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· The quickest production Lotus road car ever
· Dramatic, all-new lightweight composite body
· Two versions, Road and Race, both developed through Lotus
Motorsport
Heralding a new generation of Lotus high performance sports cars,
today saw the unveiling of the company’s quickest and most
expensive series production car ever, the 3-Eleven, at the 2015
Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Designed as an uncompromised manifestation of the Lotus spirit,
the new car is focused on providing an undiluted driving
experience, and underlines the company’s ability to deliver
legendary handling and blistering speed.
Working on the concept of less is more, and keeping close to
Lotus’ track roots, the dramatic new vehicle features an all-new
lightweight body, with an open cockpit design and a revised V6
supercharged engine developing 450 hp.
Two variations of the Lotus 3-Eleven will be available: Road and
Race; both delivering an impressive combination of high
performance, agility and precision. Based on the Road version,
the Race includes a more aggressive aero kit, a sequential
gearbox and an FIA approved driver’s seat with a six-point
harness.
With a dry weight of below 900 kg (Race version), the 3-Eleven
offers an enviable power to weight ratio, in excess of 500 hp
per tonne, and is capable of sprinting from 0-60 mph in less
than 3.0 seconds before reaching a maximum speed of 174 mph (280
km/h) for the Race version and 180 mph (290 km/h) for the Road
version
Speaking at Goodwood, Jean-Marc Gales, Chief Executive Officer
for Group Lotus plc, stated, "We always say that to make a
sports car better, you make it faster and lighter. The new Lotus
3-Eleven carries that philosophy to a new level, and is
perfectly in keeping with our brand values.”
Jean-Marc Gales continued, “This new car is a giant slayer,
capable of embarrassing far more expensive rivals. It condenses
our engineering know-how into one, hard-core package, and is so
focused that it won’t suit everyone. This is a perfect
demonstration of the faster and lighter concept, something which
will be crucial to all Lotus cars in the future.”
The new Lotus 3-Eleven will enter production in February 2016
and deliveries will commence in April 2016. Production will be
limited to just 311 vehicles in total.
Prices start at £82,000 for the Road version (including VAT and
on the road costs) and £96,000 excluding VAT for the Race
version (£115,200 including VAT).
The Lotus 3-Eleven in more detail:
Performance
· Quickest Lotus production car ever, lapping the Hethel track
in 1 min 22 secs
· Aerodynamic downforce of up to 215 kg at 150 mph (240 km/h) -
Race version
The 3-Eleven utilises a bespoke chassis based on the proven
Lotus design of extruded and bonded aluminium sections. The Road
roll-cage incorporates twin side bars for side impact protection,
whilst the Race cage has additional bars to meet international
requirements for motorsport.
The Lotus 3-Eleven’s suspension features lightweight,
double-wishbones front and rear, adjustable front anti-roll bar
and Eibach springs with Öhlins adjustable dampers. This allows
owners to fine tune the vehicle’s handling characteristics.
Powertrain
· Supercharged and charge-cooled 3.5-litre V6 engine
· Limited Slip Differential as standard
· Lotus traction control system
The new Lotus 3-Eleven is powered by a revised version of the
3.5-litre V6 engine first shown in the Evora 400, which includes
a supercharger with integrated water-to-air charge cooler.
Maximum power output has increased to 450hp (456 PS / 336 kW) at
7000 rpm and torque has increased to 450 Nm / 332 lbs ft with
maximum torque available from 3500 rpm through to 6500 rpm.
A close-ratio six-speed manual gearbox with a Torsen-type
limited slip differential, featuring a performance clutch
assembly and oil cooler, come as standard on the Road version.
The Race model has a 6-speed sequential transmission with a
semi-dry sump, oil cooler, limited slip differential and paddle
shift.
