1995 S4 VS S4S

[jerryspet]

I was wondering would any one know what the major differences between a 1995 S4 and the 1995 S4s are? Is one more reliable than the other? Is there any major mechanical differences? Iam aware of the horsepower difference.

Many Thanks,

JerrY spet

[GUY JOHNSON]

S4S has 300hp on a good day. An s4 only 264hp.
Otherwise try www.espritfactfile.com

Guy

[cnh1990]

Larger turbo and valves. Different size wheels on certain optional wheels. Back to the wood grain dash from CF finish.
Calvin

[MikeyRide]

S4s has bigger, more readable (IMHO) gauges but loses the oil temp gauge. Brembo front brakes (S4 still has Toyota-sourced parts, right?). Larger chargecooler. Stronger clutch too, IIRC.

[NLJdH]

Well, it's 285bhp with a transient 300 at peak. Basically better low end torque than S300 but less top power. Altered block for better flow and 1mm bigger valve diameter and reprog ECU. Far improved from S4 in anycase, and the better choice as used prices support better demand than S4 which was basically an SE with grilled cheese bumpers and power steering, nice wheels though.

According to the brochure:
it had Brembo brakes better than standard S4;
the 'dramatic swooping arresting rear wing' from S300 that Lotus say was not for down force but for improving drag by smoothing turbulent air coming off the back;
'high capacity clutch';
'competition style seats' (eh?);
Bigger speedo and rev counter (at last);
'revised roadsprings and dampers';
'attention grabbing OZ wheels with low profile Michelin tyres...' (for Europe);
Plus the it was the model that introduced the naff tack on arch extentions that were supposed to be temporary until a mold change for the later V8 (yeah right)

Bitter and twisted,
Nicholas
(92 SE HW)

>> Edited by NLJdH on Tuesday 25th February 18:53

[cnh1990]

Oh and a revised master cyl. for the stronger clutch.
Calvin

[grungex]

MikeyRide said: S4s has bigger, more readable (IMHO) gauges but loses the oil temp gauge. Brembo front brakes (S4 still has Toyota-sourced parts, right?). Larger chargecooler. Stronger clutch too, IIRC.

The S4 got the same Brembo brakes as the S4s starting halfway through 1994, in the US these were '95 models. The chargecooler is the same size as in the S4, gaining only a 'Lotus Sport' plate on top. The S4s did get the beefier pressure plate from the Sport 300, with a different flywheel and release bearing, but the actual clutch plate and master cylinder are the same. Non-USA cars got the big wheels and fender flares, these never made it to the US until the V8 was introduced.

Cheers,
Sanj

[MikeyRide]

grungex said:

The chargecooler is the same size as in the S4, gaining only a 'Lotus Sport' plate on top.

Thanks for the corrections Sanj. I saw an S4s chargecooler with the original plate on top (the S4s one had fallen off at some point and LCU didn't have any) and it did not fit. It was too small.

Is the S4 chargecooler upgraded from the SE then?

[cnh1990]

Sanj,
The clutch master cyl. is different from from SE isn't it? I don't know if you remember Josh or not from a few years ago, but he had much grief when installing the beefier clutch to the SE and had to change the master cyl as the clutch would not move as far. Is the S4 master different from the SE?
Calvin

[grungex]

cnh1990 said: Sanj,
The clutch master cyl. is different from from SE isn't it? I don't know if you remember Josh or not from a few years ago, but he had much grief when installing the beefier clutch to the SE and had to change the master cyl as the clutch would not move as far. Is the S4 master different from the SE?
Calvin

Hi Calvin,

The master is indeed different than on the SE, it was changed with the 1992 model year ('93 in US). Some folks have switched to the later master, adjusted correctly it gives a shorter pedal travel with the old clutch than the standard SE. I believe the SE master has a 0.625" bore (5/8"), whereas the later part has a 0.700" bore.

Cheers,
Sanj

>> Edited by grungex on Wednesday 26th February 16:03

[rlearp]

The S4 charger cooler is the same as the SEs and 300s. The chargecooler in all versions, far as I can tell, is exactly the same.