Lotus 3-Eleven

[baronbennyt]

The 3-Eleven got another run at Castle Combe this week on a Porsche Club GB track day. It was fun playing with the boys from Stuttgart!

Most fun however was dicing with a well driven Caterham 620R.

The Lotus is now back with Bell & Colvill having a post track day inspection.

[baronbennyt]

A couple of nice shots of the Lotus 3-Eleven at the last EVO Magazine track day at Bedford Autodrome: I was limited to 5,000rpm due to noise limits (the car produced peak power 410bhp at 7,000rpm) and the car was sliding around more than usual (a few twitchy moments) but what a blast!

[over steer]

Thats an amazing car you have there, glad to see that you're using as intended, I always found that the more I track my Exige the more attached I get to it (which helps stomach the fact that I've spent more on upgrades than on buying it )

[baronbennyt]

The long winter months are usually terrible for my bank balance because it's during this time that I put my pride and joys in hibernation and start thinking about the year ahead: track days and upgrades!

And so to the Lotus 3-Eleven....

Since I plan a few more track days next year (both home and abroad), I'm considering the following upgrades:

- Tyres: Avon ZZR track tyre
- Brakes: Komo-tec Ko-Bra4 braking system
- Power: Komo-tec Phase Eleven-475bhp-Kit
- Clutch and 'Box: Komo-tec lightweight flywheel and clutch with gearbox cooler kit
- Exhaust: signature QT Exhaust from Hangar 111 (since I'm struggling to get the car to pass noise testing at some circuits)

I'm looking for increased performance, certainly, but also usability, reliability and potential reversibility.

If I go ahead, and it's a big if, I would look to Hangar 111 to carry out the work.

Alternatively, I could save the car's originality and my bank balance a hammering by leaving the car well alone!

Any thoughts, views, and/or experiences welcomed...

[CTE]

Sounds fantastic...perhaps you should try to get a drive in Germany of the Komotec development car.

[Wayoftheflower]

baronbennyt said:

- Tyres: Avon ZZR track tyre
- Brakes: Komo-tec Ko-Bra4 braking system
- Power: Komo-tec Phase Eleven-475bhp-Kit
- Clutch and 'Box: Komo-tec lightweight flywheel and clutch with gearbox cooler kit
- Exhaust: signature QT Exhaust from Hangar 111 (since I'm struggling to get the car to pass noise testing at some circuits)

Any thoughts, views, and/or experiences welcomed...

That's quite a list! Do you really need to make it faster though?! (silly question)

Keeping the gearbox alive longer with a cooler I imagine is a good thing, lighter flywheel? isn't the current one just about non-existent?

And now to noise.

Trackday noise is one of my "favourite" subjects but I wish aftermarket suppliers wouldn't make themselves sound like they're performing voodoo magic to make a trackday friendly exhaust.

The vast self congratulatory blurb that accompanies that Hanger 111 "QT" exhaust is annoying, it's not "quiet technology" they've most likely just done some very straightforward engineering.

Lotus, like most performance car manufacturers takes out expansion (and hence noise absorption) from their exhaust muffler to get an appealing "sporty" sound and I bet if you put a scope in your 3-11 muffler you'll find very little length of perforated pipe letting the exhaust gas into the main muffler body, less perf pipe=less absorption=cleaner, sportier sound.

Then, to pass regular road homologation the muffler needs a restrictive choke pipe or pipes that have to be bypassed from mid range rpm to not kill the engine with back pressure. Same trick is used by pretty much every sports car maker. That type of muffler design is lighter and far easier to package than one that can be road homologated without a choke&bypass but it is not trackday noise limit friendly at all. There were some good photos posted a while ago by someone showing cut open Exige exhausts but they've been photobucketborked.

What H111 have most probably done is take a common or garden muffler of decent volume like this with plenty of perforated pipe of the right diameter inside because perf pipe will flow at ~99% of the same solid pipe, hence the honest claim of no change in back pressure. More perforated pipe=more absorption=quieter. The other thing that strikes me about the H111 QT muffler is that the exhaust gas has to turn 90 degrees in quite a short distance which I can imagine makes flow a bit messy, but that wouldn't necessary discount their statement of no increase in backpressure.

You could get a similar result by opening up your 3-11 muffler and drilling the main 3" pipe full of little holes. You'd lose some "sporty" sound but it would be much more trackday friendly.

[321freeflow]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LUcG6IMvCAKv6Sxg2

Above is how Lotus managed to reduce dbs on their early V6 exhausts. That reverse through the perforated screen is a disaster for flow - but effective for noise reduction.

[baronbennyt]

Thanks for the tech background. So....would you advise me to forego the Hangar 111 QT Exhaust in order to get on more track days, or forget it and just book 100+ dB track days instead? Not so keen on a “home-made” remedy.

[Wayoftheflower]

321freeflow said:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LUcG6IMvCAKv6Sxg2

Above is how Lotus managed to reduce dbs on their early V6 exhausts. That reverse through the perforated screen is a disaster for flow - but effective for noise reduction.

Indeed, that style was early Evora NA only? That's the kind of restriction you need for road homologation down around 76dB(A). You can see why a choke&bypass becomes the default strategy.


