2002 Superformance S1 SOLD!

I am reluctantly offering my 2002 Superformance S1 for sale. This car has 12,6XX miles at present and is registered as a 1960 Lotus Super Seven in Vermont. I am asking $23,500.00. The car is #45 of a total production run of 53 cars. The car was manufactured in South Africa by hand on the assembly line that presently makes the Noble sports car which retails for nearly $100,000. This is not a “kit car” in the traditional sense in that the car arrives in the U.S. fully assembled (as a roller) except for the engine and transmission which were professionally installed at a shop just out back of the Superformance dealer where the car was purchased.

Mechanically the car works better now then when new as I have made a number of improvements (primarily to the exhaust, throttle and brakes). The interior is in excellent condition. The exterior is also in excellent condition. The only exception to the above are the stone guards on the rear fenders which need to be replaced, the screening which covers the oil cooler could use a bit of touch up paint, and the wheels are missing the center caps. Other then the above items the car needs nothing and drives flawlessly!

This car is for you if want super car performance coupled with looks that generate admiring attention (thumbs-up and waves from everyone!) as well as lots of questions wherever you go for less then the price of a Honda S2000 or Miata.

I recently dined with a fellow S1 owner who has the first production S1 (#4). This S1 owner is an engineer from the UK who provided some of the impetus for the building of the S1. He had wanted a Lotus Super Seven clone. He visited a Birken dealer to demo a Birkin model that they had in stock. He was generally disappointed with the Birken. The same dealer also sold Superformance Cobras. While he was at the dealer he looked them over as well. He told me he was impressed with the construction and quality of the Superformance Cobras (as an aside there have been a number articles recently in the car magazines regarding the new Superformance Brock Coupe and GT40 continuation series if you have any questions about the quality of Superformance automobiles see the following articles where the authors raved about the quality of the car) (Car & Driver, Fast Autos, and Motortrend) .

After a discussion with the owner of the dealership (a major Superformance importer) it was decided he would see if Superformance was interested in building its own Seven clone. It turned out Superformance was interested. But they didn’t want to build just another Seven clone, they wanted to improve on the Seven’s that were available from other manufacturers. In order to accomplish their goal Superformance purchased Seven models from a number of manufacturers and proceed to study and dissect them before going to work to build a better Seven. A drive in the S1 clearly demonstrates that Superformance succeeded in it objectives to build a better Seven.

Here are some early shop drawings:

First S1 Prototype:

So why is the S1 a better Seven? Let's start with the tube frame which is made of square tubes and is very rigid. Superformance wanted to make a light car (less than 1400 lbs with the engine and transmission), but they also wanted it to be strong, and so they put in a few more square tubes to make that a reality. The body work is very high quality fiberglass and aluminum with very tight seams, better then one sees on many production cars! The suspension is very well engineered with more ways to adjust the front end then anything short of a pure open-wheeled race car. The rear suspension is by a solid rear axel that is located by a sophisticated Mumford link system that keeps the weight very low in the car. Further, Superformance sweated the details: the sump is protected by a Kevlar sump cover and the entire under tray of the car is clad in aluminum with a fiberglass rear diffuser that integrates beautifully into the rear body work. The car also has a good sized trunk (5 cubic feet which is bigger then a Miata) that has a solid cover that locks! There is a lockable glove box, fresh air ventilation with two speed fan assist, heat, and a windshield with electronic defroster. On top of all this the car has doors with windows that slide up and down (and act as windblockers) as well as a top that is well engineered such that it can be used as a t-top if one wants to (see photos below) or stored in a bag in the trunk. The doors can also be removed for that motorcycle feeling (they also fit in the trunk). The interior has a carbon fiber dash with (from left to right) oil pressure, tach, oil temp, water temp, speedo, and clock. The steering wheel is 10 inches in diameter and is removable and locks into place. The seats are great fitting with 4 point Willans harnesses plus the whole interior is well finished and padded. The seats do not move in the S1, rather the pedals are on a carriage and they move with the turn of a large aluminum knob under the dash. Finally, the car just looks great with two-tone paint (black & Ti in my car) and very chrome headlights, chrome Monza gas cap and side exhaust. I have made a number of improvements to the car including building a custom exhaust which is much quieter then stock but has a great snarl. There is no need for hearing protection when driving this car unless you can run at full throttle all time. I have also replaced the gas cap which never worked well with a super high quality British made part. I have re-routed the throttle cable and replaced 2 of the four throttle springs for a much better feeling throttle pedal. I have also upgraded the brakes to a more aggressive Willowood racing pad. The S1 will come with the full build manual as well as a custom car cover.

For all the technical details on engine and transmission installation as well as other aspects of the S1 see here.

Specs:

Dimensions:

Weights less than 1400 lbs with engine and transmission

128 inches long

68.5 inches wide

40.6 inches tall

Gas tank has a 10.5 gallon capacity

BODY: Hand-crafted in aluminum alloy with glass/carbon/Kevlar reinforced panels.

Ford Zetec 2 liter 16 valve duel overhead cam engine (manufacturer est. 0-60 in under 5 seconds!)

Superformance header (no cat or other controls)

Weber Webcon Alpha Gold Fuel Injection system (looks like Webber carbs – runs like a modern car should) 175 engine HP

5 speed very smooth and fast shifting short throw transmission

Clutch has an aluminum flywheel for quick spin-up

STOP

4 piston Willowood Calipers (painted black with white Willowood engraved lettering) on all 4 wheels as well as a Willowood e-brake.

Duel master cylinders with brake bias adjustment

Updated brake pads for better feel and power

SUSPENTION

Front: The double front suspension geometry is optimized for camber, castor and roll-center height control.
As the S1 is intended for road and competition use, the innovative design allows for independent camber, castor and king-pin angle adjustment similar to modern Formula One cars, using a unique two-part billet machined aluminum upright. Front-to-rear roll center height and spring/damper rates are designed to give weight transfer to the rear during cornering. This eliminates the need for anti-roll bars and a limited slip differential, even in 220 hp turbo-charged form for the raceway.

Rear: A Mumford link is used to get the best handling and ride characteristics with the live rear axle. This link controls the lateral movement of the axle and has the distinct advantage of offering the best available roll center height control, keeping the roll center at optimal height, irrespective of the rear axle load.
A four link system controls longitudinal movement and is designed to give optimum anti-dive, anti-squat and roll-steer control. To minimize the negative effect of high unsprung weight associated with live rear axles, a rising rate bell-crank system is used to actuate the coil-over dampers, which effectively increases the suspension stiffness as the rear axle load increases.

STEERING: The S1's steering geometry is designed to minimize bump-steer while giving sufficient Ackermann angle compensation in tight turns. A non-assisted steering rack with three turns lock to lock gives the S1 a twenty-seven ft. turning radius with very little effort - ideal for city traffic, auto cross, and the raceway.

Tires are new (less then 1000 miles) Falken Azins 615s (205-50-15) (very sticky)