The fastest Lotus in the world comes from Switzerland The Bemani Lotus beats the ex-factory Exige 240R in all disciplines Bemani, the leading specialist company in Switzerland for racing cars and tuning, is powering the Lotus into the league of the super sports cars. A rev-happy 263 HP instead of the serial 192 HP is obtained from the Toyota engines of the models Elise 111R and Exige by using a compressor and making further modifications. At the same time, the force-ventilated engine supplies a torque of at least 250 Nm at between 4,000 and 6,500 r/min. The Bemani Lotus therefore accelerates in just 4.2 seconds from 0 to 100 km/h a world record for a road Lotus and also one of the best figures for road cars ever. The Bemani Lotus beats the factory-tuned Exige 240R in all disciplines. Furthermore, in contrast to the 240R, it already has a Swiss certificate of roadworthiness. A certificate for EU countries is in preparation. With regard to price too, the Bemani Lotus offers clear advantages over the Lotus 240R. Origins in racing sport Bemani is the leading tuning company in Switzerland with more than 20 years of racing sports experience with the Toyota brand. In its Palmarès, i.e. its list of successes, the company boasts two victories in the legendary 24- hour race at Spa; successes in the European Touring Cars Championship; highly respectable positions in the DTM; and many Swiss Championships. For seven years, the racing car manufacturer has also had a department for road tuning. This department was originally set up to help improve the image and sales figures of the rather weak Lexus IS200 with tuning activities at the request of the Swiss Toyota importer. Even back then, Bemani accomplished this initial task with a compressor kit and with flying colours. Further Toyota conversions followed, such as a 272 HP version for the Corolla and compressor conversions for other makes (Ford, Citroën, etc.). Since then, Bemani has also acquired great expertise in compressors in addition to its competence in motor sports and its Toyota know-how. And right from the start with road tuning, Bemani paid particular attention to high quality, stability, ease of servicing and adherence to road traffic regulations. All conversions that are developed at Bemani have a type-tested Swiss certificate of roadworthiness, and their workmanship exceeds the factory standards.
The Lotus Elise/Exige with its 192 HP Toyota engine was therefore just what Bemani had been waiting for. A car that looks that good is just crying out for more performance, says Nick Bühler, laughing. He is the son of the Bemani founder, Bernhard Bühler, and is responsible for road tuning at Bemani. We already knew the engine and transmission really well from the Corolla and from motor sports. The rest was then just hard work. One year of development work The biggest challenge with the Elise/Exige was presented by the restrictions in space. Of course, we neither wanted, nor were we allowed to limit the minimal comfort and storage area which the car offers further with the conversion, explains Bühler. We did not want to mess around with the well-designed shape of the chassis and its aerodynamics either. However, the scope for accommodating additional technical components was thus significantly limited. For instance, a water-cooled intercooler was then used. At first, we also tested an air-cooled solution underneath the roof airscoop of the Exige in exactly the same way as the Lotus factory implemented it in the 240R. However, firstly, we were not satisfied with the solution. And secondly, we wanted a solution which works not only for the Exige but also for the Elise. Undoubtedly, one of the big advantages is that the Bemani conversion fits in both the Exige and the Elise. For ex- Lotus factory purchases, only those who buy a new Exige 240R for approx. CHF 100,000 can profit from the enhanced performance. In contrast, Bemani converts all Lotus cars with Toyota engines, irrespective of whether they are new or used. The total price for the conversion is CHF 16,900 (approximately $ 13.800) and includes both the certificates for roadworthiness and a 1-year guarantee. Three full working days are needed for the conversion. This means that if you bring in the car at 8 a.m., you can pick it up again at 5 p.m. two days later, providing of course that you have made an appointment beforehand. Incidentally, Beinwil am See is situated approximately one hour s drive from Basle. The region offers appealing attractions for a short break (lakes, immediate vicinity to the cities of Lucerne and Zurich). Bemani would be pleased to provide a replacement vehicle for the three days. The Bemani crew needed around one year for development, tests and verification of the conversion. And the outcome is something they can be really proud of. 40 percent more performance and torque with only 25 kg more weight give a weight/performance ratio of only just 3.4 kg/hp. The Bemani Lotus is therefore one of the most exciting road cars ever.