Brakes and Tyres
· Lightweight forged Aluminium wheels as standard
· AP Racing four-pot calipers
· Bosch ABS tuned by Lotus
Designed to cope with the 3-Eleven’s potential, lightweight
forged Aluminium wheels are fitted as standard on the 3-Eleven,
with either Michelin Pilot Super Sport or Michelin Cup 2 tyres
depending on if it’s in Road or Race configuration.
At the front 225/40 ZR18 tyres are standard, and to help
transfer the 3-Eleven’s considerable power and torque to the
road, the rear tyres has been specified as 275/35 ZR19.
In order to deliver the stopping power required for such a quick
car, AP Racing four-piston calipers are complemented by two-part
grooved and vented brake discs (332 mm front and rear). Upgraded
brake pads are fitted to the Race version.
Exterior Design
· Lightweight body panels, using new resin infusion composite
technology
· Dramatic silhouette underlines car’s performance-focused
nature
Manufactured from very light weight composite materials,
optimizing vehicle weight, aerodynamic and structural
requirements, the 3-Eleven’s composite body is 40% lighter than
the GRP equivalent.
This new process is a first for a production car, and an example
of Lotus’ focus on utilising pioneering new technology and
lightweight materials in its vehicles. The choice of material
technology has allowed extreme vehicle performance targets to be
met, and help realise the 3-Eleven’s dynamic styling.
Undeniably a track car, the 3-Eleven’s aggressive stance leaves
no doubt of its intentions. The dramatically sculpted body
perfectly balances the technical efficiency of a track car with
the surface refinement of a road-going supercar. Form follows
function, with a minimised cross sectional area that keeps drag
to a minimum while optimising cooling.
As an extreme design evolution of Lotus predecessors, the Lotus
3-Eleven’s new front clam shell incorporates larger openings to
deliver the necessary cooling for the powertrain and
transmission. This helps give the vehicle a much more aggressive
stance.
Two front splitter configurations are available, depending on
whether the vehicle is configured for road or race use, and the
front arches are wide enough to cover the car’s wide track and
the new 225/40 ZR18 tyres.
Dramatic side scallops provide a clean exit from the front
wheels arches, and the car’s profile is dominated by an
aerodynamically significant roll bar cover. The car is without a
windscreen and doors, with the roll bar fully enclosing the rear
cage. As well as generating downforce, the roll bar forms a
vital part of the car’s homologation to international motorsport
safety standards.
The rear clamshell emphasises the aggressive stance of the car,
with different fixed spoilers available, depending on whether
the vehicle is specified for road or race use.
The new rear diffuser and under-tray, which has been developed
to ensure minimum drag, complements an exhaust system designed
specifically to minimize back pressure and enhance engine
performance.
Interior Design
· Focussed race interior
· New race spec colour TFT instrument cluster can be switched
between road and track modes
Fitted with the standard aeroscreen and the optional passenger
seat, a passenger can be easily accommodated in the two seater.
However, these can be removed and the optional tonneau panel
fitted - to envelope the driver and improve overall aerodynamics.
The new instrument cluster has been designed around a colour TFT
screen, and can be switched between road and track modes,
providing relevant information direct to the driver.
A quick release steering wheel and Lotus sports seats with
four-point harnesses are fitted as standard, while the Race
variant has the option of a data logger system, FIA approved
driver’s race seat, and six-point harness - as well as a fire
extinguisher & battery kill switch.
Manufacturing
Hand built in Hethel, England
The Lotus 3-Eleven will be hand made by the highly skilled
craftsmen and women at the Lotus Headquarters in Hethel,
alongside the rest of the Lotus sports car range, supported by
Lotus Motorsport technicians. All 3-Elevens will then be
finished in Lotus Motorsport’s dedicated workshops prior to
delivery.
Official fuel consumption figures and CO2 emissions figures for
the Lotus 3-Eleven are not available at the time of going to
press. They will be provided on the Lotus website
www.lotuscars.com as soon as they are available.
Images: Copyright Group Lotus PLC |
