Europa and Superchip?
Discussion
I have now done 4,500 miles in my Europa since I bought it in March, and love every moment.... that is apart from the occasions it has had to go back to the dealers on a trailer.....
On the basis that you cant have to much of a good thing, I have spoken to F1 Lotus in Newcastle, who have said there is now a superchip upgrade available for the Europa, which takes the power up to around 235bhp, and also a healthy increase in torque.
Has any other Europa owner gone down the superchip route?
As for the trips back to the dealer, these have been due to radiator hoses blowing off. Apparently it is a known problem, and Lotus have now specced larger clips to ensure it does not continue to happen.
On the basis that you cant have to much of a good thing, I have spoken to F1 Lotus in Newcastle, who have said there is now a superchip upgrade available for the Europa, which takes the power up to around 235bhp, and also a healthy increase in torque.
Has any other Europa owner gone down the superchip route?
As for the trips back to the dealer, these have been due to radiator hoses blowing off. Apparently it is a known problem, and Lotus have now specced larger clips to ensure it does not continue to happen.
Does the car have the updated ECU? This is not a chip or a re-map but a revised ECU that should take power up to 235 BHP. This is an official Lotus upgrade and I believe £500 from the dealer.
Another good way of getting more power/torque is fitting a Milltek exhaust. This reducing back pressure on the engine allowing it to breath far easier. Again available from Thorney Motorsport.
Another good way of getting more power/torque is fitting a Milltek exhaust. This reducing back pressure on the engine allowing it to breath far easier. Again available from Thorney Motorsport.
The car is as far as I am aware a bog standard Europa S, bought in March this year, but had stood in the showroom for about 12 months. So it is likely to be one of the originals?
The Lotus remap comes with a brake upgrade, which more than doubles the cost. I think it is about £1200.
The Superchip upgrade is £499.
The Lotus remap comes with a brake upgrade, which more than doubles the cost. I think it is about £1200.
The Superchip upgrade is £499.
cheeky_chops said:
thorney IS superchips.
IMO courtenay (Norwich) or Regal (southampton) - they both have German Z20LEx engine/ECU specialists who change their ECU maps
eh - Superchips are a 3rd party firm...or are you saying that all Thorneys upgrades are just superchips that he re-sells?IMO courtenay (Norwich) or Regal (southampton) - they both have German Z20LEx engine/ECU specialists who change their ECU maps
I was looking to upgrade my standard Europa S a couple of months ago. At the time the options where Lotus and Thorney Motorsport.
I phoned Thorney and they had stopped doing the ECU upgrades due to problems with the new map. Some cars that got upgraded had the ECU corrupted. The Milltek full sports exhaust inc. sports CAT was recommended, this gives a good performance upgrade and a "better" exhaust note. I was quoted £1500 for this.
The Lotus route involves taking your car to a dealer, they remove the ECU and send it to Lotus for "upgrading", I was told it takes a week. That was £499 for 225bhp.
I phoned Thorney and they had stopped doing the ECU upgrades due to problems with the new map. Some cars that got upgraded had the ECU corrupted. The Milltek full sports exhaust inc. sports CAT was recommended, this gives a good performance upgrade and a "better" exhaust note. I was quoted £1500 for this.
The Lotus route involves taking your car to a dealer, they remove the ECU and send it to Lotus for "upgrading", I was told it takes a week. That was £499 for 225bhp.
Didnt know about the radiator clip problem - is this a recall situation or do they just sort out if it blows ?
I'm having the front clam replaced (dozy twonk reveresed into me....) as its off would the bodyshop replace as part of a preventative thing ??
I know what you mean about the cars hanging the showrooms, I also bought mine in March and the build date (as shwon on the cobra alarm certificate) was last September so guess it was put together around about then as well.
Do you know when the hose clip problem was identified and put through to the production line ???
I'm having the front clam replaced (dozy twonk reveresed into me....) as its off would the bodyshop replace as part of a preventative thing ??
I know what you mean about the cars hanging the showrooms, I also bought mine in March and the build date (as shwon on the cobra alarm certificate) was last September so guess it was put together around about then as well.
Do you know when the hose clip problem was identified and put through to the production line ???
I'm in the process of having my Europa upgraded.
