Build Blog

Lotus Europa build blog

This blog is very much a work in progress and I will be updating it as much as possible as the Lotus Europa project takes shape. My intension is to fill these pages with as much technical information as possible so they are useful as a resource as well as a build diary.

some pictures of the car as it arrived in Hofmann's workshop

The concept behind the car

Having been racing various Lotus’s for the past few years I seen the plus points and the limitations of various models. The S1 Elise I raced in 08 was light and nimble but the poor aerodynamics of the car made it twitchy at speed. The S1 Exige I raced in the 2007 Elise Trophy, along with the Britcar 24 hour race, was very stable and could turn very fast lap times but was always limited by the Honda engine which made it ineligible for many top level GT races so investing further development would have been futile. Even the GT3 Exige I raced in British GT had quite big weaknesses, with relatively poor aerodynamics and an engine that had to be kept at quite low power levels to maintain reliability.

Out of the current crop of Lotus models the Europa seemed to be the least compromised choice. Its shape is less sculpted and more slippery than an Elise with a smooth and flat rear deck giving nice, clean airflow to the rear wing. It’s a longer car too, which gives a larger surface area to produce downforce from if I race it at very low ride heights in GT races. The standard engine is strong and capable of making big power so there is no need to replace it with a Honda or Audi lump and keeping this engine allows it to potentially race in series such as VLN or British GT (homologation permitting). The only downside to the Europa is the weight, but my intention is to work as hard as possible to loose as much excess as possible. One more thing that I like about the car is that it has been disregarded by the bulk of the Lotus ownership, the perception being that it isn't as pure as the other Lotus models. If that's really the case then this project should prove a challenge, and that's something that I always enjoy!

My initial thoughts on development

Aero: Utilise the excellent Reverie rear wing I have used successfully on the S1 Elise and Exige but this time use a straight wing as opposed to a curved wing so that I can fit a second element if I choose to go GT racing with the car. I already had an excellent front splitter and undertray designed for my old Exige which I intend to use and I will be getting Reverie to make me an undertray and diffuser to my design to complement this. I will use the front of the car to cool the water for the engine (and a laminova water/oil heat exchanger for the oil), the water for the chargecooler and also to feed the front brakes. The roof scoop will provide air for the engine and the side scoops will be used for airflow in the engine bay. I will remove the boot floor and division and remove an area of glass fibre behind the number plate (as per elise trophy regulations) to allow airflow out of the back of the car.

Engine: My initial thoughts are to swap the Z20LER engine out for the Z20LEH from an Astra VXR, which has forged pistons, oil spray jets under the pistons and has no counter balancing shafts on the crankshaft. I plan to explore the potential use of the standard VXR turbo to start with but with a view to upgrade this later on. The exhaust will be re-routed over the engine/gearbox so there isn’t heat build-up underneath the engine and the exhaust will be fabricated by Chris Tullett in Aylesbury. I will fit a water/air chargecooler with associated radiators etc all fabricated by Pro-Alloy.

Suspension: Dampers are going to be 3-way Nitrons, starting with the latest set of valving as used on my old Exige. I will increase the rear spring rate by 50lb to start with, due to the extra weight of the engine, and work from there. My plan is to stick with standard wishbones and Nylatron bushes from Geary on all but the top rear wishbones which I will rose joint (These joints take the bulk of the load and wear very quickly on race cars). The uprights will remain standard to start with but I may move onto Geary’s ally uprights down the line to save weight and allow easy fitment of bigger rear calipers but only if necessary.

Brakes: Standard calipers to start with and I also want to start with the ABS system in place. If this setup doesn’t work then I will have to look at my options. Discs will likely be AP304mm fronts and AP290 rear to start with and Carbon Lorraine pads. Front discs will be ducted from the outset.

Wheels: As yet undecided but the question is whether I stick with the 5-bolt hub or go the 4-bolt S2 type hub.

Roll Bar: My new 6-point design.

Seat: MOG I imagine as I always find these very comfy and they allow me to get the driver weight nice and low in the car.

Build Diary (week by week)

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