#1 I am looking to improve my safety on the track. So this means lowering my energy. Energy = ½ mass x velocity^2. My beast of a tt is just too heavy and too powerful to maintain the safety margin I want at this time (2 daughters, 6 + 4). So, I need a light, low powered car that is still somehow fun to drive. I also don’t want a lot of maintenance headaches.

Edit: My justification was wrong, light weight does not yield quick stopping distances!

Open wheel is out. Open cockpit is out. A car like the Diasio is out even though it is very light, but it will pull 2.0g’s and I’ve just raised my corner speeds dramatically. So, this leaves the lightest street cars around 2,500 lbs (944, Miata, M3, etc.). There is one car that stands out, the new Elise. It is under 1,900 lbs in full race prep, 190 hp, enough but not too much. It should be reliable (Toyota drive train) but will be a little expensive to maintain (parts and panels) compared to the other cars, but it still has some exotic appeal and it won’t feel like driving a beater.

Here is what I am thinking of. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Stripped Elise
Sport Package
No AC
No radio

Safety
Full cage (smaller tube chrome-moly, no side bars)
Full containment seat(s) (Kirkey?)
Fire Suppression (cabin and engine compartment)
Fuel cell (are we sure it will be safer due to fit/attachment issues?)
Window and center nets
6 point harness (Scroth)
Removable wheel (necessary with containment seat?)
ISAAC Head Restraint
Kill switch

Performance
Shocks - Moton’s (may use sport shocks depending upon price)
Stainless brake lines
Porterfield Pads
Rear suspension brace

Data Acquisition
Steering angle
Throttle position
Brake pressure
Speed – 1 wheel (prefer left front)
rpm
Oil Pressure
Oil Temp
Water Temp

 

Sounds cool to me. Would you import an Exige, the hardtop version?

You might look into factory motorsports versions available.

 

How tall are you? Do you have a long torso? I test drove an Elise (very fun drive - fantastic manual steering) and my head was flush with the roll bar without a helmet (roof was removed). Wearing a helmet, my head would become the rollbar. I am only 5'11", but I have a very tall torso and short legs. The Elise is impossible for me...

 

CaymanS...

 

Cayman S weighs 50% more than an Elise - sort of negates his whole lightweight approach...

 

Somehow the words safety and Lotus spoken in the same sentance keeps coming back as a non-sequitur.

How about an E30 M3? Not stupifying light, but reasonably light and a nice package. Or shoot, look around for a good track prepped 6 cylinder E30.

 

I like this Lotus better...


Lotus "Circuit Car"

 

If you scroll down on that Lotus car club link, you will find an announcement for the US version of the Exige. I think it would make a better track car as it has a closed top for better aero and maybe better safety.

 

I would run the Elise with the hard top. The BMW's are pretty heavy, usually 2,500 lbs ... and pretty ugly. Also, I don't want a real old car that is likely to give major headaches for maintenence. I haven't sat in it with a helmet on. I plan to do that the Friday after next at the Autobahn track. I am 5'11 so I will check closely. I would prefer the new Exige but it isn't available for months, it adds at least $10k and increases aero which I don't really want for safety.

 

If you consider 2500lbs heavy, the Elise is the only recent car I am aware of that will be light enough for you.

I say go for it. You can also make it a turbo in the future if you wanted more power. It could easily surpass your 996TT though in power/weight.

 

I had a student a couple months ago w/ an elise and it was a blast. I didn't drive it, but you could tell from the passenger's seat that it handles very nicely. Its so light that he could go so deep into corners. I found myself hitting a non-existent brake pedal a couple times from the passenger's seat.

If you're looking at safety, you may want to rethink the lotus. they don't have the best record, but the elise may somewhat different.

Lastly, you'll have to revise your trick roof rack w/ the elise.

peace

 

Have you considered a Noble M400? www.noblecars.com and www.1gracing.com

Wickedly fast with integral roll cage and harnesses. They weigh 2,337 lbs and have 425hp

 

Noble is an interesting thought. If you can't find any up in Chicago, Ooley and Blackburn has one in stock I believe here in Indy. I think have ford engines so repairs should be somewhat reasonable...at least in the motor dept. Body repairs might be iffy.

 

color change, at 5'11" you will have a tight fit with helmet. might work if you bolt the seat directly to tub.

 

I plan to bolt a kirkey (or comparable ... any suggestions?) full containment seat. The shop that will be doing the retrofit said they can mount a driver anything, but because the tub is so narrow, it may or may not fit 2 of the same seat ... depending.

The Noble has too much hp and screws the velocity squared side of the equation.