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Corkscrew Mania 2011


Lotus and Laguna Seca are two of the most famous names in motorsport and have a long and illustrious history together:

The Golden Gate Lotus Club, Lotus Cup USA and Lotus Cars USA presents the newest chapter in this historic tradition: Corkscrew Mania 2011!

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What is Corkscrew Mania? It’s a FULL day of Lotusing. There’s Lotus Cup USA racing, a VIP Hospitality tent, a Lotus Autocross, a Lotus Tech Session that will cover track preparation, tires and more. On top of that there’s a VIP BBQ lunch, track rides around the famous 11-turns of Laguna Seca (including the renowned “Corkscrew”) and a Lotus Corral. To be held on Sunday June 26th at the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, Corkscrew Mania is THE Lotus event for every Lotus enthusiast in Northern California.

CORKSCREW MANIA SCHEDULE
Sunday, June 26, 2011
(tenative schedule)
Check-in & Registration 9:00-12:00
GGLC Lotus Corral 9:00-5:00
VIP Hospitality Tent 9:00-5:00
Lotus Autocross 9:30-12:00
Lotus Cup Tech Session 11:00-12:00
Lotus Track Rides 11:45-12:15
Lotus VIP BBQ Lunch 11:45-1:30
Lotus Cup Racing 1:30-2:30
Lotus Autocross 1:30-4:30
Lotus Cup Awards 3:00-3:30

 

REGISTER TODAY!!!

  • Advanced Registration is required. NO Walk Ups!
  • Please bring a helmet if you want to autocross (some loaners are available)
  • Only Lotus cars will be allowed to park in the GGLC-Lotus Corral
  • Entry fee is ONLY $10/car for GGLC members. Non-members are welcome. Non-member entry fee is $25/car. (There is a separate $10/car track entry fee to enter the paddock area)

Register by going to www.gglotus.org/corkscrewmania

Registration deadline is June 20, 2011.

Corkscrew Mania is sponsored by Dietsch Werks and Exotic Autoworks.

Questions can be directed to webguy-at-gglotus.org or to prez-at-gglotus.org

Are you interested in racing, time trials or track events? Want to participate in the Lotus Cup USA events? Check out www.lotuscupusa.us for details.


Photo by Lotus Cup USA

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Track day #3 reg is now open (May 17, Thunderhill)

Registration is now open for the Golden Gate Lotus Club’s third track day of the year at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California on Tuesday, May 17th. Early Bird pricing is $150 for members and $170 for non-members. This price will go up on May 3rd to $170 for members and $190 for non-members so please sign up early to take advantage of the lower price.

This event will be run in the standard counter-clockwise direction WITH THE BYPASS. We will run our regular Lotus club format which allows you to bridge two run groups for maximum track time. You will be signing up for either Novice/Intermediate or Intermediate/Advanced.

We will also include 3 slots for beginner track drivers. Each beginner will receive all-day coaching from experienced GGLC drivers. These 3 spots are first-come, first-served and only offered to current GGLC members thru Friday April 20. To enter as a beginner, send an email to events@gglotus.org and include a callback telephone number. Non-newbies can click here to sign up.

The month of May at Thunderhill usually means good temperatures. And who knows, the grass may still be green – don’t miss it!

See you at the track,

John & Scott

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Lotus to cease production of 2ZZ-GE engined Elise/Exige

Lotus Cars has notified US dealers that the current generation of 2ZZ-GE engined Exige and Elise will cease production this July on Model Year 11. Toyota has already stopped production of the 2ZZ-GE engine and Lotus has been buliding cars using stockpiled engines ever since.

There are to be 3 final Elise and Exige versions – “Final Editions” to be built between now and July 2011, for arrival in the US and Canada between June – August 2011. These are to be produced in strictly limited numbers as the supply of engines for production is approaching exhaustion. Interested customers need to reserve their cars NOW. The specifications of the 3 final edition cars are listed below:

Exige S260 Final Edition

Production Run: 30
An excellent value proposition, available in choice of color, these are based on the current Exige 240 spec with power enhanced to 260bhp. Tour pack, track pack and LSD are standard equipment.

