Lotus 340R

Lotus 340R
Two 340Rs
Overview
Manufacturer	Lotus Cars
Model years	2000
Body and chassis
Layout	MR layout
Related	Lotus Elise
Powertrain
Engine	1.8L Rover K Series I4
Transmission	Rover 5 speed PG1 Close Ratio Gearbox
Dimensions
Length	142.2 in (3.61 m)
Kerb weight	701 kg (1,545 lb)
Chronology
Successor	Lotus 2-Eleven

The Lotus 340R is a limited edition sports car manufactured by Lotus Cars in 2000 at their Hethel factory.

Overview

Originally introduced as a concept car at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show, the 340R is a special edition of the Lotus Elise. 340 were built, and all were sold before they were manufactured. It uses a custom built bodyshell with no roof or doors. All cars came with a silver and black colour scheme. Special A038R tyres were developed for the 340R in collaboration with Yokohama.

While road-legal in the UK and Europe,^[1] most of the surviving cars are only used for racing, track use, or demonstrations.^{[citation needed]}

Engine

Side view of a 340R

The engine is a four-cylinder version of the 1.8L Rover K-Series engine called VHPD (Very High Power Derivative) used in the regular Elise which produces 177 bhp (132 kW; 179 PS) at 7800 rpm and 172 N⋅m (127 lbf⋅ft) at 6750 rpm as standard, or 187 bhp (139 kW; 190 PS) at 7500 rpm and 189 N⋅m (139 lbf⋅ft) at 5600 rpm with optional Lotus accessories. The former can accelerate to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.4 seconds and has a top speed of 133 mph (214 km/h).^[2][3]

Specifications

• 0-160 km/h (99 mph) 10.7 sec
• Power-to-weight ratio: 252.5 bhp (188.3 kW)/Ton or 3.96 kg (8.73 lb)/bhp
• Price: £35,000

References

1. "The Lotus 340R Is Still One Of The Most Extreme Cars Put Into Production". Jalopnik. 25 February 2018. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
2. 2000 Lotus 340R | Top Speed[1][2]
3. Lotus. "This Rare Lotus 340R Lives in the USA, and It's for Sale". Motor1.com. Retrieved 24 November 2019.

External links

• Independent 340R site
• PistonHeads Entry
• The Lotus 340R story