i have issue with the esprit's weight - anybody?
Discussion
as a genuine sports car with the chapman 'lightness' ethos behind it, why does the esprit weigh so much?
although the s1 started off at some 900kgs, the last of the four pots all came in at around 1400-1500kgs - this kind of weight is comparable with 4/5 door family saloons.
what happened?
although the s1 started off at some 900kgs, the last of the four pots all came in at around 1400-1500kgs - this kind of weight is comparable with 4/5 door family saloons.
what happened?
power steering, air con, bigger wheels, tyres, brakes etc to keep up with the competition.. it all adds weight.
The V8 is a heavier engine than the 4 cyl, but this was necessary for the v8 to continue to compete in its market place, plus also was intended to showcase lotus's own technical skills.
Chapman was trying to make the esprit a more up-market car, and you cant' usually do that without adding weight (McLaren F1 managed it, but only by using some super expensive materials).
Exige/Elise etc are nice and light and excellent for track use etc, but i wouldn't want to do say, a drive of 4000 miles thru europe in one of these. An esprit on the other hand would be ideal
The V8 is a heavier engine than the 4 cyl, but this was necessary for the v8 to continue to compete in its market place, plus also was intended to showcase lotus's own technical skills.
Chapman was trying to make the esprit a more up-market car, and you cant' usually do that without adding weight (McLaren F1 managed it, but only by using some super expensive materials).
Exige/Elise etc are nice and light and excellent for track use etc, but i wouldn't want to do say, a drive of 4000 miles thru europe in one of these. An esprit on the other hand would be ideal
A 360 Modena Kerb weight is 1390kgs for comparison.
Mind you the Sport 300 is about 250lbs lighter than the standard SE.
Strip all the toys out of a car then it will be light, look at an F40, great car wouldn't like to go more than a few hundred miles in one. Esprit, Scotland and back no problem.
Mind you the Sport 300 is about 250lbs lighter than the standard SE.
Strip all the toys out of a car then it will be light, look at an F40, great car wouldn't like to go more than a few hundred miles in one. Esprit, Scotland and back no problem.
I'm currently trying to reduce the weight of my Esprit. As it's safer than increasing power. Document on Lotus Esprit World. So far I've dumped the spare wheel, Exhaust and Cat and I don't carry any junk. Thinking about taking the rear wing of next.
Have lost 33kg so far. Not a lot, but considering the 350 lost 80kg over the V8 then it's not a bad start. Might look at carbon fibre body panel as I know someone with the moulds. But these might be a little expensive.
Cheap = light!
Quality = heavy
Expensive Quality = light!
Kato 92 SE
www.lotusespritworld.com
Have lost 33kg so far. Not a lot, but considering the 350 lost 80kg over the V8 then it's not a bad start. Might look at carbon fibre body panel as I know someone with the moulds. But these might be a little expensive.
Cheap = light!
Quality = heavy
Expensive Quality = light!
Kato 92 SE
www.lotusespritworld.com
Not so sure that dumping the spare tire is the "safer" alternative you spoke of. That spare isn't really meant to function as a spare tire, as much as it is there for extra crush protection in a front end collision. I really don't want to crash an Esprit, but I'd rather crash one with the spare in there.
Someone once told me that the connolly interior in each Esprit is acheived by sacrificing at least half a dozen bovines.
I'd say any car with 6 cows in the cabin with you no matter how strong the engine is going to have a problem :-)
That's one thing I loved about the S300 but never understood about the S350 which retains at least 4 of those cows.
Also, get some lighter alloys like the S350 OZs. And yes, the wings on standard cars are pretty weighty.
Regs,
Nicholas
('92 SE HW)
I'd say any car with 6 cows in the cabin with you no matter how strong the engine is going to have a problem :-)
That's one thing I loved about the S300 but never understood about the S350 which retains at least 4 of those cows.
Also, get some lighter alloys like the S350 OZs. And yes, the wings on standard cars are pretty weighty.
Regs,
Nicholas
('92 SE HW)
karmavore said: Aren't the wings very necessary for stability?
Luke.
Nope. My V8-GT does not have a rear wing and it does not need one. It has a larger 'lip' or transom spoiler built in to the body.
