An unusual idea...

[chaparral]

What about an Elise with a Volkswagen PD150 engine? The torque would literally throw the car down the road. Fuel mileage might also improve.

[slashmb]

DON'T be silly................

[akd]

Iv'e got both a 150TD VW Golf and an S2 Elise, the engine's are both great in different ways but 'chalk & cheese'.

I really appreciate the torque of the Diesel when I am on the Autobahn but the one downside is turbo lag - you really notice this at very low revs especially when pulling away at junctions. Not such a problem with an Elise body of 750ks rather than the Golf and its hefty 1,450ks !

However all that aside I would miss the high revving petrol engine - this is half the fun of a an Elise, the TD runs out of torque at about 3000 revs (Peak torque is at 1950 revs).

Wasnt a prototype Elise/VX220 produced with a diesel engine, maybe Lotus do not think it is such a bad idea after all ?

[Johnny Freon]

right here

www.pistonheads.com/shows/paris2002/index.asp?storyId=5447

still rather ridiculous though, i mean half the fun of of a sports car is taking it to absurd heights on the rev counter!

j