Lotus 3 Eleven
Discussion
Collecting my Lotus 3-Eleven from Bell & Colvill tomorrow.
As a reminder the spec is as follows:
3.5 litre V6, 24 valve, water cooled, all aluminium engine with Edelbrock supercharger
Max power 410hp @ 7,000 rpm
Max torque 302 lb/ft @ 3,000 rpm
0-60 mph 3.3
Max speed 174 mph
Power to weight 443 hp / tonne
Dry weight 925 kg
6 speed manual gearbox
Öhlins adjustable dampers
AP Racing four-piston calipers
Full colour TFT display with driver selection modes for road/track
Adjustable Traction Control
My optional extras:
Colour Scheme 1 – green with yellow stripes
Gloss Black Accents
Gloss Black Alloys
Fire Extinguisher and Battery Isolator
Michelin Cup 2 Tyres
Carbon Drivers Seat
Carbon Passenger Seat
Motorsport Front Splitter & Canards
Steering re-trimmed in alcantara and white stitching
Reversing Camera
As a reminder the spec is as follows:
3.5 litre V6, 24 valve, water cooled, all aluminium engine with Edelbrock supercharger
Max power 410hp @ 7,000 rpm
Max torque 302 lb/ft @ 3,000 rpm
0-60 mph 3.3
Max speed 174 mph
Power to weight 443 hp / tonne
Dry weight 925 kg
6 speed manual gearbox
Öhlins adjustable dampers
AP Racing four-piston calipers
Full colour TFT display with driver selection modes for road/track
Adjustable Traction Control
My optional extras:
Colour Scheme 1 – green with yellow stripes
Gloss Black Accents
Gloss Black Alloys
Fire Extinguisher and Battery Isolator
Michelin Cup 2 Tyres
Carbon Drivers Seat
Carbon Passenger Seat
Motorsport Front Splitter & Canards
Steering re-trimmed in alcantara and white stitching
Reversing Camera
That is a thing of beauty. I may have been tempted by the black and gold, with some gold wheels, but in reality, that is an awesome colour-scheme. It just looks so right. I hoped to see one at Silverstone on Monday - a mixed L7C, MG and Lotus on Track day, but no such luck. I can vouch for the good driving though - only one red flag that I saw, for a mechanical, throughout the day.
I hope the weather is as sunny for you as it is for me today.
I hope the weather is as sunny for you as it is for me today.
SidewaysSi said:
baronbennyt said:
SidewaysSi said:
Will you be wearing a helmet on road?
Yes. I'm conscious I might look a bit of a berk wearing a lid on the road but it's better than flies in the teeth or, worse, a stone in the face (it only has to happen once). baronbennyt said:
SidewaysSi said:
Will you be wearing a helmet on road?
Yes. I'm conscious I might look a bit of a berk wearing a lid on the road but it's better than flies in the teeth or, worse, a stone in the face (it only has to happen once). 
Sorry not to post sooner fellow PH'ers but I've only just returned to my desk after a pretty epic first day with the 3-Eleven.
The day couldn't have started better when I clamped eyes on my new toy for the first time at Lotus Bell & Colvill in West Horsley. "Wow" was all I could say. I probably came across to the chaps at B&C like an 8 year old on Christmas day!
After a pretty exhaustive hand-over (which was expertly done by Miguel) I excitedly headed out onto the country lanes of Surrey in convoy with my brother and his 997 GT3. The weather forecast promised heavy cloud but no rain. How wrong they were. I had to quickly peddle it back home, regrettably, before I got totally soaked but it turned out to be quite convenient since I was carrying the indoor car cover, trickle charger, paperwork etc. all in the passenger footwell. Not ideal for spirited driving...
The day got slowly dryer and brighter so I decided to go for a longer drive and follow my usual "Sunday drive" route down to Goodwood. Even using 50% of the car's engine performance (I'm limited to 4,000 rpm for the first 600 miles running-in distance) the car is simply too fast for normal road use, which was at times a lot of fun but on others super frustrating. No, I think the track will be its natural habitat, although I'll still be tempted by the odd early morning weekend blast for sure.
How should I describe the driving experience? Well, I can only liken it to a 400bhp go-kart that doesn't oversteer as readily as that sounds (fortunately enough)! The steering is super direct, the car just grips and goes like a catapult. You feel and hear everything. Sensory overload! The only gripe I have so far is that I'm finding it incredibly difficult to heel-and-toe with the pedals set where there are. I'm sure I'll find a way in the coming days and weeks ahead.
All-in-all for a first day experience? "Awesome"!
The day couldn't have started better when I clamped eyes on my new toy for the first time at Lotus Bell & Colvill in West Horsley. "Wow" was all I could say. I probably came across to the chaps at B&C like an 8 year old on Christmas day!
After a pretty exhaustive hand-over (which was expertly done by Miguel) I excitedly headed out onto the country lanes of Surrey in convoy with my brother and his 997 GT3. The weather forecast promised heavy cloud but no rain. How wrong they were. I had to quickly peddle it back home, regrettably, before I got totally soaked but it turned out to be quite convenient since I was carrying the indoor car cover, trickle charger, paperwork etc. all in the passenger footwell. Not ideal for spirited driving...
The day got slowly dryer and brighter so I decided to go for a longer drive and follow my usual "Sunday drive" route down to Goodwood. Even using 50% of the car's engine performance (I'm limited to 4,000 rpm for the first 600 miles running-in distance) the car is simply too fast for normal road use, which was at times a lot of fun but on others super frustrating. No, I think the track will be its natural habitat, although I'll still be tempted by the odd early morning weekend blast for sure.
How should I describe the driving experience? Well, I can only liken it to a 400bhp go-kart that doesn't oversteer as readily as that sounds (fortunately enough)! The steering is super direct, the car just grips and goes like a catapult. You feel and hear everything. Sensory overload! The only gripe I have so far is that I'm finding it incredibly difficult to heel-and-toe with the pedals set where there are. I'm sure I'll find a way in the coming days and weeks ahead.
All-in-all for a first day experience? "Awesome"!
dom9 said:
Were you driving round Cobham way, on the Portsmouth road late this morning?
Saw one of these pass me Oxshott -> Cobham (same colour scheme, driver in a white helmet) and I gave him (?) a wave.
Yes, that was me! Sorry if I didn't wave back, you must have thought me rude. I was probably playing with the different instrument settings at the time Saw one of these pass me Oxshott -> Cobham (same colour scheme, driver in a white helmet) and I gave him (?) a wave.
I got quite a few waves and thumbs up today which was really nice and only one finger which wasn't but hay-hoe that's the way it is in this country sometimes. Didn't let it ruin my day. 
baronbennyt said:
Yes, that was me! Sorry if I didn't wave back, you must have thought me rude. I was probably playing with the different instrument settings at the time I got quite a few waves and thumbs up today which was really nice and only one finger which wasn't but hay-hoe that's the way it is in this country sometimes. Didn't let it ruin my day.
Rude? Not at all! I still expect other road users to find me weird/ special for waving! The car looked great, though you need your helmet painted to match I got quite a few waves and thumbs up today which was really nice and only one finger which wasn't but hay-hoe that's the way it is in this country sometimes. Didn't let it ruin my day. I'm ex Lotus Motorsport (a long, long time ago) so it's always nice seeing Hethel's finest on the roads!
There are a few PHers round here - one of us should organise a meet at the Fairmile Pub (pretty much exactly where we passed each other), as they seem to have a lot of car clubs use them.
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