RE: Evora S Sports Racer: Intro

[kambites]

otolith said:

I think he's saying he prefers the previous supercharged Toyota to the current one, not that he prefers the Rover engined cars.

Ah yes, that's obvious from his second post now you point it out.

I haven't driven the current SC car. I rather lost interest in the later Elises when they switched to the Toyota engines, although the V6 looks an interesting car in a rather different way. I wonder what Lotus' would be producing now if Rover hadn't gone under.

[otolith]

I suppose they must have considered security of engine supply, and I guess if it had not been circling the plughole Rover might have had a sufficiently powerful and emissions compliant engine available, but Lotus moved to Toyota engines before Rover went under. Given their technical direction towards the end, I suspect that if Rover had supplied an engine for the 111R/federal Elise, it would have been turbocharged.

[HokumPokum]

does anyone know when the evora S is upgrading their HP? or a mild refresh is happening?

[kambites]

I think it's close to the limit of the gearbox, so I'm not sure it'll be getting a power upgrade soon.

I don't think more power (unless it was a lot more power) would help it to sell either, there's nothing wrong with the performance figures, really.

[gjf764]

Sway said:

Nohedes said:

Witness the famous Elise 'jock strap' cup holder solution...

I realise I'm probably in a minority of one, but that's my favourite cupholder in any car.

Not that these things are particularly interesting, but that's lovely.

My car is about as practical as an Elise, and is just fine doing 80 miles a day commuting and weekends away. NVH is significantly better in mine though, benefit of a composite tub...

I loved this in both of my Elises, one of the best inventions ever in my book!

[bencollins]

kambites said:

I've always been a bit baffled as to how Lotus managed to make the Evora quite so heavy.

Agreed, but in defence the chassis is extremely stiff - so one eyed views of stats should look at the whole picture.
Its got a bulletproof engine in. Japanese engine durability vs German
Also the Evora's front chassis portion is a dogs dinner design IMO and could be simpler,cheaper and lighter.
Id be curious to see a bare shell 911 steel versus Evora 3 blob unit - bet the steel is lighter.

[blueg33]

bencollins said:

kambites said:

I've always been a bit baffled as to how Lotus managed to make the Evora quite so heavy.

Agreed, but in defence the chassis is extremely stiff - so one eyed views of stats should look at the whole picture.
Its got a bulletproof engine in. Japanese engine durability vs German
Also the Evora's front chassis portion is a dogs dinner design IMO and could be simpler,cheaper and lighter.
Id be curious to see a bare shell 911 steel versus Evora 3 blob unit - bet the steel is lighter.

But its no heavier than a Cayman S.

A 3.0 Z4 is 1384kg, so only slightly lighter and and SLK is 1434kg. So to my mind, the Evora isn't especially heavy for its type, I think the 991 is light for its type

Edited by blueg33 on Sunday 27th April 20:47

[kambites]

It's not especially heavy for it's class; however it is heavy for an aluminium tubbed fibre-glass bodied car in its class. It may be no heavier than its competition but given the materials, it damned well ought to be lighter.

I'm sure it drives well, Lotus' cars generally do, but it would probably drive better if it weighed 100kg less and cost less to run, too.

Edited by kambites on Sunday 27th April 22:50

[The Pits]

I think Porsche's weight claims are a bit fishy, I'd love to see some Caymans and 991s on some scales. 991 is quite a big car now. But 200kg lighter than an alloy tubbed V8 Vantage?



To date most customer Exige V6's that have actually been weighed are coming in under the 1176kg claimed 'unladen mass' figure. I've no idea how Lotus measure this figure but the difference between Porsche's DIN and EU unladen weight figures is 50kg on a Cayman.

I bet the weight piles on with the price as you add extras too.

[Impasse]

The Pits said:

I think Porsche's weight claims are a bit fishy

When the Cayman was first released there were rumblings that German scales measured kilos in a different manner to UK scales, but these were soon brushed aside by journalists reading from the spec brochure.

[bencollins]

blueg33 said:

But its no heavier than a Cayman S.
A 3.0 Z4 is 1384kg, so only slightly lighter and and SLK is 1434kg. So to my mind, the Evora isn't especially heavy for its type, I think the 991 is light for its type

Edited by blueg33 on Sunday 27th April 20:47

Yeah overall not light, but its not heavier either, if you take a tough mass produced engine which is going to be heavy and doesnt have a paper thin crankcase then samish weight is ok, especially given the monumental torsional stiffness. Overall i think the design is a success in terms of packaging a 2+2 (though another 150mm on the wheelbase would have helped!) and v6 as (just) mid engined with a golf-clubs-boot. It obviously drives well cos ALL the reviews say that. People just dont buy cars like that in any numbers these days from low volume car makers. It does annoy me though, given it is a least as good as the 911c and better if you factor in exclusivity/depreciation/bombproof and looks IMO. Ah well. On that GT3 thread plenty of owners saying "there is no alternative" yet Lotus do a GT4/Cup version, its like a form of blindness or something. Anyhoo the people on this thread have got a nice car, enjoy