Basics
• 257 horsepower supercharged and intercooled 1.8 Liter, mid-mounted 4-cylinder engine
• Multi-point fuel injection system with electronic ignition and throttle control
• Synchromesh 6-speed transaxle with lockout reverse gear
• Variable slip traction control
• Launch Control

Standard Fitment
• Touring Package with sport seats trimmed in your choice of black, red, magnolia or biscuit
leather.
• Track Package with double adjustable Ohlins dampers.
• Torsen (Torque-sensing) Limited Slip Differential.
• Black Y type 5 spoke forged wheels with A048 tires.
• Metallic paint range at no additional charge.

Options
• Choice of full range of current colors
• StarShield

Production Details
• Limited to 30 units for North America
• May/June production

MSRP
• $67,500 plus destination

Exige S260 Final Edition – Matte Black

Production run: 25
Based on the stunning Matt Black Exige Scura sold in Europe with great success, some changes for the US market to ensure that this car is even better value.

Basics
• 257 horsepower supercharged and intercooled 1.8 Liter, mid-mounted 4-cylinder engine
• Multi-point fuel injection system with electronic ignition and throttle control
• Synchromesh 6-speed transaxle with lockout reverse gear
• Variable slip traction control
• Launch Control

Standard Fitment
• Touring Package with sport seats trimmed in black Alcantara
• Track Package with double adjustable Ohlins dampers
• Torsen (Torque-sensing) Limited Slip Differential
• Black 5-spoke ultra lightweight forged wheels with A048 tires
• Special Matte Black paint
• Special numbered plaque

Options
• No options available

Production Details
• Limited to 25 units for North America
• May/June production

MSRP
• $69,900 plus destination

Elise SC Final Edition

Production run: 15
With a color scheme based upon the “Club Racer” Elise sold in Europe. Available in four colors with a high standard specification makes this Final Edition Elise an excellent value proposition. Extremely limited production run of 15 cars to close out the model in North America.

Basics
• 220 horsepower supercharged 1.8 Liter, mid-mounted 4-cylinder engine
• Multi-point fuel injection system with electronic ignition and throttle control
• Synchromesh 6-speed transaxle with lockout reverse gear

Standard Fitment
• Touring Package with sport seats trimmed in black Alcantara
• Bilstein sport pack dampers with Eibach springs
• Torsen (Torque-sensing) Limited Slip Differential
• Black 5 Y- spoke forged wheels with A048 tires
• Black rear diffuser
• Matte Black painted hard top, roll bar cover, transom panel and door mirrors
• Special numbered plaque

Options
• 4 no charge color options: Ardent Red, Aspen White, Chrome Orange and Carbon Grey
• StarShield

Production Details
• Limited to 15 units for North America
• May/June production

MSRP
• $57,500 plus destination
• $995 StarShield

Information via Lotus of Atlanta and Lotus of Newport Beach

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Lotus Evora featured on Desperate Housewives

Lotus PR has had a great coup with the Lotus Evora being featured in a long segment on the hit AB show Desperate Housewives.

The car is shown and mentioned by name multiple times along with shots of the main characters getting taken in by the driving experience. By working a mention of the price into the show, Lotus has manged to make it simulateousely aspirational and affordable – kudos to Dany and the team.

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Autocross Registration is now open (Apr 23 event)

Hope you all had a good off-season and are ready to go for the first GGLC autocross event of the year. Registration is now open for the April 23rd (Saturday) event at Marina.

As usual only participating GGLC members can register during the first week of registration. Club members are also given preference on the waitlist. Click here to sign up via MotorsportsReg The cost is $60 for members and $70 for non-members.

Please not some changes from previous years:

* This first event of the season will be a points event for club members, not a practice event.
* All morning runs (usually 5) will count towards the point series for GGLC club members.

See you at the Autocross 🙂

Colm & Alex
GGLC AutoX chairs

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LOG 31 Room Reservations Now Open

The Red Rock Hotel (LOG HQ) is now taking room reservations for Lotus Owners Gathering 31 to be held in Las Vegas from Oct 14-16. Call them at 702 797-7777. LOG rate is $130/night + tax (about $145 w/ tax). Tell them you’re with the Lotus group. You’ll be required to pay the 1st night. You can cancel up to 3 days in advance.

The Tentative LOG event schedule is as follows:
Friday (14-Oct)

  • Registration
  • Cocktail Reception
  • Pole Position Indoor Carting
  • Bowling

Saturday (15-Oct)

  • Concourse
  • 4 Tech Sessions
  • Auto Cross
  • Scenic Drives
  • Banquet Dinner

Sunday (16-Oct)

  • Driving Event at Spring Mountain Race Track
  • Lunch at the Track
  • Dinner Buffet at Red Rock

For more info on LOG 31 in Las vegas visit: www.loglasvegas.com

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GGLC Truck Update

After 3 years in service, the GGLC Truck that carries all our autocross equpment was beginning to look a little worse for wear. It was decided that we would paint it in the classic Lotus colours of British racing green with a yellow stripe. We wanted something big and bold, it needed the GGLC logo and we wanted something that showed the cars. This was our final result:

We went through a bunch of different designs, with horizontal stripes, car cut-aways, big flash photos of cars, Union Jack flags and other elements. The final design is bold – big vertical yellow stripe; messages – GGLC logo and GGLC branding; statement – says what the GGLC is about; cars – shadowed/ghosted car images down the length of the truck.

For more info on the GGLC truck visit its official webpage.

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GGLC Thunderhill Track Day (31-Mar-2011)

Registration is now open for the Golden Gate Lotus Club’s second track day of the season at Thunderhill Raceway Park in Willows, California on Thursday, March 31, 2011. We will be running the long course configuration in the standard (counter-clockwise) direction. We will also be running our traditional format where we bridge the run groups in order to provide you with maximum track time. You will sign up for either Novice/Intermediate or Intermediate/Advanced.

Note that we have introduced an early-bird pricing policy. Cost will be $150 for members and $170 for non-members, up until March 17, 2011. After this date, the price will go up to $170 for members and $190 for non-members. Please sign up early to ensure the lower price. Also, Thunderhill is reminding us that they will be strictly enforcing a 103dB sound limit. This should not be an issue for most cars but please be aware of the requirement none the less.

Click here to sign up at MotorsportsReg

See you at the track,

John & Scott
Track Day Chairs

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Lotus Engineering develops Electric Drivetrain for the Rolls-Royce 102EX

Lotus Engineering, a company with over 20 years of EV and HEV experience, has been responsible for all aspects of the electric drivetrain integration for 102EX, the Rolls-Royce Phantom Experimental Electric. This includes the largest battery pack fitted to a road car, together with an innovative 7 kW induction charging system. These components and the electric drivetrain have been integrated by Lotus Engineering into the existing Phantom electrical systems, giving an efficient electrical propulsion control strategy and retaining full vehicle functionality.

Lotus Engineering has a broad expertise in vehicle design, manufacture and development. For the Phantom Experimental Electric project Lotus Engineering provided engineering services in the areas of: drivetrain layout, vehicle simulation, Computer Aided Engineering (CAE), component specification, vehicle build, control strategy, control integration, procurement, commissioning and development testing. This project highlights the technical competence in Electrical and Electronic Integration and the capability and range of consultancy services offered by Lotus Engineering.

The Phantom Experimental Electric has two electric motors to replace the 6.75 litre V12 engine. These electric motors each produce 145 kW of power to provide a total 290 kW and torque of 800 Nm giving a 0 – 100 km/h time of under eight seconds and a top speed limited to 160 km/h.

