1997 Lotus Elise Gt1

[CTD]

Hello.
This is just a link to another forum where i found this lovely car!, and just had to share it with you all!

[geeteeone]

Very nice, although the smaller road-spec wheels make it look a little strange.

I love how the write-up blames the lack of speed on the aerodynamics. Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that neither the Lotus twin-turbo V8 or the replacement Chevy V8 were particularly in the ballpark horsepower-wise...

The text is wrong about the engines - in 1997, it was the factory team that ran with the Chevrolet LT5 normally aspirated engines. The privateer GBF and MVR teams ran with the Lotus turbo V8s.

I enjoyed seeing Fabien Giroix race his Lotus GT1 in the GT90s series at Silverstone last year, it looked and sounded great but true to Lotus GT1 form failed to finish either of the races!

[knighty]

I seem to remember something along the lines that the rule makers screwed the turbo cars with a ridiculous restrictor or boost rule, and it rendered that route un-competitive, so at the last minute Lotus shoe-horned in the normally aspirated LS engine, and it was just not up to the pace of the McLarens.........this car was racing the time that I worked for Lotus as an under-graduate Engineer, and I have many fond memories of seing the Esprit and Elise GT1 cars being spanked around the Hethel test track........but not as good as when they wheeled out the old F1 gear!

[Cuttlefish]

This is one of my favorite GT1 cars of old! Absolutely beautiful car. They don't make them like they used to...

Also, it's a blast to drive in GTR2!

[antiundersteer]

I have a few more pics to add to the mix. Lovely car.

[Sarthe82]

Small world! That showroom's where I work, on the Subaru side though.

[CTD]

perhaps you know Subarukid then?, (the guy who posted the original thread)

[Aslak Vind]

Originally Posted by antiundersteer

I have a few more pics to add to the mix. Lovely car.

Repeated pics removed.

One of these beauties was wheeled around Copenhagen Historic Grand Prix by Kurt Thiim.

Ohh what sweet music she made, and Der Kurt was really able to make her fly!

[Osella]

Any pics of the Bitter GT1 ??

[Sarthe82]

Originally Posted by CTD

perhaps you know Subarukid then?, (the guy who posted the original thread)

Absolutely, he's a top bloke!

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Sarthe82

Absolutely, he's a top bloke!

Sure is, knows his stuff!

[SubaruKid37]

Originally Posted by geeteeone

Very nice, although the smaller road-spec wheels make it look a little strange.

I love how the write-up blames the lack of speed on the aerodynamics. Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that neither the Lotus twin-turbo V8 or the replacement Chevy V8 were particularly in the ballpark horsepower-wise...

The text is wrong about the engines - in 1997, it was the factory team that ran with the Chevrolet LT5 normally aspirated engines. The privateer GBF and MVR teams ran with the Lotus turbo V8s.

Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that I spoke with one of the engineers on the project who has since put the car in a wind tunnel (as they had no access to wind tunnel at the time), along with the owner of the Elise GT1 road car who tried altering the rear aerodynamics of the car (mainly that large lip that juts out) and found the airflow wasn't just slightly improved, but significantly improved for higher speeds - Note on the Bitter GT1 cars how they re-styled the rear end of the car.

It is possible I got the history of the engines mixed up, It was a pretty intensive few hours learning all about the car we have in our showroom, I can tell you that this car definately has the Lotus Twin Turbo V8 fitted from the original GTech workshops. Since the engineer last saw it though, it has had the roof modification and the roll cage altered (suspect a tall individual owned it while it was in America in private ownership). He was very pleased to see the car again as he wasn't sure if it would appear again after it was sold privately.

These wheels are the wheels this car has always carried, we have 2 extra sets of wheels as part of the spares package all in the same design, 1 set in white, the other in silver (like currently on the car).

Originally Posted by antiundersteer

I have a few more pics to add to the mix. Lovely car.

I don't remember those stormy clouds in the back there!! I was the Official Event Photographer for that event (Celebration Exotic Cars 2007, & in 2008, and will be for 2009), that car has the Corvette Engine, sounded great when the guy fired it up. It was for sale back then with the Florida based company WireWheels, it is now sold though. Was also my first GT1 i'd seen which made me very happy!

Originally Posted by Osella

Any pics of the Bitter GT1 ??

Originally Posted by Sarthe82

Small world! That showroom's where I work, on the Subaru side though.

Small world, smaller internet!
Thanks for showing me the thread mate, nice to see word is spreading about the car!!!

Oh and Hi, i'm new here, withh thanks to Sarthe82 for telling me that CTD had posted the info on here! I hope to have alook around and see what's what here!

[CTD]

Originally Posted by SubaruKid37

Small world, smaller internet!
Thanks for showing me the thread mate, nice to see word is spreading about the car!!!

Oh and Hi, i'm new here, withh thanks to Sarthe82 for telling me that CTD had posted the info on here! I hope to have alook around and see what's what here!

Is that Peugeot 406 rear lights?.. that is SO cool!

I didn't think of posting on SCF that i posted it here!, so sorry for that mate!

[Aslak Vind]

Actually it is, wwhich is aalmost something unholy on a Bitter..

This car really looks the part!

[skycafe]

Speaking of these, anyone know where the one that ran at Sebring in '04 ended up?