Edited by bencollins on Monday 28th April 08:15

[blueg33]

bencollins said:

yeah overall not light, but its not heavier either, if you take a tough mass produced engine which is going to be heavy and doesnt have a paper thin crankcase then samish weight is ok, especially given the monumental torsional stiffness. Overall i think the design is a success in terms of packaging a 2+2 and v6 as (just) mid engined with a golf-clubs-boot. It obviously drives well cos ALL the reviews say that. People just dont buy cars like that in any numbers these days from low volume car makers. It does annoy me though, given its is a least as good as the 911c and better if you factor in exclusivity/depreciation/bombproof and looks IMO. Ah well.
The people on the thread have got a nice car, enjoy

I am off to a business meeting in mine shortly. Its about 1.5 hour's drive each way, but will take me 2 hours as I will take a cross country route and really enjoy the car. I am looking forward to it already and have planned a suitable route

Tomorrow, time is more pressing and I will just drive up the motorway to Manchester making calls etc just as I would in the A6 (only with more exhaust noise)

Its a pretty good tool for business and pleasure and allows me to combine both

[zebedee]

kambites said:

I haven't, hence the smiley.

I really ought to contrive an excuse to have a go in a 991. I really liked the way the 996 drives, especially for such a big heavy car, but felt thoroughly underwhelmed by the 997. I've got a nasty feeling that the 991 is going to be more like the 997 than the 996, but it'd be interesting to try it.

Edited by kambites on Saturday 26th April 19:02

The 991 reviews (I haven't driven one) I have read have criticised the artificial steering on the 991. The Evora's (which I have sampled) is one of its best points. I drove a Mondeo and a new shape Focus at the weekend and the difference in steering feel was marked, the Focus felt very non-linear, whereas the Mondeo was very direct and much more communicative. I could never buy the Focus accordingly, if the helm doesn't satisfy, I don't want to be sat at it.

[ravon]

Especially for my friend "The Pits", I've just spent £8-40 to have my 981 Cayman S PDK weighed at Guildford Public Weigh Bridge, it has enough fuel on-board for 150 miles, it has various coats, hats, a crash helmet, a Race Logic box and camera's and an additional Garmin Sat Nav.......the number......1400kg. I've not looked to see what those German's claim ? Regards.

[kambites]

ravon said:

Especially for my friend "The Pits", I've just spent £8-40 to have my 981 Cayman S PDK weighed at Guildford Public Weigh Bridge, it has enough fuel on-board for 150 miles, it has various coats, hats, a crash helmet, a Race Logic box and camera's and an additional Garmin Sat Nav.......the number......1400kg. I've not looked to see what those German's claim ? Regards.

It looks like Porsche seem to claim 1,370kg wet without driver for the PDK, so that about right with some stuff in it; perhaps implies that Porsche weigh with a little less fuel than you had in it.

[shoestring7]

kambites said:

ravon said:

Especially for my friend "The Pits", I've just spent £8-40 to have my 981 Cayman S PDK weighed at Guildford Public Weigh Bridge, it has enough fuel on-board for 150 miles, it has various coats, hats, a crash helmet, a Race Logic box and camera's and an additional Garmin Sat Nav.......the number......1400kg. I've not looked to see what those German's claim ? Regards.

It looks like Porsche seem to claim 1,370kg wet without driver for the PDK, so that about right with some stuff in it; perhaps implies that Porsche weigh with a little less fuel than you had in it.

The quoted weights will also be for a vanilla spec. car in white paint; so no big wheels, extra leather, electric everywhere seats, carbon, stereo, rear wiper etc. etc.

SS7

[blueg33]

Is black paint heavier than white

I was pretty sure they only came in black until I was given a red one to test drive

[The Pits]

ravon said:

Especially for my friend "The Pits", I've just spent £8-40 to have my 981 Cayman S PDK weighed at Guildford Public Weigh Bridge, it has enough fuel on-board for 150 miles, it has various coats, hats, a crash helmet, a Race Logic box and camera's and an additional Garmin Sat Nav.......the number......1400kg. I've not looked to see what those German's claim ? Regards.

Thanks. It's good to see some facts join the debate! While the actual amounts of fuel used by you and Porsche are still open to debate, it is at least confirmation that they are there or thereabouts. I'd still like to see what a 'typical' 991 weighs though. I bet most are carrying a good few kgs in options.

Some real world Evora weights would be good to see too. The Exige V6s I have seen weighed come in well under Lotus's 1170kg claim. One was 1140kg! Regardless, I was something of a weight nazi before I drove the Evora, but the way it drives has forced me to realize that it's not the be-all and end-all for a car used primarily for road use. Most of that unique and sublime Lotus feel and dynamic polish has somehow been preserved despite the weight and power steering.

I had a very thorough drive in an Evora S back to back with an Elise around Hethel. If ever the Evora was going overweight this was the time and the place. To my genuine amazement it just didn't. I'm not sure there's another car so deeply capable on both road and track. If there is, I haven't driven it yet.

[Zyp]

Does the Evora have PAS?

[blueg33]

Zyp said:

Does the Evora have PAS?

Yes, its probably the least intrusive I have ever come across