Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racer
Lotus ontwikkelde een nieuw speeltje op basis van de Evora, fun gegarandeerd!

Het beestje heeft een lekker lange naam gekregen, aan Lotus nu om aan de verwachtingen van zo’n naam te voldoen. Om te beginnen ontwikkelt de Toyota V6 nu zo’n 400pk (wat kan varieren naargelang de normen van het kampioenschap) én het gewicht daalde zo’n 200kg wat het geheel op 1200kg brengt (ook variabel naargelang de normen en regels).

Geen auto zonder versnellingsbak, een sequentiële versnellingsbak zorgt voor de verzetten. Verder nog wat racemateriaal als een rolkooi, een benzinetank van 120l, een brandblussysteem, kortom the usual stuff. We vinden ook nog Ap Racing remmen, een Bosch ABS systeem, 18 inch velgen en Pirellibanden. Een carbon achtervleugel, splitter en diffuser zorgen voor wat meer aerodynamische grip.

De wagen werd ontwikkeld met het oog op uithoudingsraces, zeg maar zij die meer dan 12u tellen. Het debuut van deze volbloed sportwagen zal dan ook de ADAC Nürburgring 24 hours op de Nordschleife zijn. Daarna zal Lotus de 124 nog inzetten tijdens verschillende andere endurance kampioenschappen.

Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racecar

The Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racecar has been developed from the
award-winning Evora road car and is built to FIA regulations and safety
standards.

The Type 124 (pronounced One Twenty Four) Endurance Racecar is the next
step in the evolution of the Evora. The car will make its 24 hour racing
debut at the ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hours which provides a great test for the
Evora’s performance, efficiency and durability under tough and demanding
endurance race conditions.

At the heart of the Lotus Evora are fundamental racecar elements:
mid-engine layout, high-tech and super-stiff extruded and bonded aluminium
chassis and very strong lightweight forged aluminium wishbones. All these
elements mean that it is a natural evolution from the road going Lotus
Evora to a competitive endurance racecar.

From the outset the design team had intentions to take the Evora racing
and the chassis was designed with this in mind. Endurance races are the
perfect events to showcase the efficiency, handling and durability
characteristics that have been fundamental to the concept of the Evora.

The Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racecar has a race-tuned version of the
mid-mounted Toyota V6 engine, with power increased to over 400 ps
(depending on race regulations). Vehicle mass is expected to be reduced by
up to 200 kg, bringing the weight of the racecar to less than 1200 kg
(depending on race regulations).

Further changes for the Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racecar include a
six speed sequential paddle shift racing gearbox, full FIA specification
roll cage, FIA-compliant 120 litre ATL fuel system, FIA fire extinguisher
system, competition carbon fibre rear wing, diffuser and front splitter.

The racecar is fitted with AP Racing 6 piston callipers front and rear,
with a race-tuned Bosch ABS system, 4-way adjustable dampers and
adjustable anti-roll bars. The racecar runs on 18″ rims shod with Pirelli
racing slicks and the wheels widths have been increased over the roadcar
to 9 ½ J on the front and 11 J on the rear.

The aerodynamically efficient Lotus Evora Type 124 Endurance Racecar body
design, made from lightweight composite and carbon fibre panels, remains
predominantly unchanged from the road car, with the only modifications
being to the lower sections of the front and rear clamshells and the side
sills.

Luke Bennett, Director of Lotus Cars Limited, said, “Motorsport has been
in our blood ever since our founder, Colin Chapman, built the first Lotus
back in 1948. We are proud of our motorsport history, which includes
victories in Formula One, Le Mans, saloon car, rally car and sportscar
racing around the world; more recently, we won the British GT3
Championship in 2006 with the Lotus Exige. The Lotus Evora Type 124
Endurance Racecar is from the same unique stable and we expect it to be a
competitive racecar when we enter various endurance races next year.”

Roger Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director for Group Lotus Plc said,
“Every Lotus car is designed to be at home on the race track as well as
the road, and the Evora is no different. Designed primarily as an everyday
road car, the Evora’s lightweight and stiff structure, its aerodynamics
and performance means that it is perfectly suited to taming race tracks
around the world, and we are looking forward to seeing the new Lotus Evora
Type 124 Endurance Racecar line up on the grid for the 2010 season.”

The racecar is expected to compete in a number of endurance races in 2010/
2011 forming part of a factory-supported race program. The races that are
targeted are: The 2010 ADAC Nürburgring 24 Hours (Nürburgring
Nordschleife, Germany) in May 2010, Merdeka Millennium 12 Hours (Sepang,
Malaysia) in August 2010, BritCar 24 Hours (Silverstone, UK) in October
2010 and the Dubai 24 Hours (Dubai Autodrome, UAE) January 2011.