RE: US Elise Plans

[slashmb]

Can one of you guys explain to me exactly what US law is changing the elise. Is it emissions cos if it is how do they get away with all their 5 litre V8's and the like doing 4 to the gallon?????

(also does anyone have a spare £13000 they can lend me cos I really would like to buy myself an elise and Mr. bank manager won't let me!!!!!!!!)

Cheers guys

Slash

[Johnny Freon]

Emissions is a part of it, hence the Toyota engine.

Actually you'd be surprised at how efficient some of the big American engines are. Not that I like them, but they do get a bit of a bad rap.

What I'd be more concerned about as far as changing the Elise are the safety regulations, because those would be the ones requiring changes to the structure (read - added weight).

J

[fergusd]

'emissions' is a multipart thing . . .

The reason you can run a 8 litre V8 truck around in California with absolutely no 'emissions' problems is that the perceived problem is, hydrocarbons and CO emissions, stick enough cat converters on (making the engine even less efficient) and you can comply with these requirements. Of course that ignores the 'emissions' that relate to efficiency, ie. CO2, of which you can produce bucket loads, it seems, with impunity, and a 8 litre V8 will do just that . . .

Efficiency and exhaust cleanliness are not the same thing.

[englishman in LA]

The US regulations as they pertain to the Elise are 2 fold as far as I can tell.

Firstly emissions. Engines over here are measured according to % of the gas coming out of the exhaust, not absolute quantities per mile, hence a 5.0l V8 can be cleaner (according to the US government) than a 1.8l 4 pot.

Secondly crash standards. Thats Airbags, side impact bars and 2.5mph crash regulations. I believe that the hard part of that for the Elise are the front and back bumpers and their complexity. This is where the extra weight (if any) will come from.

Steve

[loserkid]

englishman in LA said:
Secondly crash standards. Thats Airbags, side impact bars and 2.5mph crash regulations. I believe that the hard part of that for the Elise are the front and back bumpers and their complexity. This is where the extra weight (if any) will come from.
Steve

You just need to look at the Porsche 911 with its "Bouncy" bumpers to see what they did to the car (late 70's early 80's ish I believe)

[englishman in LA]

That was a slightly different situation, it was a quick response to the introduction of a 5mph no damage bumper requirement, which was introduced purely as an Inport blocker. Now the standards are lower, and Manufacturers are all aware of the rules and know how to meet them without ridiculous add ons.

[englishman in LA]

I got a letter from Silver Star Lotus of Thousand Oaks yesterday with the Elise statement for the US. It looks like the Dealers want it, and Lotus USA wants it, so the only issue is whether Lotus UK can design and build it.

Good news at last.