My S2 replacement!

[Dr H]

Well if you're gonna get rid of an S2 you might as well get something very different

It's 190bhp and weighs in a just over 600kg. 60 in 4ish seconds and 100 should come up in about 10.5. Bought it in Surrey and drove up to Leicestershire in the blazing sunsine until I got to jct 17 of the M1 then it pissed it down. As you can see there is not roof so i got kinda wet

It's very strange going from a big heavy car with a very smooth engine to a small platic and aluminium tub with a k-series engine tuned to within an inch of its life. Let's just say it's not very refined good fun though and seems to attract a hell of a lot of attention. Unfortunatley it's usually from blokes and not women

[Dr H]

Not many creature comforts

[Dr H]

But nice seats

[stevieyid]

would love one of these. I bet its soooo much fun to drive. I saw one at the pistonheads virginia waters meet and i thought then that it must be one of the most fun cars to drive. Well done mate great choice

[jubjub]

Nice

I take it you will be planning a few track days in it in the not too distant future.....

[MattS2]

Beautiful car there Leigh

If you need some weather protection, Lotus do a carbon fibre umbrella

It's all i'm going to have when I eventually get my Lotus rep. completed.

Matt.

[Dr H]

Thanks Guys

The handling is unbelievable and the ride is actually quite good. I was expecting it to be very harsh. The worst thing is the noise from the engine which is right behind your head with no sound insulation. Also the heat from behind the seat is pretty bad and the induction noise makes your ears bleed. It has a shift light on the rev counter at 7800 rpm and really needs a sixth gear but when its on full song it sounds almost like a motorbike I took my father out in it yesterday - he's 72 but still managed to clamber in

There is an interesting engine replacement thing happening with Elises and 340rs. People put ZETEC fords, audi tt lumps and honda vtecs (fron Civic Type R) some even put in a supercharged Typre R engine (300bhp) as per the Ariel Atom. I can't imagine what 300bhp and a six speed box in a compleltely reliable form must be like in one of these things

As for track days I live about 10miles form Donnington and the same from Mallory. i also know a freind of a friend who works for a company that arranges track days at these two places - I think a bit of grovelling is in order

Matt - I've seen pictures of 340s in the rain with people using umbrellas. Someone once did the Gumball in one, either very brave or very stupid, can't decide which! I decided that a 911 was a bit too expensive and common - not that this was cheap. I was speaking to a guy the other day who is looking to buy one of these. He just sold his 911 GT3 RS which he'd had for three years for £61k - best thing is that he bought it three years ago for £49K how the fook did he manage to make that much on a car

[Jamo]

*Ahem* where the ICE?

Seriously nice motor mate, legalised go-kart!

Saw a Lotus outside halfrauds today, the guy couldn't get in the car and it took him 3 mins to squeeze into it!

[GirlRacer]

*Ahem* where the ICE?

probably on the end of nose, espesially after the rain

[AndyP]

No roof.....in England....you must be mad

Seriously, nice car though. Try not to prang it or let the battery go flat as the body is one piece and has to come off to get at the battery

[Dr H]

Andy

Yep I wondered what I'd done, 2.5 hours after buying it I was in pissing rain on the M1.......mind you it has holes in the floor for the water to drain out

It has a race battery fitted so it can be removed through the service hatch on the front. Also it comes with a plug in charger that goes into a small socket infront of the gear stick - so it get's that when it's in the garage.

Only people from Norfolk could come up with a design that needed the body removing to do the battery! Mind you I think it needs to come off to do the cambelt as well!

[Corey]

Nice car, I would imagine the body being held on by more than a few bolts? so other than needing an assistant to hold the other end when lifting (and I don't imagine it being heavy!!!) I wouldn't have thought it a big job

[newsh]

Please Wear Earplugs! Or look forward to the joys of tinitis and hearing loss!
If you want the best and easiest to use get yourself some moulds done

Lovely car, its a bike with a couple of extra wheels..

[alanhj]

these guys are developing a hardtop!!!!

http://reverie.ltd.uk/en/about/340r_dev.php

[Dr H]

these guys are developing a hardtop!!!!

http://reverie.ltd.uk/en/about/340r_dev.php

Yeah not sure about this........

They launched it at the end of last month but no prices as yet. Probably 4-5K though

@newsh - yep it does give you a bit of a headache! Also it runs incredibly rich and has no cat on at the moment when you start it from cold it stinks of what I remember as 'old car' - lots of petrol and other fumes. It's OK when you're moving but when you stop all the heat and fumes catch up with you

Apparently you can get a much better ECU by Emmerald and a set of vernier pulleys that sort this out. Supposed to run better, lower emissions and more mid range torque. The car only jsut passes and MOT with the CAT on - in fact I'm pretty sure there are a lot of 'friendly' lotus dealers and specialists out there who 'know' how to get them through the emissions test

Oh well, roll on the good weather