Lotus 3-Eleven: The Most Powerful In The House

The British firm does not stop surpassing itself. Proof of this is the new racing car that they have brought to the market. The Lotus 3-Eleven is the result of giving free rein to the engineers, in charge of materializing the definitive toy for the most enthusiastic.

Although the appearance of the 3-Eleven is similar to that of an Elise, the obsession with reducing weight has led technicians to dispense with a number of elements that make, next to it, an Elise seem as practical as a minivan.

Lotus 3-Eleven design

The front of the Lotus 3-Eleven is exactly the same as the Elise, and everything seems in place until you get to the A-pillar.  Rather, you arrive at the area where that pillar should be, since everything has been dispensed with. type of windshield and frontal protection. A very small visor is the only thing that deflects the wind a bit, which makes the helmet an essential element.

Behind the occupant’s head, and we speak in the singular because the second seat is optional, there is a roll protector that protrudes considerably, which makes the huge rear wing less noticeable.

The image of the rear of the car is intimidating, with racing car lines and details. Apart from the huge spoiler that we have already mentioned, the rear features a mixture of grilles and glossy black plastics that further radicalize the car.

A huge central exhaust pipe and the two round pilots, the brand of the house, are all the accessories you need to inflict fear on all who dare to follow you.

The overall aesthetic is reminiscent of racing models fresh out of the 24 Hours of Le Mans, where the only thing that matters is aerodynamics, weight and power.

Engine and dynamics

Carrying out a car with a power-to-weight ratio of 500 hp per ton is the dream of any automotive engineer, and with this Lotus 3-Eleven they have been at ease.

It is the fastest Lotus ever made by this sports car brand, and that is no small thing. To pump up the lightweight 3-Eleven, the brand has taken no risks and has fitted the 3.5-liter V6, known for being mounted on the Evora 400, but squeezed to 450 hp at 7,000 rpm.

This has been achieved thanks to a supercharger with an integrated water-air charge cooler, with a torque of 450 Nm between 3,500 and 6,500 rpm. Nothing has been left to chance with this little car, and you can imagine the performance that a car with this power and weighing less than 900 kilograms can achieve.

Accelerates from 0 to 100 km / h in 2.9 seconds, a figure only within the reach of supercars that triple their price. In addition, the maximum speed is 290 km / h if you opt for the Race finish ; otherwise with Road mode you will hit 280 km / h.

Lotus is an expert in making very light vehicles, but with the Lotus 3-Eleven they have taken another turn of the screw. Carbon fiber reinforced plastics have not been used for the bodywork as in their brothers, but various compounds have been used to lighten the mixture by 40%.

As a general rule, convertibles become structurally ‘softer’ than their brothers with a roof, but the torsional rigidity of this Lotus has nothing to envy that of an Exige or an Evora, proof of the solidity of its structure.

All this translates into one of the cars with the best cornering that you can find on the market. The speed of reactions is at the level of a kart  and the traction that it is capable of getting makes you adhere to the seat. For maximum mobility, it has Michelin Pilot Super Sport 225/40 ZR18 at the front and 275/35 ZR19 at the rear.

Price

Only 311 units will be made, so it will maintain that certain level of exclusivity that sports car buyers love so much. To get one  you will have to pay € 117,000, if you choose the Road version , or € 164,300 if you choose the sporty Race .

These are very contained prices for the level of performance and sensations that this British sports car is capable of transmitting. In addition, the enormous engineering work that goes behind to lighten the weight and increase its rigidity makes it worth every one of the euros that are asked for it.