Real downforce on an S1 Elise...

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 1:21 pm

Real downforce on an S1 Elise..

I've heard before that the S1 Exige has real downforce at speed..

..after the visit to Doune and seeing all those diffusers and wing bits.

So, bigger diffuser, front splitter. Side skirts? Real rear wing? (not one of those tacky exige look alike)

Remove rear window and cover for better airflow to the rear?

mac · Post by **mac** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:05 pm

Drop the car to a ride height that makes it un-useable on the road?

Mac

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 2:53 pm

Fill the boot with concrete.

Keeps the clean lines at the back without the big 'wing' and drops ride height too.

Front end might be a bit lighter, but it will feel like you've got power steering.

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:29 pm

Weird I was just going to post on the same topic. Have you been reading SELOC?

Anyway, to quote from the Gurus on SELOC:

"S2 rear wing doesn't do an awful lot in standard form. (~40 kg at 100mph, offset by increased drag) "

Now, I remember when Lotus came to KH to offer rides in their Exige and 240R.....they did a powerpoint presentation and they quoted a lot more than 40KG!

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:33 pm

Gareth wrote:Now, I remember when Lotus came to KH to offer rides in their Exige and 240R.....they did a powerpoint presentation and they quoted a lot more than 40KG!

IIRC the S2 has more downforce than the S1 (Exige) and does the S2 Elise not have as much downforce as an S1 exige..

('facts' plucked from SELOC, so may not be true

)

mac · Post by **mac** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:38 pm

Gareth wrote:Weird I was just going to post on the same topic. Have you been reading SELOC?

Anyway, to quote from the Gurus on SELOC:

"S2 rear wing doesn't do an awful lot in standard form. (~40 kg at 100mph, offset by increased drag) "

Now, I remember when Lotus came to KH to offer rides in their Exige and 240R.....they did a powerpoint presentation and they quoted a lot more than 40KG!

Problem with the S2 exige wing is that it's not actually attached to anything worth while. Had a wee nose around Ed's and as you press down on the wing the top of the boot cover comes up. Have a go yourself tonight G and you'll see what I mean the panel gap at the top gets larger.

Whilst on subject - did anyone else notice the panel fit on the S?? I had a look at the cup that was in MMC a while back and thought it was a one off poor fit - looks like they are all like that!

Mac

Gareth · Post by **Gareth** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 3:50 pm

Just be interesting to know.
I'm never going to have a need for using downforce if im honest and I doubt anyone else on here is either.

mckeann · Post by **mckeann** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:35 pm

MacK wrote:
Gareth wrote:Now, I remember when Lotus came to KH to offer rides in their Exige and 240R.....they did a powerpoint presentation and they quoted a lot more than 40KG!
IIRC the S2 has more downforce than the S1 (Exige) and does the S2 Elise not have as much downforce as an S1 exige..

('facts' plucked from SELOC, so may not be true )

thats rubbish. S1 exige has a fair amount of downforce (for a road car) but LOTS of drag. S1 elise has no downforce, but also no lift. S2 elise is the same but marginally less drag. S2 exige has some downforce, nowhere near an S1 exige, but more than an Elise. Also causes a bit of drag

MacK · Post by **MacK** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 4:46 pm

mckeann wrote:
MacK wrote:('facts' plucked from SELOC, so may not be true )

thats rubbish.

Sanjøy · Post by **Sanjøy** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:23 pm

mckeann wrote: thats rubbish.

Is this the new FFS ?

DDtB · Post by **DDtB** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:42 pm

mac wrote: Problem with the S2 exige wing is that it's not actually attached to anything worth while. Had a wee nose around Ed's and as you press down on the wing the top of the boot cover comes up. Have a go yourself tonight G and you'll see what I mean the panel gap at the top gets larger.

Mac

I noticed when I was behind the S that the wing actually appeared to wobble a bit when we were sitting at 70 tuts or so on the motorway... is it s'posed to do that??

Dave.

Post by **Shug** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 6:50 pm

DDtB wrote:
mac wrote: Problem with the S2 exige wing is that it's not actually attached to anything worth while. Had a wee nose around Ed's and as you press down on the wing the top of the boot cover comes up. Have a go yourself tonight G and you'll see what I mean the panel gap at the top gets larger.

Mac
I noticed when I was behind the S that the wing actually appeared to wobble a bit when we were sitting at 70 tuts or so on the motorway... is it s'posed to do that??

Dave.

Lol - no

Can't see how attaching it to the bootlid did anything for it, apart from making it a useless styling exercise. Say they claim 40KG of downforce (don't know what they actually claim, before anyone jumps down my throat)... Think about that - that'd be 40KG pressing on it - would it be totally solid and not deflect at all? Don't think so...

Of course, when it bends a bit, it's effect drops markedly - so it just hangs out there causing drag... I'm not fond of the school of engineering which puts style and user-friendlieness over function...

The S1 wing may have made the 'boot' a little more difficult to get into, but it was attached to the chassis longerons, so the downforce it creates acts directly on the chassis (with a small bending moment present in the longerons)

/fundamentalista faction

GregR · Post by **GregR** » Mon Sep 18, 2006 7:09 pm

AFAIK, the 40kg is not from the rear wing alone, but is the total aerodynamic downforce for the car: 19.3 kg: front and 21.9 kg: rear (S2 exige that is)

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:19 pm

mac wrote:Drop the car to a ride height that makes it un-useable on the road?

Mac

Sitting at 100/110mm

Victor Meldrew · Post by **Victor Meldrew** » Tue Sep 19, 2006 6:20 pm

MacK wrote:Fill the boot with concrete.

Keeps the clean lines at the back without the big 'wing' and drops ride height too.

Front end might be a bit lighter, but it will feel like you've got power steering.

If I wanted and S2 I would have bought one....