Interesting option
Discussion
One of these was at Snetterton yesterday, I think the first public sight of one. It was in our race. Gavin Kershaw was driving it. Admitedly he's a sharo man behind the wheel but he just flew past everything, qualifying either second or first from a field of fully race prepared motorsports Exiges, a couple of Atoms and a Shelsley. It is a serious rival to the M400 and will probably blow away any other M12.
Pricing will be very interesting.
Regards
Paul C
The Lotus "Circuit Car"
The all new lightweight and high performance track day Lotus
The new Lotus "Circuit Car" was announced yesterday (Saturday, 11 June,
2005) by Kim Ogaard-Nielsen, CEO of Group Lotus, to privileged Lotus Club
International members at the annual Lotus Club International Gala Dinner
held at Norwich City Football Club. Based on the Lotus Elise Aluminium
chassis, and weighing in at approximately 600kg, the single-seater car (with
an option of two seats) has been designed and engineered solely for Track
Day and Club Racing.
The lightweight composite bodywork of the visually dramatic open-topped
circuit car combines high downforce from cleverly engineered aerodynamics.
Part of its phenomenal performance is from a supercharged VVTL-i (Variable
Valve Timing with Lift - intelligent) engine, and is estimated to achieve
the 0 - 100 mph (160 km/h) sprint in a staggering 9.0 seconds. This exciting
combination has allowed for a dynamic racing package producing higher
performance to that of existing Elise-based products. An entry-level
naturally-aspirated VVTL-i engine will also be available, powering the car
from 0 - 62 mph in under 4 seconds.
Tony Shute, Head of Product Development at Lotus Cars, explains what makes
the Lotus "Circuit Car" a leading high performance track car: "The new
product has allowed Lotus to once again apply its key "performance through
lightweight" philosophy. This is in order to achieve an innovative product
for the track day and club racing Lotus enthusiast whilst staying true to
the key design attributes of the Elise and Exige products. They are
considered to be amongst the finest existing road and track day cars by
thousands of owners around the world, and the "Circuit Car" will build on
this formidable reputation, helping to further underline Lotus as the
ultimate driver's choice."
The introduction of the new Lotus "Circuit Car" will generate additional
exposure of the Lotus brand and provide Lotus with entry to further key
market sectors, as Clive Dopson, Managing Director of Lotus Cars, explains
"The introduction of this new model plays a key role in developing and
enhancing the presence of Lotus Cars on the track, whilst providing the
driver of today with a pure circuit car which thrives on the essential
values of the Lotus brand. In addition, it will be yet another example of a
high quality product to be built at our world class production facilities at
Hethel."
The Lotus "Circuit Car" is due to go into production at the Group Lotus
Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, in December 2005, with scheduled volume of
approximately 100 units per annum.
Full specifications and price will be announced closer to the production
date.
Predicted Performance figures:
Naturally Aspirated VVTL-i Engine:
0 to 60 mph 4 seconds (approx.)
0 to 100 mph < 11 seconds
Supercharged VVTL-i Engine:
0 to 60 mph 3.5 seconds (approx.)
0 to 100 mph < 9.0 seconds
ENDS.
Notes:
High-resolution "Artist's Impression" pictures of the Lotus "Circuit Car"
can be downloaded from the media centre of the official Group Lotus website
at http://www.grouplotus.com/mediactr. The image library is for registered
users only. Members of the press may register for the media centre.
Pricing will be very interesting.
Regards
Paul C
The Lotus "Circuit Car"
The all new lightweight and high performance track day Lotus
The new Lotus "Circuit Car" was announced yesterday (Saturday, 11 June,
2005) by Kim Ogaard-Nielsen, CEO of Group Lotus, to privileged Lotus Club
International members at the annual Lotus Club International Gala Dinner
held at Norwich City Football Club. Based on the Lotus Elise Aluminium
chassis, and weighing in at approximately 600kg, the single-seater car (with
an option of two seats) has been designed and engineered solely for Track
Day and Club Racing.
The lightweight composite bodywork of the visually dramatic open-topped
circuit car combines high downforce from cleverly engineered aerodynamics.
Part of its phenomenal performance is from a supercharged VVTL-i (Variable
Valve Timing with Lift - intelligent) engine, and is estimated to achieve
the 0 - 100 mph (160 km/h) sprint in a staggering 9.0 seconds. This exciting
combination has allowed for a dynamic racing package producing higher
performance to that of existing Elise-based products. An entry-level
naturally-aspirated VVTL-i engine will also be available, powering the car
from 0 - 62 mph in under 4 seconds.
Tony Shute, Head of Product Development at Lotus Cars, explains what makes
the Lotus "Circuit Car" a leading high performance track car: "The new
product has allowed Lotus to once again apply its key "performance through
lightweight" philosophy. This is in order to achieve an innovative product
for the track day and club racing Lotus enthusiast whilst staying true to
the key design attributes of the Elise and Exige products. They are
considered to be amongst the finest existing road and track day cars by
thousands of owners around the world, and the "Circuit Car" will build on
this formidable reputation, helping to further underline Lotus as the
ultimate driver's choice."
The introduction of the new Lotus "Circuit Car" will generate additional
exposure of the Lotus brand and provide Lotus with entry to further key
market sectors, as Clive Dopson, Managing Director of Lotus Cars, explains
"The introduction of this new model plays a key role in developing and
enhancing the presence of Lotus Cars on the track, whilst providing the
driver of today with a pure circuit car which thrives on the essential
values of the Lotus brand. In addition, it will be yet another example of a
high quality product to be built at our world class production facilities at
Hethel."
