Lotus with massive aero parts
 

Lotus exige big aero progress - Time Attack Forums

I just thought this was pretty amusing and had to share. Wish someone would tell the guy to put a box cavity above the diffuser. That thing is so long he could almost put a full boat tail.

Awesome.

More here: This Big Winged Monster Is The Most Extreme Lotus Elise We've Ever Seen

It's been ruined.

I don't understand why so much effort goes into changing aero shape with the goal of producing downforce. This is a stupid way to go around a corner fast. Why not put ailerons and a rudder on instead so it goes fast in a straight line, and "flys" around the corner?

I'm not a big fan of what's been done to that car, doubt few in this forum could be.

One of the more memorable modified Lotus cars for me might be this one (see below).

What happened to the Mulholland "King of the Hill" RSR? - Page 323 - Pelican Parts Technical BBS
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1381163686.jpg

I like open top sports cars as a rule. The above white one is a bit overdone but better than that black one at least.

he certainly is an 'outside of the box' craftsman......

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...96076262_o.jpg

I did not see it when I looked for it, but there was a comment about rounding the edges to keep the police at bay.

It just looks like if he hits a pedestrian at low speeds, he will sever the ankles.

I was thinking it would stick to the ground like mad around the corners brakes who needs brakes haha. Or maybe it corners like a flymo lawnmower .. one or the other I'm not sure.

Looks like pretty standard Time Attack fare... and by pretty standard, I mean, just as crazy as some of the big guns... there are some really fast Time Attack cars running rear diffusers bigger than that, with the floor of the trunk ripped out to make space for the center tunnel.

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Though with just 300 hp, I don't know if he's got the push to fully utilize all that downforce... and he will still need to test it extensively on track to get the balance right.

I hope the white one started life as a Lotus 2-eleven... if not, well, uh...at least he tried to improve the side intakes? I would like to see a Miata or MR2 with a chopped windshield (by that I mean shrunken), that would really improve the fineness ratio on these short cars.

His heart's in the right place. It could be a lot worse:
http://s1.cdn.autoevolution.com/imag...re-54990-7.jpg
from Your Guide to the Japanese Car Culture!

Because downforce works--and the other doesn't.

-soD

I've never seen it attempted.

It seems more reasonable to direct the pressure of air in the direction you wish to go, instead of down, which is never the direction the driver intends to go.

Steerable rudders that move in unison with the wheels, anyone?

Kind of hard to direct much air sideways though don't you think?

Control surfaces have too much latency. You need Coanda nozzles.

Actually you don't need to. A vertical wing that's 90deg to the wind will create lift laterally (read that as centrifugal force in cars terms) I've always thought a gravity racer could use it easily for cornering & not braking.


Its how a windsurfer works ;) as you effetively tavel at 90 deg to the wind & you can generate significant G forces too, think acceleration of 10-40mph in 3-6 seconds & cornering whilst planing at 40mph in a 50 yard arc.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-V...600/Image2.jpg

Certainly, but if it's big enough to react quickly to steering changes and produce meaningful force it might be a problem for side winds.

Only if its powered up, the beauty of flexible sails is they can also generate nil lift by being flat, a modern windsurf sail for example is only an aerofoil shape when being "hauled in" & presented at an angle of attack. Rather clever but simple 3d flexible engineering.


Meanwhile: The Time Attack guy, I love all this bonkers engineering & then he mentions he'll be doing his first trackday soon. Some instruction behind the wheel would give him a 10 second faster laptime. Trust me I instruct for many of them. Our EDC drift championship used to run with the same series, I quite often would be out in the practice sessions for a shakedown & put my drift car in the top 5 times, they did'nt like that much :D

That's sort of the concept around hovercraft and they don't brake well, corner well or even go in a straight line very well.

I should know, I've owned one for over 20 years.

You should get out to the races some time.

Home - Hoverclub of America

Closer to your home:
http://amphibiousmarine.com/

300HP goes a long way in a car that weighs under 1900lb.

1,900 lbs. With potentially 1,320 libs of downforce at speed. Which makes it virtually as heavy as a V6 sports cars at speed, and less able to cut through the air, to boot.

Front running time attack cars running similar aero in the Redline series are typically pushing out twice or thrice the power, and they're not porkers, either.

#EDIT: Not to say it won't be fast. Just that it seems like the aero is overkill.

But yes, it will be fast.

Come on, you're in the aero section, you should know that most of the power goes to aero drag not rolling resistance.

I would not be surprised if that car were drag-limited to 110mph or something given that F1 wing though.

So I got the order mixed up... is that a crime? :D

Yeah... I wouldn't be surprised, either.