Chassis weight, Elise vs Esprit ?

[tacoboy]

The chassis on the Elise is 150lbs.
How much does the chassis on the Esprit weight?
I know the total weight of the Esprit is in the 2800lbs (GT3) to 3000lbs (V8) range.
I'm trying to figure out how much weight could be saved by building a new model Esprit based on the engineering used on the Elise.
This would be a Classic Esprit using something
like a transversely mounted 2.2 liter (intercooler, turbocharged) motor.

[bojangles]

my sticker says over 3400 for the esprit s4s

[Autocross7]

bojangles said:

my sticker says over 3400 for the esprit s4s

My total weight is also above 3400lbs... 88' turbo...

Drive topless!!!
Cameron

[gixxer]

Sorry, don't know what the chassis weight of the Esprit is. But I know my '89 non-SE weighed in at 2,780 lbs. with a half tank of gas and no people in it.
The GVWR (max allowable weight) shown on the door jam is 3445 LBS.

[rob.e]

tacoboy said:

I'm trying to figure out how much weight could be saved by building a new model Esprit based on the engineering used on the Elise.

Quite a lot i would have thought. Main benefit though i would have thought is increased tortional rigidity.

The replacement to the esprit WILL have extruded alu chassis apparently - the recent autocar article mentioned a scalable structure that will be the basis of several new vehicles of differing sizes.

[rlearp]

Your weights on the Esprit at not 3400lbs. The sticker just tells you the gross, or maximum weight. Weigh the car on some track scales or at a weighing station and you'll find it is probably in the 2800lb range.

R

>> Edited by rlearp on Friday 23 July 12:05

[lotusguy]

rob.e said:

Quite a lot i would have thought. Main benefit though i would have thought is increased tortional rigidity. The replacement to the esprit WILL have extruded alu chassis apparently - the recent autocar article mentioned a scalable structure that will be the basis of several new vehicles of differing sizes.

rob,

You're right, you will realize both benefits. The Elise chassis weighs 150 lbs. and yet it requires some 9500 Nm/° of deflection.

This chassis concept has already been scaled up in the Lotus derived Aston Martin Vanquish chassis. It is just now becoming clear how much work Lotus actually did on the Vanquish. Aston Martin now also credits Lotus with doing most of the Safety work on the car as well. Happy Motoring! ...Jim'85TE

[red_devil]

According to "Lotus Service Notes"
Kerb weight -S4; GT3 1229 kg (2710 lb)
-S4S 1339 kg (2952 lb)
-Sport 300 1306 kg (2880 lb)
-V8, Sport 350 1380 kg (3043 lb)
-V8GT 1325 kg (2992 lb)
All include full fuel tank.

Gross weight - 4-cyl 1566 kg (3453 lb)
- V8 1607 kg (3543 lb)
Include occupants & luggage

>> Edited by red_devil on Friday 23 July 15:55

[gary_tholl]

I have a Europa, which is essentially the same as the Esprit chassis, except for a tube frame at the rear for the engine to mount in the Esprit. Without any suspension on the frame, it might weigh 70 lbs. I would guess that an Esprit frame would be no more than 150lbs. However, compared to the Elise chassis, it has the rigidity of a wet noodle.

Gary

[rlearp]

Weigh it - that is the only way you'll know. Published weights are frequently incorrect.

[tacoboy]

So does anybody have a book that lists the weight of
that steel chassis of the Esprit ?

[LotusSE89]

The Esprit chassis is 135LB, The Elise S1 was 135LB.
The Esprit weighs more because of the scale of the car, the equipment, and the thickness of the body.

Travis
Vulcan Grey 89SE
www.lotuscolorado.com/vulcangrey/

[jrjajs]

My 94 s4 weighs in at 2900 lb