Invincible on mountain pass roads Outwardly, only a few discreet flourishes give any indication of the Bemani power treatment. And even after turning the ignition key, you still do not notice any difference; those who expect, for example, a loud roar from the exhaust will be disappointed courtesy of the certificate of roadworthiness. However, as soon as you drive off, you notice the powerful propulsion that the car offers out of the lowest rev range. In the Bemani Lotus, you do not think you are in a highly sophisticated 1800 vehicle. Rather, you feel as if you are sitting in a civilised 3-litre V6. Within town or village limits, you select the 5th or even 6th gear and roll comfortably from red light to red light something that is simply unthinkable in a serial Elise/Exige. Only after leaving the towns or villages does the Bemani Lotus reveal its true character. From 4,000 revolutions upwards, pure racing sport feeling emerges; the engine is greedy for revs and converts these into tremendous propulsion. In acceleration and propulsion, the Bemani Lotus can easily keep up with the most exclusive sports car types such as a Porsche GT3, Ferrari Modena or Lamborghini Gallardo. And as soon as the roads become slightly narrower with more bends, it easily leaves them in its wake thanks to it being very lightweight and extremely agile. Even hot motorcycles lose out to the Bemani Lotus on mountain pass roads. For sports drivers who like to let off steam on racing tracks, Bemani offers more tuning products for the Elise such as a modified transmission, differential block, sinter clutch, adjustable chassis, high-performance braking system, etc. Bemani Lotus cars are already in very great demand. Lotus dealers sell many new cars inclusive of the installation. More than 40 Bemani Lotus cars have already been built. At the present time, 1 or 2 more are being developed every week. Contact us at www.bemani.ch or telephone +41 62 771 07 55.
Fact sheet about the Bemani Lotus Elise/Exige Performance: Torque: Acceleration: Elasticity: 263 HP at 8,000 r/min more than 250 Nm between 4,000 and 6,500 r/min 0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds (0-63 mph) 0-160 km/h in 9.5 seconds (0-100 mph) 0-200 km/h in 15.8 seconds (0-125 mph) 400 metres with stationary start in 11.9 seconds (1/4 mile) 1 Km with stationary start in 22.7 seconds (0.625 miles) 40 to 80 km/h in 5th gear in 7.1 seconds (25 to 50 miles) 80 to 120 km/h in 5th gear in 5.9 seconds (50 to 75 miles) 40 to 80 km/h in 6th gear in 8.7 seconds (25 to 50 miles) 80 to 120 km/h in 6th gear in 7.5 seconds (50 to 75 miles) Maximum speed: 257 km/h (average of both directions) (160 mph) Weight: Development time: Price: Guarantee: Certificate of roadworthiness for: Certificate of roadworthiness in preparation for: from 880 kg 1 year CHF 16,900.00 including installation, certificate of roadworthiness and guarantee 1 year on parts and workmanship Guarantee expires if used on racing track Switzerland, Germany France, Italy, England, maybe USA Special equipment on request (prices excluding installation costs): Bemani differential block (CHF 1,985.-) Bemani sintered metal clutch (CHF 1,150.-) Bemani flywheel 4.2 kg (CHF 807.-) High-performance brake pads (from CHF 104.60) Bemani valve sump (CHF 870.-) Bemani sports exhaust (CHF 1 880.-) Bemani sports cat (CHF 1 150.-) Bemani 6Piston brake callipers with 323mm discs (from CHF 4 480.-) (the original 16 wheel still fits)
Swiss workmanship: The Bemani Lotus in detail The Lotus Elise/Exige with its 192 HP Toyota engine was just what Bemani had been waiting for. A car that looks that good is just crying out for more performance, says Nick Bühler, laughing. He is the son of Bemani founder, Bernhard Bühler, and responsible for road tuning at Bemani. We already knew the engine and transmission really well from the Corolla and from motor sports. The rest was then just hard work. The biggest challenge with the Elise was presented by the restrictions in space. Of course, we neither wanted, nor were we allowed to limit the minimal comfort and storage area which the car offers further with the conversion, explains Bühler. We did not want to mess around with the well-designed shape of the chassis and its aerodynamics either. However, the scope for accommodating additional technical components was thus significantly restricted. For instance, a water-cooled intercooler was then used. At first, we also tested an aircooled solution underneath the roof airscoop of the Exige in exactly the same way as the Lotus factory implemented it in the 240R. However, firstly, we were not satisfied with the solution. And secondly, we wanted a solution which works not only for the Exige but also for the Elise. The conversion incorporates around 50 individual parts. The core is represented by the compressor that operates with 0.5 bar charging-air pressure, by a special exhaust manifold as well as by a water-cooled intercooler with separate water circuit. At Bemani, the exhaust manifold and all pipes are made of stainless steel using the TIG procedure. Tubing and belts are of racing sports quality. The high quality of the components is noticeable at once. Bemani founder, Bernhard Bühler, who nowadays restores and flies historic planes as a hobby after thirty years at the highest level of motor sports, explains: The proverbial Swiss quality has always significantly shaped our work. It was only because our racing cars were not only fast but also sturdy that we were able to win the 24-hour race at Spa not once, but twice. And this Swiss workmanship is also self-evident at Bemani in the road tuning.
