GT Class

**Sulland** · 24th Jun 12, 15:41

Did anyone, organizers or team manage to get some times on the Lotus in Ypres?

**HaCo** · 24th Jun 12, 15:54

The presence of the Lotus in Ypres was plain awesome! The looks very agile, a lot better than the Porsche I think.

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**mousti** · 24th Jun 12, 21:33

Sousa told me his times were good enough for the Top 10..

**dimviii** · 24th Jun 12, 21:44

Originally Posted by mousti

Sousa told me his times were good enough for the Top 10..

so not so good...

**titi_62** · 24th Jun 12, 21:47

The Lotus was quite fast. It seems to be efficient, easier to handle than a Porsche, but it seems to be less powerfull !
Lotus have to continue it development, a battle Porsche / Lotus / Nissan 370z could be very great !

**kiil** · 24th Jun 12, 22:40

Originally Posted by dimviii

so not so good...

No, top 10 in Ypres with a new car would have been a horrible result.

**Mirek** · 25th Jun 12, 11:43

I saw the car on quite many stages in Ypres, always fast places, often with bumps.

As it was said, the engine isn't powerful like one would expect for a GT car. The engine sounds rather quiet and boring. The restriction by the rules together with extra weight is probably too much.
Suspension is a lot worse than in S2000 cars but that's nothing new I think.
Overall there is no chance this car could fight with S2000 cars but I think everyone knew that already before the rally. It would be more interesting to compare times with Aigner or especially Van den Heuvel.

But... the car IS beautiful!

**TheFlyingTuga** · 25th Jun 12, 18:02

Geko Ypres Rally 2012 - Bernardo Sousa - Lotus Exige R-GT - YouTube

Mirek, as you can see from this video, Bernardo is not pushing the revs to the maximum! I will expect to see a bit more of the car, especially when it goes on his official debut, not as a course car. But I conquer with you... the suspension seems to be rubish... at least in this rally!

Cheers

**dimviii** · 25th Jun 12, 18:07

Originally Posted by TheFlyingTuga

.. the suspension seems to be rubish... at least in this rally!

Cheers

+1 not rubish but also dangerous comparing with other cars passes from same corners.

**Mirek** · 25th Jun 12, 18:57

Originally Posted by TheFlyingTuga

Geko Ypres Rally 2012 - Bernardo Sousa - Lotus Exige R-GT - YouTube

Mirek, as you can see from this video, Bernardo is not pushing the revs to the maximum!

The engine has supercharger and rather small restrictor. The power can't be in very high rpm. I really don't believe he was not using the power of the car. In the video he is shifting quite well according to the indication.

By the way we were on this stage at the combination of corners after 7:10

**TheFlyingTuga** · 25th Jun 12, 22:44

Well, normally I change gears when the dots are all lighten. So, it's because of that, that I said that he was not using all the juice!

**GL Media Pro** · 26th Jun 12, 20:19

OnBoard Bernardo Sousa (Lotus Exige R-GT) Ypres Rally SS. 2:

**Sulland** · 26th Jun 12, 22:45

How did the car sound and look handelingwise from the outsid, you that saw it in Belgium?

What did Sousa say after the rally about driving it in half-anger, and the potential he feels it has?

**wildboar** · 25th Jul 12, 12:11

The Lotus Exige has finally been homologated! It can thus definitely start at the Madeira Rally.
Lotus Exige S está homologado e estreia na Madeira - Autosport.pt

**HaCo** · 25th Jul 12, 13:22

Looking forward to see the performance of the car and hope more will follow.

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**Sulland** · 30th Jul 12, 21:33

Is Sousa a good development driver, or are there other reasons for choosing him to be lead driver for the Lotus Team?

**Mirek** · 31st Jul 12, 00:18

Nice video of Lotus tests before Madaira. I like it definitely more than any modern FWD car and I hope someone will use it in the IRC 2WD cup.

**wildboar** · 2nd Aug 12, 10:32

Here is a report from Lotus on their first rally, with lots of videos: EUROPEAN RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP - RALI VINHO DA MADEIRA | Lotus Cars

Interestingly, they say that there was an electronic problem already on SS2, which affected the times. As they finished that SS 10th, behind most N4 cars, there is some hope that the R-GT is actually faster than N4 - once they sorted out the little problems....

The next step is a 4-day test session in Italy at the end of August.

**wildboar** · 31st Aug 12, 10:12

Sousa and his Lotus will participate in the Rally Príncipe de Asturias, 13-16 September, the 9th round of the ERC.

El Lotus Exige R-GT planea estar en el Rallye Príncipe de Asturias

**Prisoner Monkeys** · 31st Aug 12, 10:36

If the FIA isn't expecting R-GT cars to make regular appearances in 2013, what happens if Lotus enter the WRC on a regular basis? Would they be in competition with the WRC cars? Because if nobody makes a regular appearance, there's not much point to it.