Emira Harnessbar

Driving a Lotus on track is something that is a joy. But for some of us, a harness to hold us in the seat, becomes an important upgrade to really feel in control.  But safety drives our designs and we strive to produce products that not only work properly but also meet our clients needs.

We have begun designing a new harness bar for the Emira.  Our goal is to create one that:

1. Safe
2. Will be easy to fit
3. No modifications to the car
4. Preserve rear shelf space
5. Light

We have been designing proper harness bars since 2004 for Lotus cars. We were the first to offer a solution for the S2 Elise/Exige in the US.

We created one for the S1 Evora and have created them for other cars like the Alfa 4C.

We understand the safety requirements for this type of product as we work closely with Schroth USA owner, Joe Marko. Joe has guided us over the years to advise us of the latest safety practices. This helps when we are unable to crash test our products!  Joe's advice caused us to make improvements to our first two Elise bars.

We all understand that anything less than a full cage, 6pt harnesses and race seat is a compromise but if it is done well, a safe solution can be created. We know most weekend warriors need a solution that still allows them to enjoy their cars on the street.

Our bar will be quite innovative and easier to fit. Ours will be safe but also light and bolt-in with NO modifications needed. Our bar will offer more shelf space behind the seats than other options.

Here is a picture of the first prototype - this is far from the final design but gave us what we needed to further flesh out our concepts.

ABS Block Delete for S2 Elise and Exige

 Some of you know that we are working on a simple solution to delete the ABS on the Elise/Exige.  The stock ABS comes off a Minivan from the 90s and is not a great performer.  'Black Ice" mode is a common issue for aggressive drivers - especially in bumpy conditions.

We have been working with Girodisc on an idea that would delete the ABS system and replace it with a simple block that would route the fluid to the front and rear circuits via a bias adjuster.  This would allow the driver to adjust the bias to his liking. 

We received the ABS Delete Block (need a better name!) to install.  It is on our ArtCar2 and has seen some quick street testing around our shop.  The block originally came with the bias adjuster connected to it but we decided to install a remote bias adjuster so we could place it in the cabin within reach of a driver.  The servo remains in the system but you lose the speedo.  This car runs the AiM MX2E so we are using the GPS antennae for speed.

The install is slick and I'm looking forward to getting it to the track to test.

Emira Collision: Part 1

The Lotus Emira has been in the US for just over a year now.  A crashed car has made it's way into our shop.  This Blog will detail our progress on this repair.

The insurance company wanted to total the car but the client was quite adamant that the car be saved if possible.  He is a friend/client of ours so we agreed to take a look at the car.  

The car would start so we unloaded it from the flatbed tow truck.  It appeared to drive straight as well - all good signs.  Insurance claims are not a fast or easy process when a car is as low volume as the Emira.  We worked with this insurance company and after a series of calls and meetings at our shop, prepared an exploratory estimate.  We needed to disassemble the rear of the car to determine if the powertrain suffered any damage and confirm other critical areas.

energy absorption saves passengers!

Often times in a collision, damage will propagate to areas that were not in the immediate area of destruction.  In fact, sometimes it is better to simply replace certain parts as they may have hidden damage.  We took the rear of the car apart after getting the A-OK.

The Emira is built like the Evora which runs a similar architecture as the Elise/Exige.  All of these cars feature an extruded aluminum main chassis that feature subframes bolted or glued to the front and rear.  The Emira has a rear subframe that bolts to the main Al chassis tub.  This steel subframe supports the powertrain and is designed to be a crumple zone that can absorb energy in a crash - as it successfully did here.

We were very concerned that the powertrain mounts were damaged.  Fortunately, they appeared to be undamaged.  The Al subframe absorbed the damage.  None of the wheels/brakes/suspension parts were affected.  The side airbags did deploy so will need to be replaced.  But overall the car seems like it can be saved so we prepared a more detailed estimate.

rear mount is intact

This car was designed with collision repair in mind - more so that previous models.  The rear of the car is no longer one large clam.  It is comprised of smaller parts that make replacement, especially for minor issues, and easier proposition.  

we should be able to save the rear glass

The biggest concern is getting parts for this car.  We have placed our order with LotusPartsOnline and are awaiting notice of shipments.  Fingers crossed that we will not be waiting too long.  Fortunately, the Emira is still in production so new parts will be available.