Elise Racing is proud to announce the launch of it's new Rotrex conversion for the 2ZZ engine used in the Lotus Elise, Exige and 211. The stage 1 conversion has been developed to work with a standard engine with no chargecooler, there is also a version available with chargecooler which is recommended for cars running in hotter climates or running with higher output modified engines.

After careful thought it was decided to move the alternator to the opposite side of the engine running above the driveshaft and fitting the Rotrex unit where the alternator used to run. There are several benefits including superior belt runs, installations suit both Elise, Exige and 211. Also the standard Lotus air conditioning is left unaffected. 

Running with the Elise Racing T4 ecu upgrade the results have been superb. The beauty of the Rotrex compared to the Lotus factory Eaton type supercharger is that the Rotrex generates significantly lower charge temperatures and the nature of the Rotrex is that the air delivery curve is much better suited to the high revving 2ZZ engine. The car feels like a super quick atmo car with very high peak power but without the high mid range torque that the Eaton units produces and then runs out of steam at the top end just when the 2ZZ wants to get going. That said the Rotrex unit transforms the cars performance all the way from the bottom end. The gearbox is far better looked after with this type of power delivery.

 

On a completely standard 2ZZ engine with no chargecooler fitted the engine produces 194 ft/ibs of torque and a fantastic 316 BHP at 8400 rpm. All this is achieved at 0.65bar of boost.  The test car has covered thousands of road car miles a many track days. In January 2015 the car tested at Silverstone with the latest H Pro ECU with race bred traction control and wide band lambda control and ran faultlessly and was extremely quick.

 

The conversion can retain air conditioning and all the cars normal features. Both mechanical throttle and drive by wire cars accept this conversion with absolutely no wiring modifications to the car. We have worked to produce a simple installation without running high boost levels to produce the maximum power. More power is available with engine work and chargecooling, however this conversion is absolutely mind blowing and users can consider further engine work and chargecooling once they have enjoyed the Stage 1 conversion.