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Or just find someone to port the ECU map across to a local car….A little off-topic, but:
So the Chinese version of i4 will have 400HP and the European i4 versions 360HP?
Is that confirmed?
(If so, I'd better start thinking about how to import a new car from China)
I was curious about this too. There was a flurry of info last year but then the topic went quiet.A little off-topic, but:
So the Chinese version of i4 will have 400HP and the European i4 versions 360HP?
Is that confirmed?
(If so, I'd better start thinking about how to import a new car from China)
From some web searching and processing pages through the translator I can’t definitively tell from the Chinese Lotus website - I couldn’t find (or missed) any references to power.
For me I am waiting to see a 400HP Emira dyno'd compared to a 360HP Emira dyno'd. Not sure how it will happen but that's what I would like to see. How the power and torque is delivered for each car.Are we sure Lotus is just not 'rounding up' from 360 to 400 for the Chinese market and for marketing reasons. Thats a big jump/round but a lot of car makers do it for marketing reasons.
I wonder if you dyno various (diff market versions) I4s off the line they are identical.
My info is the ECU is from AMG and is encrypted, with the programming done by AMG. They have had staff on site at Hethel.None of your questions have definitive answers right now, just lots of guesses.
My Guesses:
- All that is needed is an OEM tune for 400hp
- No extra cooling is needed
- Unknown status for ECU tuning from Lotus ECUs if they're open, encrypted, or crackable.
- Unknown who even provides the ECUs and programming, is it Lotus or AMG.
- If it is locked down you may never see an aftermarket ecu tune and all that may be available would be a piggyback. The speed for cracking or bench unlocking ECUs is purely a function of demand and this is a low volume car.
My info is the ECU is from AMG and is encrypted, with the programming done by AMG. They have had staff on site at Hethel.
But we know other aftermarket tuners have been able to crack and tune the M139 in other applications. Litchfield have got an early i4 on order, so they must reckon they can do something...
There is no doubt that the I4 AMG engine is capable of more power, however getting that power comes at a price. There's no free lunch. My guess is that a more robust intercooler would have to be installed at the very least. I'm not sure how or where that would fit with the current design. As previously mentioned there will have to be a large demand for someone to program a flash (provided you can crack the AMG ECU) to get the full potential out of this engine. However, if it is doable look out! This car could turn into a hooligan. Only time will tell if there is enough demand. Right now I'm just delighted to be actually owning one by Spring '24.Nobody should loose their sleep by having nightmares about struggling to get their i4 up to the hypothetical Chinese 400hp level. May happen, or it may not. kitkat’s comments above are 100% correct.
I have the experience doing a similar ECU tuning of my BMW 335i (E93) N54 twin-turbo engine from 306hp to 360hp (with an option for a second step on the same tune to 400hp - but I realized 360 was the sweet spot, and worked well for the car and the engine. The tune installation was done using a Windows laptop connected to the OBD port. The car’s downloaded original file was sent as e-mail attachment from Japan to the tuner in California, and the new tune also came in return via e-mail attachment, and finally the new tune was installed via the laptop and OBD port. BINGO! It all worked really well. But this is a case where nothing was encrypted or locked. It is also with noting that my car continues to pass regular, obligatory emissions inspections with the tune in place. (This was also guaranteed by the tuner). Select your tuner very carefully, and only go with the most trusted place, and do not choose solely on highest power
Regarding the “quick and powerful enough” phrase; I think Rolls Royce always got this right by never focusing on the actual power figure, but rather saying that the power of their cars is “sufficient”. Of course these are not sports cars with a need to “brag” ;-)
I am also in line for an i4, and the 360hp does not bother me the least. It will give sufficient and comfortable power for the EMIRA.
However, if the opportunity arrives later to do an ECU tune up to what the M139 is already doing (standard) in the A45S (up to ca. 420hp), I may consider it. However I am not eager (or desperate) to do “piggybacks”.
There is no doubt that the I4 AMG engine is capable of more power, however getting that power comes at a price. There's no free lunch. My guess is that a more robust intercooler would have to be installed at the very least. I'm not sure how or where that would fit with the current design. As previously mentioned there will have to be a large demand for someone to program a flash (provided you can crack the AMG ECU) to get the full potential out of this engine. However, if it is doable look out! This car could turn into a hooligan. Only time will tell if there is enough demand. Right now I'm just delighted to be actually owning one by Spring '24.
Everything I've read about the Emira's use of the AMG power plant indicates that because of the mid engine configuration vs. Mercedes's front engine mounting complicates the amount of cooling needed to replicate the Merc's power. Other factors besides cooling also come into play. I'm not sure if the Emira will use a similar down pipe. Once again the location of the engine may limit what can be tweaked.Seems like a mild tune, bringing it up to 420 or so, which is what MB ships it with in the A45S, wouldn't require more cooling.
This cooling thing keeps coming up, but where you are "reading" such stuff is just an echo chamber of people repeating speculation on forums like this. I will buy a hat and then eat it if it is not simply a case of removing the Market Segmentation Valve to get more out of the i4 in the Emira.Everything I've read about the Emira's use of the AMG power plant indicates that because of the mid engine configuration vs. Mercedes's front engine mounting complicates the amount of cooling needed to replicate the Merc's power. Other factors besides cooling also come into play. I'm not sure if the Emira will use a similar down pipe. Once again the location of the engine may limit what can be tweaked.