As for investing in the H111 QT exhaust, website hyperbole aside if a home grown solution doesn't appeal then they're offering one reversible option and will let you access more tracks more of the time, I can only see high noise limit days getting fewer and more expensive.

I think there's a few other options out there that might be worth a look too like 2bular track system.

[CTE]

I think your technical explanation is about right and Greg is a master of talking things up, but I know them quite well and in this case they have put a fair amount of time in testing to achieve the desired result, consequently he needs to charge as much as he can in order to make something from the time and effort given the low volume of sales they will achieve.

It`s a pity the tail pipe is such an awkward shape...I`d prefer to bolt on a little tail muffler for trackdays only.

[321freeflow]

Nothing wrong with "talking things up" CTE - but Mr Lock's QT systems most certainly introduce more back-pressure into the exhaust and power output will be reduced. Claiming that his "exhausts and manifolds are flow-bench tested to check flow rates" is all well and good but I see he has dropped his claim of no effect on "engine performance". An engine can be said to be "performing" if it starts and runs!
I would like to see a before/after dyno-graph to back up any of his claims.

[Munkeyfeet]

Love it Benny, That’s a great list of upgrades.

I guess the question is whether the 311 is a keeper or if you will want to upgrade to a 430 (or whatever lotus bring out next)

This winter is expensive, aiming for a lot of track time next year so mine has been having tweeks and add ons as well.

Hope to bump into you on track and have a great Xmas

Edited by Munkeyfeet on Friday 15th December 17:06

[baronbennyt]

Munkeyfeet said:

Love it Benny, That’s a great list of upgrades.

I guess the question is whether the 311 is a keeper or if you will want to upgrade to a 430 (or whatever lotus bring out next)

This winter is expensive, aiming for a lot of track time next year so mine has been having tweeks and add ons as well.

Hope to bump into you on track and have a great Xmas

Edited by Munkeyfeet on Friday 15th December 17:06

Thanks

I managed to break my ankle on the dance floor at my 40th last weekend. Never had an incident in all the years I've been doing track days and I go and smash my ankle to bits on the dance floor...aaarrrggghhh!

I'm likely to keep the 3-Eleven since it's such a unique driving experience being an open cockpit. I'd only change it if a 4-Eleven came out! The Exige 430 does look truly awesome but I have a Cayman GT4 already which is kind of the same deal. Happy with these two for now...although I fear sitting in front of the lap top over christmas and new year will only tempt me out of being sensible!

Track days I've booked for 2018 to date:

- Friday 20 April / Lotus On Track / Castle Combe
- Friday 1 June / Goodwood
- Monday 27 & Tuesday 28 August / Nurburgring

[Munkeyfeet]

Oh no, that’s not good; hope it happened towards the end of the night.

Yeah the 430 is just lovely, was very tempted but decided to wait for the next generation of cars and just enjoy the 350 and do a huge amount of track time instead.

Just sorting out a day’s training with David pittard at the moment and aiming for a March track day with him.

As I am about 30 mins away from goodwood and I should have had a few sessions with David by then i will most likely join you there in June. Who did you book through?

[baronbennyt]

It’s a Goodwood own track day on 1 June, which you can book online via its website. It’s a 105dB day which I need and you probably do too!

[baronbennyt]

Komo-tec and Hangar 111 have confirmed that if my 3-Eleven undergoes their 475bhp engine conversion then the standard clutch and ‘box need no modification since the former is from the Evora 400 and the latter already has an oil cooler.

Now, I just need to make a decision on the Komo-tec brake system upgrade...

[Runningretailer]

Really great thread, I’m looking at getting another Caterham but these look amazing.

How are they selling, 311 units total, are they in production much longer?

I see I few used ones have been around for a while. The yellow one at Oakmere looks superb.

[baronbennyt]

My 3-Eleven is number 50 out of 311 to be built. I collected the car in March of this year so assume Lotus are still building them? I bought it from Bell & Colvill in Surrey; I rate them highly.

There are two versions: Race and Road. Race spec comes with a paddle shift ‘box but can’t be used on the road, which put me off. Well that and the fact they were £25k+ more expensive!

I’ve had some pretty crazy performance cars in my time but nothing comes close to the 3-Eleven. Every journey no matter how short or insignificant is an absolute unique sensory-overload joy!

Worth getting out of bed at 6am on a summer’s Sunday? You betcha! I can’t wait for Spring to come round again.

Just hoping Lotus don’t come out with a 4-Eleven any time soon...!

[Runningretailer]

Thanks for the advice, I’m in Lancashire so I think I’ll have a look at the 2 for sale at GC Motors in Harrogate.

[baronbennyt]

Runningretailer said:

Thanks for the advice, I’m in Lancashire so I think I’ll have a look at the 2 for sale at GC Motors in Harrogate.

FYI the spec of my car, if it helps, is as follows:

Lotus 3-Eleven Road Spec
Colour Scheme 1 – Green With Yellow Stripes
Gloss Black Accents
Gloss Black Alloys
Fire Extinguisher and Battery Isolator
Michelin Cup 2 Tyres
Carbon Drivers Seat
Carbon Passenger Seat
Motorsport Front Splitter & Canards
Steering re-trimmed in Alcantara and White Stitching
Reversing Camera

I’ve also had a full body paint protection film applied.