The Lotus 340R is a limited edition sports car built by Lotus Cars at Hethel in 2000. It was introduced as a concept car at the 1998 British International Motor Show and is a special edition of the Lotus Elise with a custom bodyshell that has no roof and no doors.
Lotus 340R at a glance
| Built | 2000, Hethel |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1998 British International Motor Show (concept) |
| Based on | Lotus Elise |
| Body | custom bodyshell, no roof or doors |
| Built | 340 cars, all sold before manufacture |
| Colours | silver and black, some in other original colours |
| Engine | 1.8-litre Rover K-Series VHPD four |
| Power | 177 bhp (132 kW) at 7,800 rpm |
| Torque | 172 N·m at 6,750 rpm |
| 0–60 mph | 4.4 seconds |
| Top speed | 133 mph (214 km/h) |
| Price | £35,000 |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the Lotus 340R
The 340R began as a concept at the 1998 British International Motor Show. Lotus then built 340 cars, and all of them were sold before they were manufactured. The body was a custom shell without a roof or doors, and every car came in a silver and black colour scheme, although some were painted in other original equipment colours.
Power came from a four-cylinder version of the 1.8-litre Rover K-Series engine called VHPD (Very High Power Derivative), the unit also used in the regular Elise. In standard form it produced 177 bhp at 7,800 rpm and 172 N·m of torque at 6,750 rpm, enough for 0–60 mph in 4.4 seconds and a top speed of 133 mph. With optional Lotus accessories the engine was rated at 187 bhp at 7,500 rpm and 189 N·m at 5,600 rpm.
Special A038R tyres were developed for the car with Yokohama, and the evolution of that tread pattern and soft compound continued with the A048, which was later offered on the Elise S2 111R and Exige S2 240 and used as a rain tyre in one-make events. The 340R reached 160 km/h in 10.7 seconds, had a power-to-weight ratio of 252.5 bhp per tonne and cost £35,000.
Design and features
- No roof or doors: a purpose-built open bodyshell.
- Limited edition: exactly 340 cars, all sold before production.
- VHPD engine: 177 bhp from the 1.8-litre Rover K-Series, 187 bhp with accessories.
- Yokohama A038R tyres: developed specially for the car and developed further as the A048.
- Light and quick: 4.4 seconds to 60 mph and 133 mph.
Lotus 340R versions
- Standard 340R: 177 bhp, 172 N·m.
- Cars with Lotus accessories: 187 bhp and 189 N·m.
The 340R was a special edition of the Lotus Elise, and the later track-focused special was the Lotus 2-Eleven. More cars are in the Lotus collection.
Sources
- Lotus 340R, English Wikipedia: production, engine, performance, tyres, price
