Ground Clearance

[Clam]

I couldn't find an existing thread on ground clearance so here we are. There doesn't seem to be much info on this although I did read somewhere that the Seneca Blue showcar is a lot lower whereas the Shadow Grey pre-production car seems to sit a bit too high up, creating extra wheel well gap and unnecessarily raised center of gravity. From what I've read, one of the most magical Lotus traits is ride compliance while still possessing impressive cornering capability.

Does anyone have the exact ground clearance numbers? My driveway is slightly inclined and does have a small curb at the entrance.

 

[mr_joshua]

There was a thread here with some details. I'm in a similar boat.. steep drive way and I have some concerns about the approach angle as my driveway stands today.

Ground clearance for parking garage

Hello everybody, I am wondering if the 12,5 cm ground clearence is just high enough (with the given overhang of the front) for most parking ramps in parking garages. As there is no lift function available they must be sure that it works in most cases? Has anybody any experience with a Evora...

www.emiraforum.com

 

[mr_joshua]

And here's a post referencing the Approach angle:

V6 First Edition specification document

can someone confirm this - does it state that the front approach angle is 7.9 degrees? If so that seems like it could use front lift? How does the front ground clearance compare to a cayman gts?

www.emiraforum.com

 

[ADC]

Squinting at the diagram (in the main document) on that linked thread, it does seem perilously close to the the regulated maximum speed bump height in the UK (100mm) - the lowest part of the body work ahead of the front wheel looks a little lower than the main sill, which I'm reading as 125mm (somebody correct me if I'm wrong)

 

[Clam]

Thanks for the references. So it looks to be 125mm at the very front with the lowest point (at the back end of the 7.9 degree slope) somewhere around 100mm? Could be tricky. Do we know what the side clearances are?

 

[ksegg]

Thanks for the references. So it looks to be 125mm at the very front with the lowest point (at the back end of the 7.9 degree slope) somewhere around 100mm? Could be tricky. Do we know what the side clearances are?

125mm should work okay for me; my M2C is 123mm and it can clear my sloped driveway.

Would also like to know what side and rear clearances are.

 

[ExeterEmira]

Also a concern here.

We have a steep ish gravel drive. My buddy “tested” it for me in an bimmer with a front splitter and 12.5 clearance - no scrape.

Good enough for a build slot - reserved.

 

[ADC]

To clarify my earlier reply - I was saying the main sill looks to be 125mm, but the front (and rear) skirt looks to go a bit lower than that ... I'm far too lazy to calculate it properly, but my eyeballs say closer to 100mm of clearance just ahead of the front wheel. I hope I'm wrong.

 

[ExeterEmira]

I’ve emailed Lotus to clarify. Will post response here..

 

[~el~jefe~]

Definitely would want to know this. Thus far, this is notably taller than a 718 Boxster T. The front angle though, not sure how to compare them.

 

[ExeterEmira]

There was a thread here with some details. I'm in a similar boat.. steep drive way and I have some concerns about the approach angle as my driveway stands today.

Ground clearance for parking garage

Hello everybody, I am wondering if the 12,5 cm ground clearence is just high enough (with the given overhang of the front) for most parking ramps in parking garages. As there is no lift function available they must be sure that it works in most cases? Has anybody any experience with a Evora...

www.emiraforum.com

Response

 

[ExeterEmira]

Response from Lotus:

I’ve emailed Lotus to clarify. Will post response here..

 

[ksegg]

Response from Lotus:

Odd to me that my M2 Comp Front Ride Height is 2mm lower at 123mm.

I would have expected the Lotus to be a hair lower, not an M2C.

 

[Clam]

Response from Lotus:

Appreciate the fact-finding effort, although the info from Lotus is still missing fidelity. I recognize the very front is 125mm but what about the lowest point of the front, at the end of the 7.9 degree slope near the front wheels? 100mm or less could be tricky with my driveway. It will also put me into grandma mode looking for every road imperfection (instead of looking down the road like a good driver should). A previous car of mine had 85mm of front clearance and it killed the experience.

 

[~el~jefe~]

Is it ground clearance of 125mm at the lowest point? which is the only way any manufacturer states i ever in the history of automobiles? Or it is 125 at the front and then descends on that angle to a lower measurement? which no other manufacturer on earth would rationally state? Hoping for sanity and sensibility in the 125mm number

 

[FederGigant]

I also have a concern with the ride height. The blue show car looks perfect to me, but as we know they slammed it down quite a bit to look cooler and now I want that, too. Does anybody has experience with lowering the Evora for Example? Just using different springs is not the best solution most of the times. In my Tesla I have fully adjustable coilovers from KW and it rides I'd say ten times better with that, although I lowered it 35mm front and back. With the Emira however, I suppose that the springs and dampers are both very good, and therefore the handling will be great with stock parts. It would be kind of silly to spend 3.000€ to get coilover dampers just to lower the car without making it ride significantly better. The KW suspension parts are probably better then Bilstein dampers with Eibach springs, but on the other hand the stock parts are tuned to work perfectly with the car. KW does that too, but I have no idea if they will do it to the Emira being a low volume car nonetheless.

Edit: I just checked it for the Evora: KW Suspension
They have coilovers for Elise, Exige, and Evora with is great. However as I said, I don't know it would make sense at that Expense.

 

[TomE]

I seem to remember reading about people in the US using lowering cups on the Evora. Might be worth a look on LotusTalk.

I tend to trust Lotus judgement on choice and setup of springs and dampers - they'll have spent many hours on track and road fine tuning it. But appreciate others may want to go down the aftermarket route. The higher spec GT430 Evoras for example had adjustable Ohlins.

 

[KJD]

I tried the BOE lowering cups on my Evora. 19mm drop.

Looks great but you obviously have to be more careful over bumps and steep driveways, etc.
Handing was fine but I wasn’t pushing the outer limits.
They might fit the Emira as in the photos I’ve seen the dampers look very similar.

 

[FederGigant]

I'm very sure that those things are not allowed in Germany. Thank's anyways, at least it's another opportunity. But probably the only two ways to go (if I don't want the police to take over my car) are either other springs from Eibach or coilovers from KW. What Öhlins charges for their Evora Coilovers is a crime to humanity and stands in no relation to what they deliver. Reminds me of when I was looking for a Mazda MX-5/Miata. I wanted it with Recaro seats but there were no good offers, so I asked a Mazda dealer what they would charge for two of those seats. The guy told me that it would cost me roughly 13.500€ for the two seats plus installation. I then chose to spend a few more bucks on a car that had them already fitted.

 

[ADC]

I tried the BOE lowering cups on my Evora. 19mm drop.

Looks great but you obviously have to be more careful over bumps and steep driveways, etc.
Handing was fine but I wasn’t pushing the outer limits.
They might fit the Emira as in the photos I’ve seen the dampers look very similar.

View attachment 2696View attachment 2697

I can't believe I've not come across the term "lowering cups" before today! Am I right in thinking this would mean ride compliance and handling would be similar to standard (as spring and damping rates aren't changed), but just... lower? Interesting...

EDIT: I suppose this means you just meet Mr Bump Stop a lot if you get too frisky.