Tesla/Lotus Differences

[dhrivnak]

The "tub" or Al frame is different. Believe it or not the sill plates on the Roadster are 2" lower allowing easier entry/exit in the car. So with this change came many other body part changes, I heard it was a 7 figure change to the initial concept. So Bonnie is close to correct the Roadster and Elise share the mirrors.

And as the picture shows as Spartan as the 1.5 version is the Lotus is far more Spartan, not even any carpet.

 

[hcsharp]

The "tub" or Al frame is different. Believe it or not the sill plates on the Roadster are 2" lower allowing easier entry/exit in the car. So with this change came many other body part changes, I heard it was a 7 figure change to the initial concept. So Bonnie is close to correct the Roadster and Elise share the mirrors.

And as the picture shows as Spartan as the 1.5 version is the Lotus is far more Spartan, not even any carpet.

That's correct the tub and frame are different. The dimensions are different, sills are different. The Roadster frame is stiffer, heavier, wider, and longer. The rear sub-frame is almost completely different.

 

[Pantera Dude]

What about seats, do our cars have Lotus seats with Tesla covers?

 

[hcsharp]

What about seats, do our cars have Lotus seats with Tesla covers?

No. Tesla seats are different too. I've heard that some of the 1.5 had Lotus seats but not sure when they changed.

 

[TEG]

As I recall, Elon kept wanting better seats, and I think Roadster went through multiple seat changes over the years.

 

[dhrivnak]

What about seats, do our cars have Lotus seats with Tesla covers?

The Lotus seats will fit but they are thinner and have less padding than the 1.5 seats and i have been told the seats got thicker, more padding, as the yrars went on.

 

[vfx]

I agree with the observations that Elon is looking at the past with rose colored filters. The way they did it was more expensive but the way the timeline unfolded it probably would have never happened if they tried to build a car in California without a Lotus partnership. Would be an interesting thought exercise to muse having Lotus start with a clean sheet as opposed to a thousand tiny cuts.

....
Lotus parts on the Tesla Roadster are:
-The Tub/Aluminum frame for the most part, there may be some little tweaks Tesla added.....

This is profoundly wrong.
The Roadster was widened 4 inches and stretched 9 inches. Putting a 900 pound battery center mount required major structural redesign, and Tesla paid (I think) and additional .5 to 1.5 million to lower the doorsills when Martin's and/or Elon's wives were unhappy about getting in and out.

 

[wiztecy]

Mythbusters Part 2: The Tesla Roadster is not a Converted Lotus Elise

They say the brakes are not the same which is incorrect, only the rotors. They also say the front suspension is the same and only the rear is different. Again from what I was told from the techs is that the front/rear shocks, springs, and the sport swaybars (not sure of the 1.5s and 2.x non sports) are different. They do say the front wishbone was the same, so possibly that's what them ment by the front suspension which is wrong since suspension is the full system.

 

[bonnie]

The rearview mirror and side mirrors are the same.

Still pretty much this ^^^.

Car cover ... no (wrong size, needs vents)
Brakes ... no
Frame ... no
Suspension ... unlikely

May fit:
Seats
Hardtop (but wouldn't count on it)