- as already posted, Thorney no longer do the ECU, they are recommending the Lotus approved upgrade and then (if you want to go another step) the Milltek exhaust
- according to my local dealer, there is no option from Lotus to do ECU only, the whole kit has to be purchased (plugs, upgraded front brakes, new ECU) and the cost incl. VAT is closer to £1,500 (if anybody has been told different by their Lotus dealer, please let me know)
- there are so few Europas around, I would not trust anybody other than Thorney or Lotus themselves to perform any upgrade work. These are the only two options that have any sort of proven track record. Most of the other tuning specialists have never seen a Europa.
HTH
Cheers
Jerry
- as already posted, Thorney no longer do the ECU, they are recommending the Lotus approved upgrade and then (if you want to go another step) the Milltek exhaust
- according to my local dealer, there is no option from Lotus to do ECU only, the whole kit has to be purchased (plugs, upgraded front brakes, new ECU) and the cost incl. VAT is closer to £1,500 (if anybody has been told different by their Lotus dealer, please let me know)
- there are so few Europas around, I would not trust anybody other than Thorney or Lotus themselves to perform any upgrade work. These are the only two options that have any sort of proven track record. Most of the other tuning specialists have never seen a Europa.
HTH
Cheers
Jerry
Yes this is all correct. I think Thorney stopped mapping the Europa as the ECU was difficult to 'crack' and the results were mixed. I have spoken to Courtneys and they do not currently map the Europa. Not sure about Regal to be honest.
Unfortunately Lotus used a completely different ECU to that used on the VX220 Turbo. This means that the same maps cannot be applied.
The best way forward is indeed the upgraded Lotus ECU and then a Milltek. I would imagine that should get around 240 - 250 Bhp.
In addition with the limited numbers of Europas on the road I don't think many of the tuners will put the R & D time into a map as it is not really viable.
One question, you mention that Lotus will only supply the performance upgrade with the brake conversion. What is the brake conversion? If it is the 4 Pot APs then £1500 is a bargain for that price. If it is just upgraded discs (drilled/grooved) and pads (pagids) then it is really a rip off and I would try and source a dealer that will supply the ECU upgrade separately.
Unfortunately Lotus used a completely different ECU to that used on the VX220 Turbo. This means that the same maps cannot be applied.
The best way forward is indeed the upgraded Lotus ECU and then a Milltek. I would imagine that should get around 240 - 250 Bhp.
In addition with the limited numbers of Europas on the road I don't think many of the tuners will put the R & D time into a map as it is not really viable.
One question, you mention that Lotus will only supply the performance upgrade with the brake conversion. What is the brake conversion? If it is the 4 Pot APs then £1500 is a bargain for that price. If it is just upgraded discs (drilled/grooved) and pads (pagids) then it is really a rip off and I would try and source a dealer that will supply the ECU upgrade separately.
The brake upgrade as supplied by Lotus is discs and I think pads. Good for the road but not up to track days once you put sticky tyres on the car. If you fit sticky tyres then you will have to upgrade the brakes if you want to track the car. I went for Mintex pads with the Lotus upgraded drilled discs and they were very on the edge at Donnington with Toyo tyres on the car. I think I will go for the AP setup before I track the car again... again from Thorney!
If you are running standard tyres then I think you will get away with the Lotus upgrade on the discs. I ran like this at Silverstone and the Ring and had no brake problems.
BTW I have done 7000miles in mine now including a few track days and the engine just keeps pulling stronger and stronger as it loosens up. At Donnington the acceleration out of the corners was a match for almost anything on the circuit, which was just as well as I was not!
C43
If you are running standard tyres then I think you will get away with the Lotus upgrade on the discs. I ran like this at Silverstone and the Ring and had no brake problems.
BTW I have done 7000miles in mine now including a few track days and the engine just keeps pulling stronger and stronger as it loosens up. At Donnington the acceleration out of the corners was a match for almost anything on the circuit, which was just as well as I was not!
C43
I dont know if the radiator hose clip thing is a recall. All I can say is that it has happened twice to me, and following the last occasion F1 contacted Lotus who "knew" of the problem, and are apparently fitting the new clips as standard now.Some are winging there way to the North East for fitment to my car.
As for the ECU upgrade, I agree completely that the sensible way would be to go down the Lotus remap route. If that was available for £500 on its own it would be fine.
Instead, they insist on the brake "upgrade" as well, which someone has already pointed out really just involves new discs and pads. Effectively a further £1000, making the upgrade nearer £1500. (I forgot about the VAT!)
Why will Lotus not just do the remap??
