Lotus 2-Eleven

SPECIFICATIONS

1. The 2-Eleven’s supercharged 1.8L 4-cylinder makes 250-hp at 8000 rpm and 179 ft-lbs of torque at 7000 rpm. 2. Acceleration to 60 mph takes roughly 3.8 seconds. 3. At just 1,643 lbs, the 2-Eleven weighs half that of a BMW 328i.

PREVIEW

The 2-Eleven track car epitomizes the Lotus philosophy of “performance through light weight.” Tipping the scales at just 1,643 lbs (on a full tank), this 250-hp lap day superhero makes even the Elise seem heavy. In fact, the 2-Eleven, thanks to a full composite body and the lack of either a roof or a windshield, weighs 341 lbs less than the Elise.

The acceleration, handling and braking are incredible. It isn’t “like” an open wheel formula car, it is one… just with a few extra body panels. It delivers an almost unimaginably high level of Lotus’ trademark brand of fun.The feeling of being behind the wheel of the 2-Eleven made me forget entirely about the Exige. Although looking back, it also provided a great reference point. When you think about how phenomenal a track car an Exige is, the 2-Eleven simply destroys it. Yup… it’s that good!

EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR

As for the aerodynamics, such as the extended front splitter and massive spoiler, I can say they certainly felt like they were working. While triple-digit speeds are attainable at only one part of this track and it’s likely that the aerodynamics don’t have much effect below 100 mph, I did notice that while rounding the fastest corner (a right-handed downhill sweeper) the car felt extremely stable. By comparison, the Exige twitched slightly as though experiencing a slight lift.

The 2-Eleven doesn’t have any doors, so I hopped over the side of it and dropped myself into the ultra-tight racing seats. As a track machine, it comes from the factory with 4-point racing harnesses, which help keep you in place during the immense lateral g-forces and under braking.

UNDER THE HOOD

The engine is a familiar 1.8-liter, four-cylinder Toyota powerplant mated to a supercharger. The same setup can be found in the Elise GT3 car, as well as the Exige Cup Car. Torque is rated at 179 ft-lbs and thanks to the car’s light weight, you can actually feel it.

The real power, however, doesn’t come on until you wind the thing up.

I immediately noticed how light the steering is. With light-weight forged wheels and very little weight to begin with (including just 38 percent of it over the front wheels), the steering wheel turns more readily than on any other Lotus. I found this amazing as most times you get into a machine with such an open-wheel feel, the steering is heavy. Not so here, meaning that even over prolonged periods, the car doesn’t wear you down.

The minimal weight also makes the tires’ job much easier. In fact, it was almost impossible to make them complain, no matter how tight the corner or how much throttle I applied. Dive into a tight corner too aggressively and the car would just grip, refusing to understeer. Try and get too greedy with the throttle and the tires would hook up and rocket you forward. Truly amazing!

With 62 percent of the weight over the rear wheels you would think the 2-Eleven would be a tail-happy handful once the rear gets rotating, but amazingly, it isn’t. Once you’re strapped in, the balance of weight becomes closer to a 50/50 distribution. Clever thinking on Lotus’ part.

Without a windshield, the feeling of speed in the 2-Eleven is visceral. On long straights you can really understand how hard it is for a car to cut through the air as the wind buffets your head and strains you neck muscles – something motorcycle riders will no-doubt be familiar with.