Anyone had the factory SC kit done?
Discussion
Toying with the idea of bolting on the factory SC kit to my Sportsracer. I actually like the peaky power delivery of the toyota ZZ engine in n/a form and found the SC version a bit characterless with the standard exhaust. I imagine that is easily remedied. Also bolting on a supercharger to my car means 220bhp with 840kgs to push around, versus 900 for the official Elise SC, so it ought to be quicker still.
I found the Elise SC to be a quicker car without feeling it. An extra 30bhp on top of what I've got has to be noticeable, and hopefully enough to eek past the old man's Boxster S!
I found the Elise SC to be a quicker car without feeling it. An extra 30bhp on top of what I've got has to be noticeable, and hopefully enough to eek past the old man's Boxster S!
My Elise R was, I am told, the first customer car to be converted using the factory retrofit SC kit. I had the work done at Hethel, and have been very happy with the result - it's a neat install.
IMHO, it's the engine the 111R should always have had. The best way I can describe it is feeling like the cam changeover has dropped to about 4500rpm; you get a much wider and more useful power band. You can obviously still drive it like the NA car, keeping the revs high, and it will be noticeably quicker than the NA cars - but the need to be quite so fast and furious with the gearchanges all the time is no longer there. I noticed it particularly when motorway cruising - no need to change down before vigorous overtaking, just ride the extra torque.
I drove a couple of "proper" SC cars before deciding to go ahead with the retrofit, and know what you mean about the noise - I found this was easily remedied by opting for the TRD airbox and Lotus Sport stage 3 exhaust. I doubt there is any performance benefit fitting these, but there certainly is an aural one - you get pops & bangs on overrun, plus supercharger whine on heavy acceleration (not all the time).
Let me know if you need any more info - happy to oblige if I can.
[k]
IMHO, it's the engine the 111R should always have had. The best way I can describe it is feeling like the cam changeover has dropped to about 4500rpm; you get a much wider and more useful power band. You can obviously still drive it like the NA car, keeping the revs high, and it will be noticeably quicker than the NA cars - but the need to be quite so fast and furious with the gearchanges all the time is no longer there. I noticed it particularly when motorway cruising - no need to change down before vigorous overtaking, just ride the extra torque.
I drove a couple of "proper" SC cars before deciding to go ahead with the retrofit, and know what you mean about the noise - I found this was easily remedied by opting for the TRD airbox and Lotus Sport stage 3 exhaust. I doubt there is any performance benefit fitting these, but there certainly is an aural one - you get pops & bangs on overrun, plus supercharger whine on heavy acceleration (not all the time).
Let me know if you need any more info - happy to oblige if I can.
[k]
I can't recall the exact figures, but I think the drive-away price at the time (end of May 2009) was £4600 or thereabouts - that includes not only the SC kit & fitting, but also the TRD airbox, LS stage 3 exhaust, new 'zorst heatshields (mine had corroded) and an OEM diffuser from the factory SC cars (required to fit the new exhaust tip). Plus, you also receive a nice big box of bits they have taken off your car, some of which is presumably eBay-able to offset the cost; things like the original ECU, intake manifold, fuel pump, injectors and suchlike; if you go for the extras as well, there's also the original exhaust, diffuser and intake snorkel to take away.
Due to the distances involved, I dropped the car off on a Friday afternoon, and picked it back up the following Friday afternoon. When I arrived, I was initially disheartened to see my car was still up on the lift, connected to the diagnostic system, but 10 minutes later it was all done. Final checks comprised of a full-bore blast round the test track in the hands of one of the test drivers, but then it disappeared straight back to the workshop; at the time I feared the worst, but the chaps simply wanted to give it a final wipe over with an oily rag before sending me on my way. The drive away up Potash Lane was certainly less sedate that the drive down it seven days earlier!
Overall, I was very happy with the work done, and I found it very easy & painless to deal with Lotus Sport themselves, who couldn't have been more helpful, and were probably no more expensive than a Lotus stealership. Accordingly, when I had to have a couple of other jobs done on the car last year, I went back to Lotus Sport - I just hope the "new management" and "new direction" doesn't adversely affect the customer experience.
Personally, I preferred to have the reassurance of a kit designed and installed by the people who know most about the car and its systems. That's not to decry the aftermarket alternatives, some of which I'm sure are very good, but that was my thinking at the time as I was using the car every day and it had to be reliable.
[k]
Due to the distances involved, I dropped the car off on a Friday afternoon, and picked it back up the following Friday afternoon. When I arrived, I was initially disheartened to see my car was still up on the lift, connected to the diagnostic system, but 10 minutes later it was all done. Final checks comprised of a full-bore blast round the test track in the hands of one of the test drivers, but then it disappeared straight back to the workshop; at the time I feared the worst, but the chaps simply wanted to give it a final wipe over with an oily rag before sending me on my way. The drive away up Potash Lane was certainly less sedate that the drive down it seven days earlier!
Overall, I was very happy with the work done, and I found it very easy & painless to deal with Lotus Sport themselves, who couldn't have been more helpful, and were probably no more expensive than a Lotus stealership. Accordingly, when I had to have a couple of other jobs done on the car last year, I went back to Lotus Sport - I just hope the "new management" and "new direction" doesn't adversely affect the customer experience.
Personally, I preferred to have the reassurance of a kit designed and installed by the people who know most about the car and its systems. That's not to decry the aftermarket alternatives, some of which I'm sure are very good, but that was my thinking at the time as I was using the car every day and it had to be reliable.
[k]
Edited by [k]arl on Sunday 10th April 14:30
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