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December 1999
 Asrul's Esprit – the ultimate four-cylinder production car? `Supercar’ is a term applied to a very exclusive type of vehicle. Sti Subarus, Evo Mitsubishis, Type R Hondas and Skyline GT-R Nissans, magnificent as they are, are not quite Supercars. No, we’re talking about vehicles in the Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati mould. Pieces of pure exotica, dripping with F1 derived technology and which combine scintillating performance with out of this World looks. Mind you, not all Supercars are Italian…
Lotus are in fact four-cylinder experts, having unveiled their first four-cylinder Esprit back in 1972 and several other four-cylinder models since.(click: Esprit history) From 1998 onwards, the Esprit is a V8, yet the four-cylinder 197kW (264hp) S4 and 223kW (300hp) S4s models, released respectively in 1994 and 1995, remain for many what owning a Lotus is really all about. Exact production numbers with Lotus have never been easy to ascertain and whilst it is unknown how many of each model were produced in ‘96 and ‘97, the S4 you’re looking at here is claimed to be a ‘97 model. Though the differences between an S4 and an S4s are subtle. Whereas the S4 carries a TB03 turbo, the S4s has a Garret T3/60, cylinder head modifications and a re-calibrated ECM to produce those extra 26kW. What you see is not necessarily what it seems… And yes, most people probably would be happy enough with the ‘mere’ 197kW S4, but Asrul, owner of this Lotus, is a high performance car connoisseur who believes that a vehicle like this can have its knife edge attitude honed to absolute razor sharpness. European car specialists in Perth, CB Mechanical, performed the work on this car, which is based around a change to a Garret ball bearing turbo. This is now supported by an HKS sequential blow off valve, an HKS EVC boost controller and a Greddy turbo timer. CB claim that the boost now rises to a maximum of 22 psi, despite the fact that the engine has not been opened up. Still, this is a tough motor inside with close to 25 years development, and some European sources suggest that 400 horsepower with the stock internals is quite possible. In this particular case, maximum power is estimated to be in the region of 250kW (336hp), which is pretty bloody ballistic for a road going four cylinder ! The Lotus Esprit is one of the few cars in the World to use liquid-to-air intercooling, or as Lotus calls it, ‘Chargcooling’. The radiator for this resides in the nose cone of the car and Lotus claim some fairly impressive figures for their system - like a temperature drop from 150 to just 60 degrees celsius in an ambient 20 degrees Celsius. Not surprisingly, the chargcooling set up on this car hasn’t been touched. Keeping it simple The multi-port EFI and associated Electronic Control Module (ECM) originate from the days when Lotus was owned by General Motors. Essentially, this system is a form of sequential EFI with a single independently controlled injector per cylinder. It is backed up by a distributor-less ignition module with twin ignition coils. While the ECM does have a re-programmable EPROM, Asrul simply bought a new up-spec ECM directly from Lotus. Details on this are sketchy, but it appears likely that the new ECM is simply that which would be used in the S4s where boost rises to a maximum of 15psi - as opposed to the 10psi ceiling of the S4. Some sources suggest that the S4s figure actually goes a bit higher, and while the ECM now in this car seems to work reasonably well with the Garrett ball bearing turbo, lag is a big problem and there is some leaning out at high rpm. Undoubtedly, the on-board EPROM needs to be re-programmed properly. The leaning out towards redline (7,000rpm) isn’t a major problem though, because by then the party is just about over anyway. In fact, you would need to be thinking about bringing the car to a stop from its near 300kmh top speed. And don’t think we’re exaggerating with the 300kmh figure. The S4s has been extensively tested overseas at up to 260kmh, so what this modified S4 would do bears thinking about. To give you an idea, the standard 0 - 100kmh figure is quoted as 5 seconds, yet this baby has done it in 4.00 seconds flat whilst recording a quarter mile run of 12.7 @ 185kmh - with severe wheelspin! Such figures are certainly impressive, and what undoubtedly helps the Esprit reach its outright speed is the exceptionally low profile and correspondingly low coefficient of drag. What it all bolts onto In this car the cog swapper and hydraulic clutch are stock, but like the engine itself, more than adequate for increased performance. The engine and gearbox are mounted at the end of a huge square section aluminium chassis member, which runs the entire length of the car to stop at the rear of the cabin. Another similar such structure forms a ‘T’ at the front of the car, and to the ends of this are attached the upper and lower wishbones for the front suspension. The centre of the main chassis member is hollow, and therefore used to carry most of the wiring and plumbing between the engine and radiators in the nose. At the rear, a tubular chassis of sorts extends from this backbone to support the engine, drivetrain and rear suspension components. The rear suspension is a complex arrangement of links, wishbones and radius arms, although all four corners on the car are fully independent. Whilst later model Esprits have always been ground huggers, Asrul has lowered his S4 another 3 ½" through the use of Bilstein shocks and custom made Kings springs. This car is now low enough to decapitate an ant ! Stopping power is provided by four-spot Brembo brakes all round, supported by an advanced ABS system. Unlike the S4s, however, the S4 doesn’t get the nicely lettered brake calipers, nor the matching 17" Oz racing five spoke rims.
There’s no denying that the combination of lowered suspension and massive rims creates a killer look when added to the beautifully sculpted body of the S4. Finishing touches, interior appointments Such material presented no problems to Mat from Lombardi Brothers in Perth, and the depth of his slightly darkened Arena Red two-pak colour scheme is just sensational. We’re not too sure about applying a Porsche colour to a Lotus, but the result certainly speaks for itself !
As can be seen from the pics, this S4 came with the carbon fibre dash option as opposed to the more usual (and 70s style) woodgrain finish. The addition of a Momo gearknob, Lonza pedals and a boost gauge inserted into the left hand dash air vent add further custom touches. When it all comes down to it though, driving a car like this is an experience in itself - and not just because of the car’s performance. Lotus Esprits have a reputation for abysmal rearward visibility, well-earned as any routine manouevre from changing lanes to reversing becomes a virtual lottery. Esprits are not for those with big feet either, because the pedals are so close together that you stand a good chance of hitting the accelerator whilst trying to brake. Then again, 300kmh with your bum just 6" off the ground and combined with the most sure footed and responsive handling you could ever imagine .......... hmm, thank you Miss Moneypenny, I’ll have that Martini shaken and stirred ! SpeedFactory Nuts`n’Bolts YEAR/MAKE/MODEL ENGINE HARDWARE ENGINE ACCESSORIES DRIVELINE HARDWARE BRAKES & SUSPENSION BODYWORK WHEELS/TYRES INTERIOR TRIM & GADGETRY SPECIAL THANKS
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Over in Ye Olde
England, companies such as Aston Martin, Lotus and even the small McLaren group produce
road weapons that are lusted after by an elite clientele the World over.
Still, the 18"
German Azev wheels attached to this car are absoloute horn, although the inner guards had
to be modified to fit the front rims. The rubber is from Pirelli, with 225/35 ZR18 on the
front and 265/35 ZR18 down the back. Oh, and don’t expect much change from $1,000 for
each tyre – yes, each !
The interior of the
car too has been given the custom treatment, courtesy of Trim Care who added more than a
dash of red velvet throughout the cabin. The removable sun roof was also covered in
velvet, so we can only assume that Asrul doesn’t like driving with the wind in his
hair ...