Got a 2001 Lotus Elise S2 with the Rover K series engine in it. The car had to get all British on me and overheat and seized up, so a more powerful Rover is getting put back in!
The engine is a 1.8 L with 120 hp stock. The new engine is about 140 and maybe a little more after I install my Japspeed Exhaust and I know it doesn’t sound much… cause its not.
The car weighs 1,666 pounds, yep 1,666 pounds so when I tell people its only got 120 hp they don’t suspect the launch from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds
I got a lotus though cause I’m stationed in Germany and what I look for in a car is driver involvement, and handling. And my baby doesn’t disappoint. No ABS, No Power steering, NO traction control (don’t really need it for 120 hp). The Elise will do EXACTLY what you tell it to do, for better or worse
Independent Double wishbone suspension on all 4s and the new toyo R888s came in, was two days after engine died
So after getting a quote for an engine to be 7,000 euros, around 10,000 us dollars! I decided to do it my self.
For 10K I can get it to GB and get a supercharged K20a with 320 BHP! and for a car I can’t even take home, not really down for throwing 10k at it. website below for more info, they sell parts and all.
alright, the engine is on its way, its just another k series but instead of another 120 hp engine, this one has better cams and a lager throttle body. That, with the exhaust on my car on the new engine should be quite bit faster. It will still have under 200 hp, but with the low weight, each horsepower packs more of punch then heavier cars. The thing is though, Japspeed won’t email me back telling how much more power the exhaust brings. I’m thinking 5 to 10 hp from the exhaust system, but some people tell me it can bring it up to an extra 15 hp. The man selling me the engine says his engine makes around 140 hp. Here are some numbers
old engine 120 hp
which puts it to 13.883 pounds per horsepwer
new engine with 140 hp
11.9 pounds per horsepower
new engine and exhaust to 145 hp
11.489 pounds per horsepwer
engine and exhaust 150 hp
11.109 pounds per horsepower
a stock honda s2000
237 hp from the engine
2,855 lbs so 12.046 pounds to a hp
Oh and got some pics, the shop is beginning working on the damage, that they made, on the 8th of July cause they are all on company vacation! so will post when car is getting worked on.
That engine looks fantastic, just out of curiosity was a VVC swap not possible?
Just remember when you get the new engine in to sort out the cooling system, I’m not sure if Lotus made any of the modifications later fitted to the Rovers but would definitely be worth a check.
I had the VVC in it before it blew, and the engine was hard to find and too expensive for only 120 hp, this is the same without the VVC with 140 hp plus the Japspeed I am putting on it. The VVC engine was a couple thousand every time I found one, where the engine I have here was 700 bucks
so when I tell people its only got 120 hp they don’t suspect the launch from 0 to 60 in 6 seconds 
so will post when car is getting worked on.
