Duratec 2.0 (or 2.5 V6) to Audi 012 transaxle?

[Anton Danielsson]

Trying to wrap my head around a few engine and transaxle combinations for a mid-engine RWD car (lotus 49 looking thing) with 130-170hp on paper, post registration maybe around 200 would be interesting, not much more. Trying to keep the weight down as much as possible.

Audi 012 seems like a good, short gearbox, easy to source (sweden), only downside is that the output flanges are a bit low
Duratec 2.0 seems like a nice engine with a huge knowledgebase, easy to work with.
Duratec 2.5 V6 (170hp) (Mondeo etc) would be nice from an aesthetical point of view if I can fit it in there and squeeze it within HP/Ton rules.

Can't find any real information about mating either engine to the an audi 012 gearbox? I would have thought at least the 2.0 would have been done before.

Terribly sorry if this info is available, have searched and searched and can't seem to find anything. Or if I'm not allowed to ask these non-GT40 questions here, I will show myself out if that's the case.

Other possible engine choices are the Mazda 1.8 V6 (140hp) from MX-3 but it's very rare over here. Or simply go with an Audi/VW 1.8-20V (125hp) which I suspect should fit the 012 transaxle as is.

BR Anton

 

[Brian Kissel]

Welcome to GT40S Anton. Hopefully someone will chime in shortly with advice. When you start your project, please feel free to add pictures and progress. We have a separate section on the forum for everything that’s not a GT40. There are a lot of non GT40 builds going on.
Enjoy the forum.

Regards Brian

 

[DaveM]

Have you looked at Renault possibilities? Some Lotus Europa owners have installed 2.0 Ford Zetec engines with Renault Fuego NG3 transaxles. Later Europas had a special bellhousing that matches 4 cylinder Ford engines (thru Zetec) with Renault transaxles.
Some later Renault transaxles might work too. My 1967 Europa has a 180hp Zetec with Renault NG3.

 

[Brian]

If you have the width, have you considered transverse mounted? Ford has options for that and everything bolts up. Like in the Noble.

 

[Brian]

Never mind. I just looked up a Lotus 49, and that's probably not the direction you want to go.

 

[Anton Danielsson]

Thank you guys for the input! I'll take a look at the NG3 if that might be an option. Currently from a cost perspective I'm digging into the audi 012 option and see if I can figure the interface out as well as decent drive shaft angles / engine height.

Since my last post I've actually bought a donor Mondeo with the mentioned Duratec 2.5 V6. So I guess I simply need to figure this out now!

Brian, you're correct, transverse will be difficult to get away with in this build!