Lotus Wheel Centre Caps
Transforming the standard OEM cap into a collection of unique, personalized 3D printed designs.
Transforming the standard OEM cap into a collection of unique, personalized 3D printed designs.
This is the standard Lotus Elise / Exige alloy centre cap. It is an extended design, has a diameter of 54.5mm and depicts the iconic Lotus Logo.
These alloy centre caps can be expensive for what they are and there is no choice in designs or colours. This project aims to take this simple component and create unique and different designs to bring a little something different to the humble wheel centre.
A model of a wheel cap was found online in the 3D printing community which served as the starting point. Using some spare filament the first step was to print a tester to check sizing and fit.
It was discovered that the model was a fraction too small and the cap wouldn't actually hold tight in the wheel. A small adjustment fixed this and the improved model held in place with a satisfying 'click' exactly like the OEM component.
Now we have a base model that works on the wheel, it's time to get creative and come up with a couple of different designs. The OEM wheel centres all have the famous Lotus Logo, there are variations in colour and font but it's largely the same design. Lets take a completely different approach and incorporate logos from the model of the car.
The car these were designed for is an Elise 111R, inspiring a custom '111R' logo cap. While the design worked, the fine details resulted in thin walls that posed a longevity concern. In contrast, the 'Elise' logo proved to be the most structurally sound and visually striking design. We also created a simple but effective plain cap for a minimalist look. Beyond the standard black, we experimented with a glow-in-the-dark material to add a touch of fun to the wheel!
