A forty mile ride in Bernard Scouse’s development car - a red elise s1 fitted with an audi 1.8 turbo engine
We are talking 250 BHP (which is good but not hugely special) but the real difference is a huge huge wall of torque
The difference between this car and my exige was enormous - gobsmacking acceleration that would annihilate any other Elise / Exige I have been in…
We are talking 0-100 in 9 seconds, but more importantly 40 - 100 in around 7 seconds, where my 215 bhp exige takes 11 secs, and it just goes on and on…
I did not have a stop watch, but just watching the speedo whirl around was enough proof for me.
And the power comes in at around 2000 rpm, all the way to 7,700, though you obviously don’t need to rev it…
Now this is also a well engineered and well sorted car - no squeaks or rattles - just the hugely entertaining schloop of the wastegate…
Now I know you will say “ah, but the turbo lag” but there did not seem to be any discernible lag, and Bernard says that a modern ceramic turbo would give even more power…
With the B.A.M series engine a reliable 375 bhp should be possible - now there’s a thought
Interesting. But what about weight? Doesn’t this rather change the nature of the car? Cost (before extra tyres!)? Has he done anything to the brakes? [Woah there Ian, too many qustions!]
That said, it’d love a much bigger ‘kick’ when I nail it.
Car was 60 kg heavier, but most of the weight is just behind the firewall, in the middle of the car…
We were flying around country lanes for ages at speeds that made me almost lose my lunch (I came very close to screaming out “STOP”) but I have to say the handling was superb and very balanced.
I should add that Bernard has exige wheels and a S2 development suspension on the car…
The brakes have been uprated and B is currently working on some nice looking calipers as an upgrade…
Oh, and the gearbox ratios were quite a bit on the long side - you have a huge range of potential gearboxes and the one he has installed needs better ratios- obviously there is more go to be had with better ratios…
As to the character of the car - it’s a bit jekyl and hyde… It is much quieter, and a more relaxed cruiser, but also so much faster and manic, with corners coming up at silly speeds…
I have suggested that Bernard come along to our next trackday and prove the pudding, as it were - watch out if he does guys !!!
I am doing a couple of cars for people, we’ll see how that pans out before any talk of doing it as kit. It’s a lot more complicated than dropping a Honda in for sure.
Didn’t mean to worry you quite so much Mike. But I do know those lanes quite well …
A couple of minor corrections to your glowing report Mike. It pulls from 2000 but is not on full boost till about 2800, the present turbo will let it rev to 6500 but the torque is dropping off rapidly. The new turbo will let it rev to 7700 and make about another 100 BHP. It is massively overgeared at the moment, with the right gearing it will have about 30% more torque at the wheels.
Thanks for joining us, its always good to hear from esteemed company directly. It would be good to hear any reports on how this conversion (and any other you are working for the elise/exige/k-series market) goes with those cars you are doing it for… if you see what i mean… Even tho’ you probably don’t have much time for posting?
It’s difficult to say what it would cost at the moment. Wait until I’ve done a few. With a used engine it wold be nearer Duratec than Honda price anyway.
The engine is amazingly flexible, 4th gear can pull well from 45 to 145 MPH ! I’ll have to try the 0-100 through the gears soon. It’ll be a second or so quicker I reckon.
Bernard is away at the moment, but I can give some details…
You buy the engine and gearbox yourself - allow yourself a couple of thousand for this - I just successfully did so…
Bernard has done a load of development work and has designs and suppliers for new parts and tested mods for some of the existing parts to enable him to complete the conversion in about two or three weeks…
He has not finalised a ‘customer’ price at the moment, and it is not for me to speak for him in this regard, but I personally feel that the deal I have is very reasonable…
Once he has done a couple more (i.e. my mate and I) he will probably be able to put a proper commercial package together…
I will ask him to contact you on his return, or you can email him or leave an answerphone message - see his WEBSITE
See also my report on another of his conversions with a larger turbo HERE
Mike
PS Although Bernard is my friend, I have no financial arrangement with him - just a great respect for a superb design engineer!!