The Lotus "Circuit Car" is due to go into production at the Group Lotus
Headquarters in Hethel, Norfolk, in December 2005, with scheduled volume of
approximately 100 units per annum.
Full specifications and price will be announced closer to the production
date.
Predicted Performance figures:
Naturally Aspirated VVTL-i Engine:
0 to 60 mph 4 seconds (approx.)
0 to 100 mph < 11 seconds
Supercharged VVTL-i Engine:
0 to 60 mph 3.5 seconds (approx.)
0 to 100 mph < 9.0 seconds
ENDS.
Notes:
High-resolution "Artist's Impression" pictures of the Lotus "Circuit Car"
can be downloaded from the media centre of the official Group Lotus website
at http://www.grouplotus.com/mediactr. The image library is for registered
users only. Members of the press may register for the media centre.
Wow - as you said GK is a bit of a maestro, but the new track car sounds awesome. Link didn't work on my computer so couldn't see what it looked like - but from what is said it seems more in the Radical/Atom category than the full road car Noble in which you can get to Le Mans with 2 people, full camping gear plus bacon & tea bags and then blitz all but the most hardend track based machinery on circuit. Good enough for me!
robp said:
Wow - as you said GK is a bit of a maestro, but the new track car sounds awesome. Link didn't work on my computer so couldn't see what it looked like - but from what is said it seems more in the Radical/Atom category than the full road car Noble in which you can get to Le Mans with 2 people, full camping gear plus bacon & tea bags and then blitz all but the most hardend track based machinery on circuit. Good enough for me!
Yep, the Lotus is a circuit car for the road whereas the M400 is a raceable road car. I wouldn't want to go to Le Mans in the Lotus.
The one I saw yesterday was a hardtop with a roof like the Exige, its not an open top like the Elise. Its definitely not as radical as a road leage Radical.
Regards
Paul C
>> Edited by paulcundy on Sunday 12th June 09:54
Which one out of these is it paul?
Pictures of yesterday
or was it not in the actual race, because that Shelsby thing won the race didn't it?
J
Pictures of yesterday
or was it not in the actual race, because that Shelsby thing won the race didn't it?
J
Pretty certain it was this one;
www.nobletv.co.uk/Pictures/Racing/AMOC%20Yoko%20MESC%20-%2011th%20June%202005/MESC/slides/CRW_3295-orig.html
Great pictures. I think you are right Justin, they ran it in the qualifying but not in the actual race. It qualified either first or second.
www.nobletv.co.uk/Pictures/Racing/AMOC%20Yoko%20MESC%20-%2011th%20June%202005/MESC/slides/CRW_3295-orig.html
Great pictures. I think you are right Justin, they ran it in the qualifying but not in the actual race. It qualified either first or second.
Ah..the Exige 240R; in my minds eye I had a variant of the madcap 340R. Makes me feel a bit better -average driver in M400 will probably be quicker than good(ish) driver in 240R; in a supremos hands the 240R would undoubtable be quicker than the average driver M400 combo. Gavin Kershaw in a Leon Supra diesal would get round a circuit faster than most mortals..
paulcundy said:
Pretty certain it was this one;
Ah - that'll be the one with 240R written on the rear numberplate
paulcundy said:
Great pictures. I think you are right Justin, they ran it in the qualifying but not in the actual race. It qualified either first or second.
I only took photos of the race, so it was definatly racing then.
Front on view was
This picture was on the second lap
and so it was all over that Shelsby thing at that point, but seemed therefore to drop back as the race progressed, and I'd imagine that's because he cocked up Russell Bend
Gavin.... "Oppsss - missed that!"
"Bugger - where was I"
Great day out.
J
>> Edited by joust on Sunday 12th June 11:40
I'm confused now:
www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?storyId=10928
Not the 240R but something a bit more mental!
www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?storyId=10928
Not the 240R but something a bit more mental!
There are pics up on SELOC :
http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=50426
Apologies if you aren't a member, but you can always sign up
http://forums.seloc.org/viewthread.php?tid=50426
Apologies if you aren't a member, but you can always sign up
cjrv8 said:
Err i'd like to point out at this point that the Shelsley TT beat everything, qualified 1.8s ahead of the lotus 240, then finished 26s ahead in the race, oh and i know this a noble forum so, what place did the "amazing" noble finish? err.... i can't quite remember....
Welcome to the forum, nice of you to come in all guns blazing. wtf is a Shelsley?
DanH said:
cjrv8 said:
Err i'd like to point out at this point that the Shelsley TT beat everything, qualified 1.8s ahead of the lotus 240, then finished 26s ahead in the race, oh and i know this a noble forum so, what place did the "amazing" noble finish? err.... i can't quite remember....
Welcome to the forum, nice of you to come in all guns blazing. wtf is a Shelsley?
Thanks for the warm welcome! got to make some sort of statement or no-one listens!!
Its a mid engined kit-car built by ex hill-climb champion Pete Needham, check it out at www.shelsley-cars.com there are also a few write ups on www.pistonheads.com and www.totalkitcar.com The one racing was the Shelsley TT which has a very nice little Audi 1.8 20c turbo engine running at 300+bhp and offically does 0-60 in 2.81s and keeps pulling to 186mph (i bottled it at 170 at brunters!!)
...Oh and forgot to mention you can make it road legal and it costs from £10k +vat
>> Edited by cjrv8 on Tuesday 14th June 11:51
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