March 10, 2008 9:14 PM by Thami Masemola Filed Under: Lotus
Lotus launched its entry level 2-Eleven at Geneva this week, a car whose beefier brother was first unleashed at the 2007 Geneva Motor Show. 2-Eleven has apparently been a major hit with Lotus track day enthusiasts all over the world.
Now more affordable, the 2-Eleven features Exige’s 141kW 1.8-litre naturally aspirated metal box. It may not sound like much more than a whisper at a rap concert, yet seeing that 2-Eleven comes in at 720kg/ 1600 lbs on the bathroom scale, one realises the potential it has. Pace is not at a loss here as it covers the standard 0 – 60 mph distance in just 4.3 seconds, with a top end of 140 mph.
Lots of combinations are available for customers to customize each car to their own tastes and satisfaction, such that the usual “no two cars need be the same” line applies. The general agreement though is that perhaps, as lovely as a Lotus looks in Red Scorpion or Orange Bobcat, that perhaps is not the entire reason it exists. Lotus is lightweight, quick and nimble, especially around the track. It has semi-slick Yokohama tyres made for maximum grip and a double wishbone suspension like race cars. An SVA pack is available for buyers who don’t have a trailer so they can drive legally to the track, race in the same car and drive back home with no hassles.
Now it’s even more affordable at £27,995 MSRP including VAT in the UK/ €34,695 excluding tax, duties & delivery charges.
The latest Lotus 2-Eleven, bristling with Lotus Sport options and wearing a dramatic carbon fibre body was exhibited at the 78th annual Geneva International Motor show. This car has been specified with, amongst other options, the 255 PS (252 bhp, 188 kW) power upgrade, carbon fibre tonneau cover, four piston front brakes, “Aero Pack” and “Sport Pack” as an example of how the new range of Lotus Sport options can be configured.
Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc commented: “The 2-Eleven has been exceptionally well received worldwide, which has provided Lotus with a significant challenge to keep pace with demand.” He went on to add “It is very encouraging to see that the 2-Eleven is asserting itself as class leader in the track day enthusiast sector and to hear all the incredibly positive feedback from people enjoying the 2-Eleven’s fantastic performance”.
The 2-Eleven made its global debut at the 77th annual Geneva International Motor show in 2007 available in launch specification with the supercharged 255 PS (252 bhp, 188kW) engine, in either UK Single Vehicle Approval (SVA) or Track Only guise for the introductory price of £39,995/ € 49,573. After suggestions from Lotus racers and owners, the 2-Eleven will now be available as an entry level car with a number of option packs to tailor to owners’ individual requirements. As well as a number of performance option packs such as the Track Day pack and UK road SVA pack, there are a range of stand alone options that now include two different Limited Slip Differentials, an FIA approved 70 litre bag fuel tank and a removable competition steering wheel. Roger Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director explained, “It is an imperative that all Lotus cars have to be fun to drive and the 2-Eleven epitomises this DNA rule with its blistering performance. It provides serious quantities of fun, either whizzing down country roads in SVA trim or on track pushing to the limits of grip”. He continued, “the suspension of the 2-Eleven has been extensively tuned by our Dynamics Engineers to provide optimum handling for track driving, giving an involving set-up that rewards drivers with exceptional balance and control at the limit” performance through light weight.
The entry level car, which at 720 kg (1600 lbs) epitomises the Lotus “performance through lightweight” mantra, is powered by the naturally aspirated, high revving 190 PS (189 hp, 141kW) engine from the Elise R. This 2-Eleven even in its most basic specification shows a remarkable turn of pace with the sprint to 60 mph taking just 4.3 seconds and achieving a top speed of 140 mph (225 km/h). With the introduction of the naturally aspirated model and upgrade options, there are now many permutations that 2-Eleven can be ordered in, giving an incredible opportunity to create individual customer bespoke cars – in theory no two cars need be the same! The full Lotus paint palette including Lifestyle colours, Metallic colours and Premium colours is available to further customise the 2-Eleven (a full list of 2008 options is attached along with a UK and EU price list). The Launch colour scheme along with the Red Scorpion, Orange Bobcat, Yellow Hornet and Green Dragon schemes are all available as a cost option. The 255 PS supercharged engine as featured on the Launch Edition is retained as an option, which lowers the zero to 60 mph time to a staggering 3.8 seconds with 0 - 100 km/h in 4.0 seconds. The addition of the supercharger increases torque to 242Nm (179 lb.ft), offering greater flexibility for sensational in gear acceleration and an increase in top speed to 150 mph (241 km/h).
The entry level and launch edition are available with the incredibly popular UK SVA option pack, making it possible for owners to drive to a circuit, race around all day and drive home in the evening without the hassle and expense of a trailer. This option is definitely worth ticking. It is also now possible to get these 2-Elevens road registered in a number of markets around the world using the relevant territory specific registration approval process.
The light weight of the 2-Eleven translates into lightning turn-in and intoxicating performance, providing a very addictive tonic. In entry level specification with the order box for the carbon fibre body ticked, the 2-Eleven comes in at a featherweight kerb mass of 700 kg (1540 lbs), which equates to a dry weight of just 648 kg (1430 lbs).
The addition of the Aero Pack gives the ability to change the high speed balance of the car through adjustment of the rear wing angle: with the wing set at maximum attack over 10 % of the vehicle’s weight is generated in downforce at 100 mph (160 kph). The Aero Pack consists of a race proven adjustable carbon fibre rear wing and to provide front to rear aerodynamic balance, a lengthened composite front splitter is incorporated. Even in SVA trim with the road legal aerodynamic aids the 2-Eleven produces 60 kg (132 lbs) of downforce at 100 mph (160 km/h)
As with all Lotus cars the 2-Eleven steering communicates every nuance of the road, with the race car derived double wishbone suspension and road legal semi-slick Lotus specific compound Yokohama AO48 tyres. With the inclusion of the Sport Pack, Ohlins 2-way adjustable dampers are fitted allowing the suspension to be tuned in harmony with the aero pack. This gives the option to dial in customer preferred handling characteristics to slice those final tenths off the perfect lap.
joelynn
March 10, 2008 9:50:25 PM
is it still road-legal? imagine using one of these for your daily commute : )
is it still road-legal? imagine using one of these for your daily commute : )