Autoblog

Found for sale: Lotus 11 replica track car

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:15:00 EST

Lotus 11 replica track car for sale - click above for a high res image gallery

As we were rolling through Lexington, OH this weekend after leaving the ALMS race at Mid-Ohio, we spotted an interesting yellow car sitting in a lot. This knee-high roadster is a replica of the Lotus 11, one of the most successful small bore race cars of the late 1950s. Colin Chapman designed the 11 with a Frank Costin body and built it between 1956 and 1958. Some 270 examples were originally built but over the last half century, countless replicas have been built. The basic idea was revived by Lotus a couple of years ago with the Elise base 2-Eleven.

We have no idea what kind of engine is in this particular car, but based on the license plate on the back, we're assuming this car is street legal. Judging by the minimal interior, any new owner will likely want to restrict their road driving to just getting the car to the track. On a closed course such a low slung, lightweight machine is likely to be huge fun even without much power.

Gallery: Lotus 11 replica track car for sale

Found for sale: Lotus 11 replica track car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 01 Aug 2009 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Fuoss 01 track car coming in 2009

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:31:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Europe, Specialty

Click above for high-res shots of the Fuoss 01

Europeans track junkies have one more option vying for their hard-earned cash. Using the same philosophy as vehicles from Lotus, Caterham and KTM, the Fuoss 01 relies on its light weight for acceptable performance. But with only a 40-hp, 400cc Suzuki motorcycle engine motivating the 660-pound one-seater, V-Max is a very limited 90 mph. Regardless, the Fuoss should be an entertaining track tool, particularly with its five-speed sequential transmission cribbed from Suzuki keeping the motor on boil. The driver sits as low as possible and with no heavy roof overhead, mass is centralized down low. Only ten examples are planned for its first year of production in 2009, so if you want one of the €29,000 machines, you'd better act fast.

Gallery: Fuoss 01 track car

[Source: World Car Fans]

Fuoss 01 track car coming in 2009 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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LusoMotors LM23: 150hp, Honda CBR-powered track car

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:02:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Classics, Performance, Lotus, Specialty

Click above for more shots of the LusoMotors LM23

Track cars powered by motorcycle engines are becoming increasingly popular as the superbike mills, usually mounted amidships, provide tons of power for their small displacement and low weight. Further evidence of this truth is seen in the LusoMotors LM23, a Lotus replica powered by a one-liter Honda CBR1000 engine making about 150 horsepower. Weighing just under 900 pounds, the power-to-weight ratio of this machine would be enough to scare just about any other car you are likely to meet at the track while its light weight would surely allow for plenty of grip in the corners. The high performance of the LM23 is fitting, as the Lotus 23B design on which its based was such a giant killer that it was banned at Le Mans in the early sixties for being too fast for its small displacement.

A quick glance at the chassis shows such track-ready details as inboard-mounted coilovers and a tube frame complete with integrated roll bar. The chassis sits under composite bodywork, just like the original Lotus, though the modern interpretation adds carbon fiber to the traditional fiberglass skin. It looks like we have another Lotus replica set to join the ranks of the numerous Seven variations already sitting in our fantasy garages.

Gallery: LusoMotors LM23

[Source: CarScoop]

LusoMotors LM23: 150hp, Honda CBR-powered track car originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus 2-Eleven even faster than anticipated

Sam Abuelsamid — Sat, 17 Mar 2007 17:24:00 EST

Filed under: Motorsports, Lotus

Click on the photo for a high-res gallery of Lotus 2-Eleven images

The Lotus 2-Eleven, unveiled just prior to the Geneva Motor Show, recently hit the track for the first time. Apparently the results were good -- very good, in fact! AutoCar ireports that acceleration for the 1474 lb speedster is already beating initial projections, with 0-60 taking just 3.9 seconds and 100mph arriving in 8.9 seconds from a dead stop. The £39,995 track-only version will start rolling off the line at Hethel next month.

[Source: AutoCar]

Gallery: Lotus 2-Eleven track car

Lotus 2-Eleven even faster than anticipated originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Mar 2007 17:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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0-60 in 3 Sec.: RoadRazer track-day car in the works

Frank Filipponio — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 19:02:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Europe, Supercars

Ever wonder what an Ariel Atom would look like with full bodywork? Apparently somebody has. Danish owner and builder Mikkel Steen Pedersen has put together another track-day special that looks like a formula car without the stickers.

Called the RoadRazer, this new superlight supercar features a carbon fiber/aluminum honeycomb monocoque, aluminum double wishbones at each corner, a Quaife differential, and Hyabusa engine pushing 175 hp through a 6-speed sequential transmission using steering mounted paddle shifters. Dry weight is only 660 pounds so this should be quite capable of achieving the sprint to 60 in 3 seconds or less. And just for the record, that 660-pound weight is almost half the Atom's curb weight.

And despite its formula car looks, the RoadRazer is actually a tandem two-seater, although passengers may prefer to just wait their turn and take the car out themselves when the driver gets tired of whipping off hot laps.

The first car has been completed except the paint and should be ready for a public viewing in January. Expected price on the RoadRazer is £49,000 or $92,500, which is almost twice the Atom's asking price. That would make it a slightly tougher sell, although that number is just a best guess by Pedersen at this point.

[Source: PistonHeads]

0-60 in 3 Sec.: RoadRazer track-day car in the works originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Sep 2006 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Lotus' ultimate track day car "coming soon"

Stuart Waterman — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 15:34:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Lotus

Now that Lotus has completed work on its upscale Europa and the new entry-level Elise S, the company has set its sights on the launch of yet another Elise/Exige variant, the much-anticipated Lotus "circuit car."

The prototype circuit car debuted in 2005, and now that Lotus has cleared the decks for completing its development, the production version should see the light of day in early 2007.

Just to refresh your memory, the track car uses a variant of the supercharged 1.8-liter Toyota engine found in the Exige S, but in a considerably lighter (read, quicker) package. According to Autocar, Lotus intend to make the first versions of the new model fully road-legal, and the company is considering exporting the car to the U.S.

[Source: Autocar]

Lotus' ultimate track day car "coming soon" originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Jul 2006 15:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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