Lotus Elise with VW 1.8T Engine

[Sharkie]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a Lotus Elise (2002) as a track day car.

Since I want decent power, I'm thinking of fitting a VW 1.8T engine to it and upping its output to around 260kw......

Anybody have any ideas as to the workability of this ?

[Golf Houso]

A popular swap is the 2.0L turbo unit from other cars such as the Astra or the VX220. Because they share the same architecture it was an easier swap apparently.

How much is an Elise as it is?

[tinto]

i've got a magazine with a similar conversion in it at home. I'll dig it up when i'm back there in the next few days.

[Jarred]

what about the exige, with the s/charged toyota engine? That could probably be worked abit, and you wouldn't have to fiddle around with the engine conversion malarky.*

*providing that it's not a direct swap, with i doubt a VW engine would be, but a vauxhall engine maybe.

Don't discount toyota engines, there are a couple gems amoung them.

[Mischa]

if you want it for a track car only, what about a naked space frame style car with a motorbike engine? check out the formula sae university racing series; you could use that general design but make the wheelbase longer and wider and you wouldnt have to worry with all the restrictions they have to work with. I've joined my uni's team and the first workshop is next week. i can report back with what i find out if you're interested. i know they have a budget of around 30k.

are you gonna be doing the work yourself?

[Jarred]

if you want it for a track car only, what about a naked space frame style car with a motorbike engine? check out the formula sae university racing series; you could use that general design but make the wheelbase longer and wider and you wouldnt have to worry with all the restrictions they have to work with. I've joined my uni's team and the first workshop is next week. i can report back with what i find out if you're interested. i know they have a budget of around 30k.

are you gonna be doing the work yourself?

Sweet as mishca! I'm planning on doing that next year or the year after. looks like fun

Having said that, it would be quite difficult and involved to build such by yourself. and getting it done professionally would cost a bucket cause of all the custom work involved.

[goodfella]

if you want it for a track car only, what about a naked space frame style car with a motorbike engine? check out the formula sae university racing series; you could use that general design but make the wheelbase longer and wider and you wouldnt have to worry with all the restrictions they have to work with. I've joined my uni's team and the first workshop is next week. i can report back with what i find out if you're interested. i know they have a budget of around 30k.

are you gonna be doing the work yourself?

Mischa,

What uni are you at?

[h100vw]

I'm toying with the idea of getting a Lotus Elise (2002) as a track day car.

Since I want decent power, I'm thinking of fitting a VW 1.8T engine to it and upping its output to around 260kw......

Anybody have any ideas as to the workability of this ?

I was following this conversion on a UK forum but can't remember which. It might have been audi-sport.net.

Having been in a couple of Elises, early ones, I reckon a chipped 1.8T would be plenty fast enough for a track day car.

I used to be able to catch them on the brakes in my G60 but never down the straights.

If you go to 260KW, it'll cost a mint to develop the chassis and brakes. 200-240 hp would be easier to get the package going IMO.

Gavin

[Mischa]

Mischa,

What uni are you at?

sydney uni doing mech eng

[Sharkie]

A 2002 Ellise (current shape) with the 1.8 Rover engine is about $35000 for a highish (150K) km model and $39000 for one with the Toyota 1.8 with similar milage.

Brake and suspension work will be pricey but not too much and I'd prefer the VW 1.8t as its "easier" to source than the Opel 2.0 turbo engine. IIts not a Holden by any means....) The tuning know how is also much more prevalent in Oz for the VW 1.8T

I want it to be road registered which means I want the best road/track car $40K can buy ..... !!! and you don't get better than a Lotus Elise, all it needs is more power.

[Sharkie]

Also Lotus Exige or the Elise with the s/c engines is still well over $80000 secondhand.

And Lotus does not use the Opel/Vauxhall engines in the Elise/Exige so there is no straight swap possibility.

[OilBurna]

bear in mind (depends on the chassis set up) they are very tail happy and not easy to drive quickly. Have seen one written off at Sandown on a high performance day clouting the wall at the start of the back straight, nice crack on the rear fibreglass section. Are you after a dedicated track only car or road / race combo that can be regoed? We bought an ex Sports Sedan LG Torana with triple webbers that had approx 250hp for five grand, spent another 3 grand fixing it up and it did under two minutes at Phillip Island with more potential and parts were cheap, ie a mix of Torana, and VL Commodore. Elsie won't be cheap for body panels and other parts. I'd start with a cheap Japanese car, ie 180sx / Silvia, decent suspension, brakes they have a great LSD std with Kaaz's etc avialable and make easy power. You could get a race / rally import only with heaps of mods on it prob for 10k ish. Or even a WRX RA etc. Strip out all the bits are they are fairly light. I'd love an AE86 with the supercharged 4AGZE hehehe.

ariel atom would be nice but not cheap.

[Jarred]

Oil buna is right. there are plenty of cheaper options. although I would doubt any of them would have the finesse of the standard elise even!

I'm sure you could set up a jap (not a torrie though, without major mods lol) to handle pretty damn well, but there really ain't much that can compare with the lotus chassis.

[OilBurna]

true but with the right setup it will hose a stock elise, although I had a fun battle with the same one before it got damaged at Sandown I was quicker in the straight, ie ovetake but he would get me under braking, then around corners. you would be paying a lot for the Lotus chassis / setup etc.

any vw options? a mk1 with a 1.8T?

[static1800]

I agree that the lotus approach would be expensive, they make a great track day car though.

mk4 R32 with haldex would be another option in the lotus price range i would imagine