Elise GT1 is Back!
Mega Elise to race at Sebring in March
A new team is to race in the LMP1 class of the American Le Mans Series in an Elise GT1! Team Elite plan to use 2004 as a test and development season in preparation for a full two car assault on the 24 hours of Le Mans and ALMS in 2005.
“This is an exciting year for Lotus with 2004 being the 50th anniversary of Team Lotus ” said Gary Ankenmann, Director of Team Elite.
Having passed all the Homologation requirements Team Elite plans to use 2004 as a test and development season in preparation for a full two car assault on the 24 hours of Le Mans and ALMS in 2005.
Johnny Herbert will assist with the cars testing and development prior to its historic first race at the Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring in late March. Johnny has a history with Lotus, being one of their last Formula One drivers. Other drivers being considered include Marino Franchitti, Alex Zampedri and Ian Boss.
With the Management based in Toronto, Canada, Team Elite will operate out of Florida with Technical Direction by Jim Higgs, owner of JB Racing Inc. A Florida-based company specializing in the manufacturing of high-performance parts and race engine building and development, JB Racing, Inc. has been selected by Team Elite to revive the Lotus GT1 racing program.
Keith Smout, who has been Commercial Director for both BAR and Jaguar Formula One teams before returning to Canada in 2002 and Elite Motorsports Management Director, Gary Ankenmann who has been involved in commercial marketing activities for the past 7 years will run the teams operations on a day to day basis.
www.pistonheads.com/lotus/elise/Default.asp?storyId=4764
DustyC said:
I told you all this ages ago!
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=25&h=&t=79618
Keep working on ur communication Dusty! Or try a mail to news@pistonheads. Any news about the bhp inside?
HOWEVER...
in this instance I'll let you into my source since there is a very very nice man that runs THE BEST Le Mans website IMO.
www.maisonblanche.co.uk/index2.html
Did you read the Elise GT1 review in EVO 3-4 months ago? Excellent write up. Car sounds fantastic.
We are currently working on a website and shall be making an announcement to that effect in the near future.
DustyC said:
. . . runs THE BEST Le Mans website IMO.
www.maisonblanche.co.uk/index2.html
Car sounds fantastic.
Saw the url in ur thread . . . About sound: is it an option to add sound to PH?
ah746 said:
I can help with these questions.... But just yet.... We have two engine programmes.... I knoew one of them is a Corvette engine, probably lifted from a C5.... And the other one could either be the Ferrari V12 that the chassis came with when Team Elite bought it, or a Cadillac Northstar 32V...
We are currently working on a website and shall be making an announcement to that effect in the near future.
I think the original Lotus GT1 car was supposed to be an Esprit V8TT, but there was a law brought in that banned turbos, or something, so they ended up using a 6-litre version of the engine Lotus designed for the Corvette ZR1.
A beauty all the same. A model of the '97 LeMans number 15 car used to sit on my desk.
v8thunder said:
I can help with these questions.... But just yet.... We have two engine programmes.... I knoew one of them is a Corvette engine, probably lifted from a C5.... And the other one could either be the Ferrari V12 that the chassis came with when Team Elite bought it, or a Cadillac Northstar 32V...
We are currently working on a website and shall be making an announcement to that effect in the near future.
I think the original Lotus GT1 car was supposed to be an Esprit V8TT, but there was a law brought in that banned turbos, or something, so they ended up using a 6-litre version of the engine Lotus designed for the Corvette ZR1.
A beauty all the same. A model of the '97 LeMans number 15 car used to sit on my desk.
Indeed you are right V8thunder at one time they used the Lotus designed Corvette ZR1 motor called the 'LT5'(always wondered if that was an abreviation for Lotus).
The motor was a 6 litre FPC (Flat Planed Crank) version putting out around 630 bhp.
How they got such a large engine in is amazing but from what ive seen its engine mounts bolted straight on the valve covers.
Sorry I have been remiss with the reply, but all will be revealed...
We have finalised an engine programme, and as mentioned elsewhere, it is the LT5 engine...
Some of you asked how we shoe-horned such a large engine in the car... Well, visit out temporary website (Still under construction) at www.teameliteracing.tk and visit the gallery section... There are one or two engine bay shots which should whet your appetite...
We have our eyes on a different engine, one that is not American, which should guarantee some form of reliability and efficiency for the longer races...
More on that if and when it becomes an issue
AH
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