it..which it then uses to advance and retard timings etc.. to take advantage. Without said sensor, it dont know whats in it, and hence does nothing about it!

I dont see why the alleged cleaning properties of this fuel would be affected though?

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

61 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
Does the same apply to the S2 with the Lotus Engine management system?

hungryjim

883 posts

272 months

Wednesday 15th May 2002
quotequote all
S2 111s that sounds interesting.
What could Turbo Technics do 270bhp [DREAM]

Jim

Nightmare

5,230 posts

291 months

Friday 17th May 2002
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friad so...the EMS isn't part of the engine as such...the knock sensor is....Its possible they've fitted on to this K-series, but I think I asked Lotus chief techie engineer and he said 'no'!