Lotus founder Colin Chapman handed away in 1982, but he still left a legacy of racecar engineering and innovation unmatched by other noteworthy pioneers of the auto industry. His metal spine chassis and suspensions have been special, and his rear strut layouts (the equivalent of MacPherson struts) are still identified as Chapman struts. In racing, Chapman popularized the monocoque chassis and spearheaded the use of aerodynamics for System 1. He was an innovator of “ground results,” but his most notable achievement was maybe his “adding lightness” automobile structure philosophy.
When Lotus engineers created the 3-Eleven, they adopted Chapman’s ethos of simplicity and emphasis on excess weight reduction. The 3-Eleven created from 2015 to 2018 weighs a mere 2,028 lbs. It generated electric power with a revised Toyota-sourced supercharged-and-tuned 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 450 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 332 lb-ft of torque from 3,500 rpm to 6,500 rpm. The electric power-to-excess weight ratio is a outstanding 467 horsepower per metric ton.
Lotus provided the 3-Eleven in two configurations: Street and Race. The Race model offers paddle shifters, an oil cooler, a six-pace sequential transmission with a semi-dry-sump, and a limited-slip differential, even though the Road variant options an oil cooler, 6-velocity manual transmission with a high-general performance clutch assembly, and a Torsen restricted-slip differential.
Equally variations element an open-cockpit design using resin infusion composite physique panels that Lotus statements are 40% lighter than GRP (glass strengthened plastic). However, the Race roll cage employs much more side influence safety than the Street variation to meet motorsports regulations.