As for the ECU upgrade, I agree completely that the sensible way would be to go down the Lotus remap route. If that was available for £500 on its own it would be fine.
Instead, they insist on the brake "upgrade" as well, which someone has already pointed out really just involves new discs and pads. Effectively a further £1000, making the upgrade nearer £1500. (I forgot about the VAT!)
Why will Lotus not just do the remap??
I got my Europa from http://www.jct600.co.uk/ in Leeds. Excellent service.
I made enquires and it was £499 for the ECU upgrade, I was not told I needed the brake upgrade, pads and plugs (which I think is a bit of con anyway).
It's a shame that the Europa ECU is so different to the VX220 Turbo ECU, considering they are supposed to be the same engine?
Another tuning company is http://www.courtenaysport.co.uk they have been around for years and do tuning packages for VX220 Turbo.
I made enquires and it was £499 for the ECU upgrade, I was not told I needed the brake upgrade, pads and plugs (which I think is a bit of con anyway).
It's a shame that the Europa ECU is so different to the VX220 Turbo ECU, considering they are supposed to be the same engine?
Another tuning company is http://www.courtenaysport.co.uk they have been around for years and do tuning packages for VX220 Turbo.
the ECUs are made for manufacturers rather than engines...so the Vauxhall one must conform to their system of dealer interrogation and the Lotus one, to eerrr the Lotus scan tool I guess.
You wouldnt take your 111R to a Vauxhall dealer and expect them to be able to adjust everything would you?
Lotus have encrypted the ECUs in such a way to stop people tinkering and so they can make a bit doing official upgrades I guess, which is why my originaly comment re Superchips...i thought Thorney had hacked the Lotus ECU and was able to offer a proper remap of it, not some bodge with a piggy back chip etc
im sure it will be hacked sooner or later - the Yanks have done it, and now Sinclaires are able to do remap factory ECUs...if theres a demand for it, im sure they will offer it...and thats the problem...I siuppose if you can get 10 Europa owners to say they want an upgrade, and its relatively straight forward it will be done
You wouldnt take your 111R to a Vauxhall dealer and expect them to be able to adjust everything would you?
Lotus have encrypted the ECUs in such a way to stop people tinkering and so they can make a bit doing official upgrades I guess, which is why my originaly comment re Superchips...i thought Thorney had hacked the Lotus ECU and was able to offer a proper remap of it, not some bodge with a piggy back chip etc
im sure it will be hacked sooner or later - the Yanks have done it, and now Sinclaires are able to do remap factory ECUs...if theres a demand for it, im sure they will offer it...and thats the problem...I siuppose if you can get 10 Europa owners to say they want an upgrade, and its relatively straight forward it will be done
My understanding from having spoken to the mechanic is that it is a complete remap, no piggy back chip or the like, but a download of the existing map, and then uploading the new map from superchip.
I have emailed Lotus direct asking if they will just do the remap..... will post when i get a reply....
I have emailed Lotus direct asking if they will just do the remap..... will post when i get a reply....
Edited by Lupus on Wednesday 30th July 13:51
Thorney's are a proper re-map of the ECU using a rolling road and almost bespoke to each car, not a piggyback system. I believe however that he uses Superchip software in order to do the remapping.
The problem is that although Thorney and Courtney remap the VX220, this is a different ECU to that used in the Europa. As Bogie said it is set to the manufacturer and not the engine.
Although Thorney was able to 'crack' the Lotus/Bosche ECU, results have been mixed. I drove a TMS Europa with a map and delivery was very lumpy. I believe that this was the exception to the norm.
The best combination at present is the updated ECU from Lotus along with a Milltek. I've a feeling that until Lotus open up the ECU there will be no real engine tuning options for the Europa. That said the ECU and Milltek should be good for say 240 BHp which is very capable!!!
The problem is that although Thorney and Courtney remap the VX220, this is a different ECU to that used in the Europa. As Bogie said it is set to the manufacturer and not the engine.
Although Thorney was able to 'crack' the Lotus/Bosche ECU, results have been mixed. I drove a TMS Europa with a map and delivery was very lumpy. I believe that this was the exception to the norm.
The best combination at present is the updated ECU from Lotus along with a Milltek. I've a feeling that until Lotus open up the ECU there will be no real engine tuning options for the Europa. That said the ECU and Milltek should be good for say 240 BHp which is very capable!!!
Gassing Station | Elise/Exige/Europa/340R | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff