Lotus Hints At Lightning Fast Time For 3-Eleven

Lotus 3-Eleven (Credit: Lotus)

While it’s fair to suspect the new Lotus 3-Eleven is fast, the Nurburgring lap time Lotus is hinting at is downright astounding. Using a controversial method, the British automaker calculates the car makes it around the ‘Ring in 7:06.

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Keeping things in perspective, the venerable Porsche 918 Spyder makes it around the Nurburgring in 6:57. It’s even more amazing that the 3-Eleven is powered by a Toyota-made 3.6-liter supercharged V-6 engine. Peak output is 450 horsepower and 332 lb.-ft. of torque. Even with that kind of ability, the results were far better than most had anticipated. Still, Lotus reportedly believes that with more ideal conditions, the car will be able to log a lap time that’s dangerously close to the 918 Spyder’s.

To come up with that blistering lap time, Lotus used times for different parts of the track, which were recorded on separate days. Thanks to current restrictions on the track, Lotus reportedly ran into problems with recording a proper lap time. The test driver, Marc Besseng, had to contend with traffic on the track, and speed limits in certain parts.

It’s hard to believe that the 3-Eleven will be street-legal anywhere, but in the markets where it will be sold owners will be able to theoretically take it on a trip to the store. In reality, the car is really made for some serious track runs, carving through turns like a knife slicing up a hot Thanksgiving turkey.

Needless to say, no other production car from Lotus has been this fast. Of course, no other production car from Lotus has had so much lightness added to it. In fact, the curb weight comes in at just a smidge under 2,000 pounds. The interior of the 3-Eleven is incredibly Spartan, making it more reminiscent of a racecar than something you would normally see on a dealer lot.

Watch the video below that Lotus put together of the 3-Eleven being tested on the Nurburgring during a two-week period, which is pretty entertaining to see.

Watch the Video: