A race that Lotus can dominate?

Yes, you read that right. The same company that builds the oft-touted Elise and Exige road- and track-going four-wheeled weapons is going after an entirely new kind of challenge; soapbox racing. Generally considered a field dominated by children in homemade gravity-fueled contraptions, Lotus’ streamlined 119c soapbox car is unlike any other we’ve seen.

Constructed from carbon fibre and designed in a wind tunnel, the 119c is vastly more advanced than the car you and your dad built out of spare lumber. Already a record holder, the diminutive monocoque takes Lotus’ longtime motto of “performance through light weight” to a completely new level. Successor to the original “Roadster” Lotus soapbox car, the enclosed 119c uses such technology as movable tungsten ballast and small 20-inch wheels mounted on ultra-low friction bearings to gain a competitive edge over it’s competitors from the likes of Lola, Ford, and various academic institutions.
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jerry - 7/17/2006 12:35:41 PM

+1 Boost

well...20 inch wheels on a real car isnt exactly small!!

caffeinetrip - 7/17/2006 2:08:55 PM

+1 Boost

I think they're refering to 20" including the tire not bling bling dubs =)