I've driven at 170 mph with no stability problems. It felt rock solid in fact.
Taking the wing OFF a car that was designed to have one on is a different matter however.. and i wouldn't recommend it. Even if the wing does not contribute to downforce it will add drag (ie stability and resistance to cross winds).
Rob
katolotus said: I'm currently trying to reduce the weight of my Esprit. As it's safer than increasing power. Document on Lotus Esprit World. So far I've dumped the spare wheel, Exhaust and Cat and I don't carry any junk. Thinking about taking the rear wing of next.
Have lost 33kg so far. Not a lot, but considering the 350 lost 80kg over the V8 then it's not a bad start. Might look at carbon fibre body panel as I know someone with the moulds. But these might be a little expensive.
Cheap = light!
Quality = heavy
Expensive Quality = light!
Kato 92 SE
www.lotusespritworld.com
Kato,
One must be very caeful when reducing weight to insure that the 'balance' has not been upset. Removing the front spare may be a poor idea as this adds significant weight from the already light front end. If your goal is to remove weight, you must first start by determing the weight on each wheel using a scale or such. Then subtract the weight while maintaining the same ratio of weight/wheel which your baseline measurements revealed. If not, there could be very unpredictable handling, especially at speed. Happy Motoring! Jim'85TE
'95 S4s 1340kg/2950lb.
'95 Ferrari F355: 1485/3268
Ferrari 360: 1495/3291
These weights actually measured by Car and Driver magazine vs. coming from a spec sheet. Full tank of gas and all fluids. Manufacturers typically give empty weights.
Personally, given the means, I think I could deal with the extra kg/lb of eather of the Ferraris.
'95 Ferrari F355: 1485/3268
Ferrari 360: 1495/3291
These weights actually measured by Car and Driver magazine vs. coming from a spec sheet. Full tank of gas and all fluids. Manufacturers typically give empty weights.
Personally, given the means, I think I could deal with the extra kg/lb of eather of the Ferraris.
Have just been down to the F40 workshop here in Auckland NZ to pick-up my new centre caps and had a chat to the owner of this Car about weight. He said if you want to go all the way with something like an Esprit, rip the seats out replace with carbon ones with foam padding, rip all the pretty things out, let the cows go to pasture. So you can really go extreme here. Just common sense. His F40 really is bare inside but somehow still looks the business. If your lucky enough to have a bit a skill, yes replace all possible panels with carbon throughout.
We were kidding around with our own weight, me being around 70kg and him being a little chubby I rekon he is over 100kg plus. So all you hamburger, chocolate lovers out there, start eating lettuce leaves!!!!!
So you can really go extreme here. Just common sense. His F40 really is bare inside but somehow still looks the business. If your lucky enough to have a bit a skill, yes replace all possible panels with carbon throughout. We were kidding around with our own weight, me being around 70kg and him being a little chubby I rekon he is over 100kg plus. So all you hamburger, chocolate lovers out there, start eating lettuce leaves!!!!!
Interesting thread this. Some Esprits have spares some don't which leads me to believe they are not part of the crash structure. This I will persue with Claire at Lotus Life.
Light weight bits that I would consider fabricating in carbon fibre would be the boot lid + spoiler and the doors (but not separately, ie if I did one I would have to do the other). Two reasons, the boot lid and the doors are heavy even though they're grp, plus they are in the centre of the car (ish) so the weight reduction would be all round as opposed to over one axle in particular. Only problem is the expense of making the parts. I know Mike Haines Racing has the moulds but I don't have the dosh so thats me scuppered. Plus I want to get a replacement cf roof instead of the glass which is very heavy and only serves to scorch the leather on sunny days.
Dom
Light weight bits that I would consider fabricating in carbon fibre would be the boot lid + spoiler and the doors (but not separately, ie if I did one I would have to do the other). Two reasons, the boot lid and the doors are heavy even though they're grp, plus they are in the centre of the car (ish) so the weight reduction would be all round as opposed to over one axle in particular. Only problem is the expense of making the parts. I know Mike Haines Racing has the moulds but I don't have the dosh so thats me scuppered. Plus I want to get a replacement cf roof instead of the glass which is very heavy and only serves to scorch the leather on sunny days.
Dom
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