Lotus 900 series
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It is a common misconception that the Lotus 900 series engines were modified Vauxhall engines. The 900 series was designed by Lotus as their first self developed engine, and due to superficial similarities in dimensions Vauxhall 4 cylinder iron blocks were used as testbeds.
The 900 series engine was introduced in production form as the Lotus 907 in the 1972 Jensen-Healey, and went on to power Lotus into the late 1990s. It is regarded as the first DOHC production engine made.
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[edit] 904
The initial 2.0 litre Lotus 904 engine was first used in the Lotus type 62 Europa racecar, and indeed used a Vauxhall iron block, termed the Lotus-Vauxhall engine.
[edit] 911
The engine was modified into the type 911, which was fully designed by Lotus, used in the winning Lotus Talbot Sunbeam rally and production cars.
[edit] 907
The Lotus 907 engine, the first production version, was 2.0 L (1973 cc) and was used in the Jensen-Healey and later Lotus Esprit, Lotus Elite and Lotus Eclat. Bore was 3.75 in (95.28 mm) and stroke was 2.725 in (69.24 mm), and a DOHC 4-valve head was fitted, one of the first in modern times. Breathing through dual carburettors, the engine produced 160 hp (118 kW) at 6500 rpm with 140 ft·lbf of torque.
Applications:
- 1972-1974 Jensen-Healey
- 1975-1976 Jensen-Healey GT
- 1974-1980 Lotus Elite S1
- 1975-1985 Lotus Eclat S1
- 1975-1978 Lotus Esprit S1
- 1978-1981 Lotus Esprit S2
[edit] 912
Also known as the naturally aspirated "Lotus 910", the stroke was increased to 76.2 mm giving a displacement of 2.2 L (2174 cc).
[edit] 910
Turbocharged engines introduced in 1980 were known as the type 910, which in high compression configuration produced 215 hp and an astounding 220 ft·lbf of torque. The engine was again upgraded in 1990 to the type 910s for use in the Esprit SE where it produced 280 horsepower through the addition of Delco GMP4 EFI and a water to air intercooler known as the Chargecooler. In its ultimate incarnation as used in the Sport 300, X180R and S4s the engine was capable of 300 horsepower, propelling these cars to 0-60 times in the low 4 seconds.
Applications:
- 1981 Lotus Esprit S2.2
- 1980-1990 Lotus Esprit Turbo
- 1981-1990 Lotus Esprit S3 and NA
- 1985-1992 Lotus Excel
- 1990-1993 Lotus Esprit SE
- 1993 Lotus Esprit Sport 300 and X180R
- 1993-1996 Lotus Esprit S4
- 1995-1996 Lotus Esprit S4s
[edit] GT3
A 2.0 liter configuration, previously only available in the Italian market where the lower engine displacement meant the vehicle would fall into a lower tax regime, was again utilized from 1996 to 1999 in the Esprit GT3 models, utilizing the improvements that served the SE models making these cars good for 240 hp. This was the last application of the 900 series Lotus engine, which had a lifespan of nearly 30 years.
