RE: Lotus 3-Eleven 430 released

RE: Lotus 3-Eleven 430 released

Tuesday 20th February 2018

Lotus 3-Eleven 430 released

Lotus's 70th anniversary celebrations continue with perhaps the maddest one yet



There can't have been many people who found the Lotus 3-Eleven wanting for performance, boasting as it did 416hp, a 925kg dry weight and about as much circuit ability as is available new for less than £100k. Still, the devil makes work for idle hands - particularly in East Anglia - and so here we are with the Lotus 3-Eleven 430.

Built to commemorate the end of the 311-car production run, the 430 is described by Lotus as its "quickest street-legal sports car" and a "fitting send off for the company's legendary road racer." To that end it has the same power boost as found in the Evoraand Exige equivalents, 436hp and 324lb ft sufficient for 3.2 seconds to 62mph and 180mph - improved from 3.4 seconds and 174mph for the 416hp version.


Perhaps more impressive, though, is an improvement of two seconds in its Hethel lap time, Lotus quoting 1:24 for the 3-Eleven 430. This has been achieved thanks to a 5kg weight drop but, far more importantly, thanks to aero enhancement that includes a higher (by 50mm) and reprofiled rear spoiler, a longer front splitter, and a new diffuser; as a result downforce at top speed is up 44kg to 265kg. Also, while not credited with a direct improvement, the new AP Racing 'J-Hook' discs will have probably contributed something to the lap time.


Jean Marc Gales described this Cup 430 "a supercar killer and something we're all immensely proud of." Should you want one, set aside £102,000, or £20k more than the regular 3-Eleven retailed at. Add the titanium exhaust, two-way adjustable Ohlins dampers (one-way adjustable are standard) and the removable steering wheel and you're looking at £110,000; an awful lot of money, yes, although we can't imagine they'll be around for long - get your order in now!

 

 

Author
Discussion

Fetchez la vache

Original Poster:

5,568 posts

213 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
Haters gonna hate, but to me that looks sensational...

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
nice but as a track car you could have a radical for much cheaper

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
WCZ said:
nice but as a track car you could have a radical for much cheaper

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...


robinandcamera

265 posts

179 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
WCZ said:
nice but as a track car you could have a radical for much cheaper

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
But the lotus doesnt need its engine usage quoted in hours. Huge advantage in my eyes.

Edited by robinandcamera on Tuesday 20th February 12:46

Tickle

4,879 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
robinandcamera said:
WCZ said:
nice but as a track car you could have a radical for much cheaper

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...
But the lotus has number plates and doesnt need its engine usage quated in hours. Both huge advantages in my eyes.
... and it's new

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
Tickle said:
... and it's new
you could have a Radical RXC new for the same price though
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/radical/rxc

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
nice , still waiting for a charged cooled Sport 410 Exige, then I might act buy some thing.

Tickle

4,879 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
WCZ said:
you could have a Radical RXC new for the same price though
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/radical/rxc
Yes, you could

PGNSagaris

2,926 posts

165 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
WCZ said:
you could have a Radical RXC new for the same price though
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/radical/rxc
Yes but I’d like a Lotus please.

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
The sill height looks like the S1 chassis?

whats the red thing next the right rear wheel



Monkey boy 1

2,063 posts

230 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
Halfords tow bracket ?

ChilliWhizz

11,990 posts

160 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
WCZ said:
you could have a Radical RXC new for the same price though
https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/radical/rxc
Or four brand new MX5's biggrin

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
saaby93 said:
The sill height looks like the S1 chassis?

whats the red thing next the right rear wheel

used for towing when on track most likely

Porsche911R

21,146 posts

264 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
WCZ said:
used for towing when on track most likely
used for towing when off track more the point :-)

E65Ross

34,944 posts

211 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
quickest street legal road car? Really? Quicker than, say, the new Senna?

Rawwr

22,722 posts

233 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
E65Ross said:
quickest street legal road car? Really? Quicker than, say, the new Senna?
"...described by Lotus as its 'quickest street-legal sports car'."

E65Ross

34,944 posts

211 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
Rawwr said:
E65Ross said:
quickest street legal road car? Really? Quicker than, say, the new Senna?
"...described by Lotus as its 'quickest street-legal sports car'."
doh! hehe

Eiffel

17 posts

168 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
What Lotus needs to do now, is to integrate the LSD of the 3-Eleven in the matching exige 430... and hopefully introduce a cheaper slightly detuned version of said car

British Beef

2,191 posts

164 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
Stunning, although with the:
- Evora GT430, the
- Exige cup 430
and this
- 3 eleven 430

I am a little confused which (lotus) track special car to buy with my (imaginary) £110 k?

As a car to comfortably drive to and from track I think the Evora wins, and on paper is not much slower than this, but with 300kg extra it must be.




Thorburn

2,398 posts

192 months

Tuesday 20th February 2018
quotequote all
Eiffel said:
What Lotus needs to do now, is to integrate the LSD of the 3-Eleven in the matching exige 430... and hopefully introduce a cheaper slightly detuned version of said car
I find it really odd they said it would take too much work to integrate the LSD with the traction/stability control system in the Exige, when they effectively already had for the Evora 400 two years prior (I believe it uses a similar system) and now the 3-11 too. Would have seemed sensible to offer it for the 'ultimate' Cup 430, and then remove it for a Exige Sport 400/410 when they inevitably kill off the Sport 380 and introduce a lower charge cooled model - would have given them more differentiation between the two.

British Beef said:
Stunning, although with the:
- Evora GT430, the
- Exige cup 430
and this
- 3 eleven 430

I am a little confused which (lotus) track special car to buy with my (imaginary) £110 k?

As a car to comfortably drive to and from track I think the Evora wins, and on paper is not much slower than this, but with 300kg extra it must be.
Personally I think the Exige Cup 430 is probably the best balance of the three if looking at track use, the Evora is probably the better long distance road car (considered a GT430 Sport before buying my 400 last month), and traditionally the 2-11/3-11 have suffered aerodynamically (in terms of drag) vs. the Exiges.

Often seem to find with 2-11/3-11 owners that they fall in to two camps, those who genuinely love the lack of windscreen, wind buffeting, etc, get some heated overalls and use them all year round, all weather, road and track, and those who think they do but quickly tire of it and either sell up or trailer it to track days. Only ever passengered in a 2-11 on track and once the speeds picked up you can feel the air pulling the helmet up and working on your neck muscles even in a straight line.