Lotus 340R I (Type 116) gallery (2000–2000)

The Lotus 340R was produced in the year 2000 as an ultra-exclusive limited run of just 340 vehicles at the Lotus manufacturing facility in Hethel, Norfolk. Conceived from a striking concept car shown at the 1998 Birmingham Motor Show, the production vehicle utilized the innovative bonded and extruded aluminum tub from the Elise Series 1. The custom body featured dramatic open-wheel styling with detached composite cycle wings, no roof, no standard doors, and transparent side cutouts. Power came from a tuned 1.8-liter naturally aspirated Rover K-series four-cylinder engine known as the VHPD (Very High Performance Derivative), which produced 177 hp in standard road specification and 190 hp when fitted with the factory track pack exhaust and intake upgrades. The engine was paired strictly with a close-ratio five-speed Rover PG1 manual transmission sending drive to the rear wheels. Weighing just 675 kg dry, the 340R featured custom adjustable Koni shock absorbers with Eibach springs, cross-drilled brake discs with AP Racing calipers, and bespoke Yokohama A038R semi-slick tires. The entire production run was completely sold out prior to release to collectors and track enthusiasts across the UK, mainland Europe, and Japan.