In the conversion of a Phantom into an electric vehicle a study was conducted to ensure that the optimum layout of the electric drivetrain and ancillaries was achieved with no intrusion into passenger compartment. Following an iterative design study the 71 kWh, 640 kg lithium ion battery pack was placed under the bonnet where the engine had been. The two motors, gearbox and inverters were located behind the rear seats in the original fuel tank bay, with power cables running longitudinally between the converters and the battery. This has enabled the Phantom Experimental Electric to retain its 50:50 weight distribution and characteristic Rolls-Royce driving experience.

The Rolls-Royce Phantom is a complex vehicle with many advanced electrical systems. The integration of the electric drivetrain and ancillaries with the existing vehicle control unit provided the greatest challenge for the project. To compound this the Phantom Experimental Electric features the additional complexity of a 3 mode charging system (single phase, three phase and the inductive power transfer) together with a two level driver selectable regenerative braking system.

Dr Robert Hentschel, Director of Lotus Engineering, said “The Rolls-Royce Phantom Experimental Electric is an extremely advanced vehicle. I am delighted that Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has recognised Lotus Engineering’s world class engineering capability and chosen us to be a part of this project. We have taken a great deal of pride working for such a prestigious ultra luxury brand and I believe that this project illustrates the technical competency of Lotus Engineering in Electrical and Electronic Integration and the capability to apply our expertise to a wide range of applications and types of vehicle”.

[press release from Lotus Engineering]

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English Ford Reunion @ Laguna Seca (Apr 30 – May 1)

Norman Ricketts - Lotus Cortina

On Saturday April 30th and Sunday May 1st. The SCCA, along with HSR-West, will be holding their only “vintage” race event of the year at Mazda Raceway at Laguna Seca. In addition to some other featured races, we are gathering for a ENGLISH FORD Reunion featuring Anglia’s, Escort’s and the legendary Lotus Cortina.

Lotus Cortina

There will be plenty of track time for all involved. Saturday will have a 15 minute warm up session, a 15 minute timed qualifying session and a 25 minute feature race. Sunday will have a 20 minute warm up and a 25 minute feature later in the day. Our cars will be run in a “small bore” production class with the exception of later model Escorts that have the option to run in “big bore production”. All this on one of the most beautiful and challenging world class facilities around.

The SCCA has asked that all of the English Ford race cars park together in the paddock. Special parking for all street cars will also be available. SCCA is also offering a lap of the track and lunch for $20.00.

Pushing it (3)

On Saturday night, we will feature a special dinner for all of you English Ford and Lotus fans out there. Legendary racer Bob Winkelmann will be one of our special guests, bringing along a ton of old race photos and the stories to back them up. Joining Bob will be former TEAM LOTUS mechanic, Syd Carr. Syd worked on the Team Lotus Cortina race team with Jim Clark, Graham Hill, Jackie Stewart and a host of other hero drivers from the 60’s. Syd also worked on the Formula Two and Formula One race teams. Syd will also be sharing photos and stories. We are in the process of scanning all of these photos will use a LCD system to show them. Both will be open to Q & A during the evening. This is a night not to miss.

The number of those attending will determine the venue. Most likely THE BAJA CANTINA in nearby Carmel Valley. Great mexican food and a new banquet room that seats up to 80. A great place that is very racer friendly.

THE ORGANIZERS NEED TO GET AN IDEA ON HOW MANY WILL ATTEND. If you think you are attending the weekend please get back to them asap. We have had interest from New England to Florida to Washington State to Texas. Ross Bremer has inquired about bringing 4 cars all the way from Florida. Three Lotus Cortinas are coming down from the Pacific Northwest. Our own list master, Bob Woolner, will be in attendance. The Winkster, Syd Carr! There are no more excuses………..this is the event to attend.

For you Lotus fans this is a chance to meet some of the folks who made history. We invite you all.

Additional event info will be posted as it develops. This is also a “normal motel rate” weekend in Monterey. Nice places can be had for as little as $80 a night.

For more information on the weekend please contact Mike Summers at bluesbrother30@yahoo.com