ohio_wookie Posted September 22, 2005 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 Just doing some internet reading, and found out that my Toyota MR2 was in fact designed by Lotus. Originally it was going to be the new Elan, but thanks to GM, Toyota got the design. I just knew there was somthing about the MR2 that I couldn't get over. I now have 3 cars designed by Lotus. I see a pattern forming . That was news to me. Other things designed by Lotus: Delorean Isuzu Impulse ZR-1 (actually it was mostly just the LT-5 that they designed) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex1647545498 Posted September 22, 2005 Report Share Posted September 22, 2005 Yup yup, it was a nice lil news to me when I heard about it too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio_wookie Posted September 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 No, its a turbo 4. I also learned that the new v8 esprits use the LT-5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeitgeist57 Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 I thought the LT-5 was built by Mercruiser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio_wookie Posted September 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 I don't know, I found that off a lotus fact site, I could be talking out of my ass. but one thing that makes me think thats right is the fact that lotus used a shit loads of parts from the zr-1. the ecu in the 90 esprits were from the zr-1, and the trasmission was used in the lotus carlton. but again i could be wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio_wookie Posted September 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 http://www.corvette.nl/pictures/bw3.jpg http://www.corvette.nl/pictures/bw2.jpg I'm Kip Ricker, and now you know the rest of the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio_wookie Posted September 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 405 horsepower DRZ-500s, 1990-92 model LT-5s updated to 1993 specifications 450 horsepower DRZ-500s, 1993 LT-5s, 50-state-legal 475 horsepower DRZ-500s, 50-state-legal 525 horsepower DRZ-500, a full race version Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vitamincj Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 Isuzu Impulse - Car by Lotus or just "Suspension" by Lotus? CJ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuruma Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 Lotus also had their hands in the Pontiac Fiero, during the last year of it's production. I believe they did some work on the suspension to improve the car's handling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio_wookie Posted September 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 i know that the engine in the impulse is the same one they put in the elan, and according to my sources the entire car was lotus' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuruma Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 So in a roundabout way, people driving a Geo Storm (which is pretty much an Impulse FWD hatch anyway) can pretend they're driving a Lotus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recklessOP Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 I thought the LT-5 was built by Mercruiser. it was. lotus designed the heads and block. they had no part in the engine's production. i SERIOUSLY doubt the esprit V8 shares anything significant with the ZR1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohio_wookie Posted September 23, 2005 Author Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 i dunno, like i said before, i could be talking out of my ass. thats just what i read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
recklessOP Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 found this online: It was a development of a 4.0 conversion of the 4pot slant four destined for the Etna concept. Later it was proposed for the Esprit, but they went for the turbo four instead. Then GM came along and Lotus propsed the engine for the ZR1 with a greater capacity. They suggested using it for the Esprit, but there was a market conflict of interest between Esprit and ZR1, so GM used it exclusively. In recent years, after the end of ZR1 production, Lotus borrowed the engine to develop for a year in the Elise GT car. The original 4.0 forms the basis of experience on which Lotus developed the current 3.5L TT V8. That's just a brief summary of its story, it was a great motor even by todays standards. i haven't verified any of this information, so take it with a grain of salt... they probably do share a lot of design aspects, but i seriously doubt any parts will interchange between the two engines. i've heard gm's northstar v8 is also similar. the LT5 would have needed a major overhaul/redesign to pass the current EPA regs. that's part of the reason GM dropped it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinner Posted September 23, 2005 Report Share Posted September 23, 2005 the ecotec engine was designed by lotus for opel spedster and then brought over to the US. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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