Undoubtedly, one of the big advantages is that the Bemani conversion fits in both the Exige and the Elise. Bemani converts all Lotus cars with Toyota engines, irrespective of whether they are new or used. The total price including installation is CHF 16,900 (depending on the exchange rate, approximately EUR 11,000) and includes both the certificates of roadworthiness and a 1-year guarantee. Three full working days are needed for installation. This means that if you bring in the car at 8 a.m., you can pick it up again at 5 p.m. two days later, providing of course that you have made an appointment beforehand. The Bemani crew needed around one year for development, tests and verification of the compressor kit. And the outcome is something they can be really proud of. 40 percent more performance and torque with only 25 kg more weight give a weight/performance ratio of only just 3.4 kg/hp. The Bemani Lotus is therefore one of the most exciting road cars ever.
From motor sports to road racer: the story of Bemani Bemani is the leading tuning company in Switzerland with more than 20 years of racing sports experience with the Toyota brand. In its Palmarès, i.e. its list of successes, the company boasts two victories in the legendary 24- hour race at Spa; successes in the European Touring Cars Championship; highly respectable positions in the DTM; and many Swiss Championships. For seven years, the racing car manufacturer has also had a department for road tuning. This department was originally set up to help improve the image and sales figures of the Lexus IS200 with tuning activities. Bemani accomplished this first task with a compressor kit and with flying colours. Further Toyota conversions followed, such as a 272 HP version for the Corolla and compressor conversions for other makes (Ford, Citroën, etc.). Since then, Bemani has also acquired great expertise in compressors in addition to its competence in motor sports and its Toyota know-how. Approximately 500 compressor conversions have already been realised. Right from the start with road tuning, Bemani paid attention to high quality, stability, ease of servicing and adherence to road traffic regulations. All Bemani conversions have a type-tested Swiss certificate of roadworthiness, and their workmanship exceeds the factory standards. The most important milestones in Bemani history: 1980 Foundation, specialisation in construction and conversion of racing engines 1985 First entries with own car (Toyota Corolla) in Switzerland and the Touring Cars European Championship 1986 Swiss Champion with Toyota Corolla (Gr. A), victory in 24-hour race at Spa. Class victories in the European Championship 1987 Touring Cars European Champion and Swiss Champion with Toyota Corolla (Gr. A), victory in 24-hour race at Spa 1988 Top positions in the Touring Cars European Championship with Toyota Supra 1989 DTM with Toyota Supra 1990 DTM with Toyota Supra 1991 Swiss Champion with Sierra Cosworth, Vice-Champion with Toyota Corolla. 1992 Commissioning of today s facilities in Beinwil am See, covering an area of 1100 m 2 1993/5 Top positions Swiss Championship Toyota Supra, Celica, Carina and MR2 1995 Swiss Champion with Toyota Celica 1996 Swiss Champion with Toyota Celica and Carina 1997 Swiss Vice-Champion with Toyota Carina 1998 Swiss Champion with Toyota Carina 3rd team valuation German Super Touring Cars with Opel Vectra 1999 Swiss Champion with Toyota Carina Vice-Champion International German F3 with Marcel Fässler (Dallara) 2000 First deliveries of Lexus IS200 with compressor 2001 Swiss Champion with Toyota Carina Development of compressor conversion for Ford Focus 2002 Development of compressor conversions for Citroën Saxo and Peugeot 106 2002 Development of compressor conversion for Toyota Corolla 2003 Development of compressor conversions for Mazda MX-5 and Citroën Xsara 2004/5 Development of compressor conversion for Lotus Elise/Exige 2006 Already 100 Lotus upgraded by the bemani supercharger in Europe 2007 January: The first few bemani Lotus running in the USA