31 replies to this topic

[charliedrives]

Hi all, hope this is the right place to post! New to the Forums here and just thought I'd share my latest purchase! 

Always had a thing for these cars since my dad bought one home as a company car when her worked for GM! I've got other Lotus cars so have asked the question to lots within the general communities as to whether the Type 116 is a real Lotus. Feel free to vote in the poll on the video below!  

 

https://www.youtube....w-vddby0&t=606s

 

 

 DSC01690-3.jpg   439.07KB   19 downloads

[PaulCP]

Looks a nice example 👍

 

Think of it this way. It is more of a Lotus than a Lotus since it shares all its running gear with the Elise, Lotus sourced the body from its usual source for clams etc and to top all of that Lotus had a hand in developing the 2.2 Ecotec engine rather than using a BL or Toyota lump.

 

oh, wait a minute 😮, yours is a turbo, it got an old GM engine. No it’s not a Lotus, only the VX220 NA is 😛😛

Edited by PaulCP, 21 March 2020 - 01:48 PM.

[chris_uk]

looks well does that ! 

[hairy]

Wear your griffin with pride!

[pete-r]

In terms of build components as Paul says, the VX with the Z22SE engine the most 'lotus' of them all because the engine was designed with them. Think of it like a watch with an in-house movement. The rest are off the shelf Rover, Toyota and Honda/VW units.

It's the least 'Lotus' only in badges and the dealer network it was sold through.

People originally said the VX wasn't quite as sharp as the Elise which is a fair point out of the factory, but 99% of cars will have been modified or refreshed and with the same suspension and geometry there would be no difference in how they drive.

Subjectively it's a well trodden subject but i think it's the best car on the platform they have ever made.

Edited by pete-r, 21 March 2020 - 04:22 PM.

[allsteel]

Of course it's not a Lotus, it's quicker hehe.

[charliedrives]

Haha Nice one! I'm going to do a comparison video soon! 

 

Of course it's not a Lotus, it's quicker hehe.

 

[charliedrives]

Really interesting. I've read that about the Z22SE think Lotus did the headers on it? 

Will certainly be doing a comparison video, got a few friends who have 111R Elise's so will be quite interesting to see how they compare! 

In terms of build components as Paul says, the VX with the Z22SE engine the most 'lotus' of them all because the engine was designed with them. Think of it like a watch with an in-house movement. The rest are off the shelf Rover, Toyota and Honda/VW units.

It's the least 'Lotus' only in badges and the dealer network it was sold through.

People originally said the VX wasn't quite as sharp as the Elise which is a fair point out of the factory, but 99% of cars will have been modified or refreshed and with the same suspension and geometry there would be no difference in how they drive.

Subjectively it's a well trodden subject but i think it's the best car on the platform they have ever made.

 

[charliedrives]

Haha Nice one  

Looks a nice example 👍

 

Think of it this way. It is more of a Lotus than a Lotus since it shares all its running gear with the Elise, Lotus sourced the body from its usual source for clams etc and to top all of that Lotus had a hand in developing the 2.2 Ecotec engine rather than using a BL or Toyota lump.

 

oh, wait a minute 😮, yours is a turbo, it got an old GM engine. No it’s not a Lotus, only the VX220 NA is 😛😛

 

[pete-r]

I used to have a 111R. Nuff said...

[Notalotus]

Change the body and it becomes a Lotus Europa. So yes, it's a Lotus. Though that contradicts my forum name!

[Nobbymogs]

yellow you cant beat a yellow peril 

[Dan r]

Welcome.

A good friend of mine worked at lotus while the s2 and vx where being developed and he said just the other day while looking at mine that he remembers there being a lot more effort on the build quality for the vx as there was an external QA team.

Not looked at an s2 in detail myself though.

Lightening yellow was a limited run of NA cars by the way. Turbo are a different yellow.


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[WrightStuff]

Welcome.

A good friend of mine worked at lotus while the s2 and vx where being developed and he said just the other day while looking at mine that he remembers there being a lot more effort on the build quality for the vx as there was an external QA team.

Not looked at an s2 in detail myself though.

Lightening yellow was a limited run of NA cars by the way. Turbo are a different yellow.


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I believe the first run of VXs off the production line were rejected by Vauxhall as the build quality wasn't high enough.

[hairy]

 

Welcome.

A good friend of mine worked at lotus while the s2 and vx where being developed and he said just the other day while looking at mine that he remembers there being a lot more effort on the build quality for the vx as there was an external QA team.

Not looked at an s2 in detail myself though.

Lightening yellow was a limited run of NA cars by the way. Turbo are a different yellow.


Sent from my G8441 using Tapatalk

 

I believe the first run of VXs off the production line were rejected by Vauxhall as the build quality wasn't high enough.

 

 

They must have been really sh*t considering the state of some of the ones that got out!
 

[charliedrives]

I’m going to make another video rounding up some of these great comments. Really interesting to hear about the Vauxhall QA team. 👍


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[smiley]

Graham did a good history lesson on the VX.

 

 

Edited by smiley, 22 March 2020 - 11:26 PM.

[OneYet]

Nope.
The Lotus is much tighter, faster and quite a bit more well built.
More bulletproof is one way of putting it.

[C8RKH]

Nope.
The Lotus is much tighter, faster and quite a bit more well built.
More bulletproof is one way of putting it.

 

It's too reliable to be a Lotus.

[Rosssco]

Really interesting. I've read that about the Z22SE think Lotus did the headers on it? 
Will certainly be doing a comparison video, got a few friends who have 111R Elise's so will be quite interesting to see how they compare! 

 

 

 
Lotus Engineering (who do / did a lot of external consultancy work - Think Yamaha and how many engines have had input from them) were heavily involved in the design of the entire Ecotec engine range. Whether they were responsible for the engine family from a clean sheet design or not, isn't clear.

 

Ps.- Not sure I'd popularise loosing the back end on these - many an owner has done so unintentionally..

Edited by Rosssco, 25 March 2020 - 09:24 AM.