New 400hp Evora

New 400hp Evora

Author
Discussion

Gravel

116 posts

119 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
CTE said:
I do not understand the comments about "why would you buy a new one"...with the inference that "you`d be mad to put your money into that"...what nonesense. Any new car depreciates heavily, and medium to longer term Evora`s seem to have strong residuals...far better than the percieved competition.
Indeed - there is no scarsity value in a used 911 as there are shed loads of them available!

RedTrident

8,290 posts

234 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
blueg33 said:
Tbh. I never understand the issues with real world useability on the old model. Mind is a daily driver doing 20k miles a year including school runs, shopping and business trips.
My thoughts were in comparison to faster cars and maybe more hardcore cars that look great on paper, review really well on a track, but then are just genuinely too fast to get the most out of on a normal road.

0-60 in 4 seconds
0-100 in under 10 seconds (have I made that up? It won't be far off surely)
4 seats
looks amazing
well under 100k

I'm looking forward to the more detailed reviews and a decent finance offer from Lotus. Not owned a Lotus for quite some time, I would buy this car I think.

blueg33

35,563 posts

223 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
Gravel said:
blueg33 said:
Tbh. I never understand the issues with real world useability on the old model. Mind is a daily driver doing 20k miles a year including school runs, shopping and business trips.
I'm using mine as a daily too - but there are definitely a few dodgy ergonomic details that I don't have to put up with on any of my other cars. And at this price point that really matters IMHO.
In comparison with regular saloons and hot hatches I agree, bug nog really much less useable than a Cayman of 911 IMO, certainly more flexible to use than a Csyman.

FRO911

53 posts

130 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
CTE said:
I do not understand the comments about "why would you buy a new one"...with the inference that "you`d be mad to put your money into that"...what nonesense. Any new car depreciates heavily, and medium to longer term Evora`s seem to have strong residuals...far better than the percieved competition.
I wasn't necessarily referring to depreciation more perceived value for money - the average buyer in the £80k market will look at the quality and finish of the Evora and see it doesn't compare well against the German competition - I wouldn't mind betting that the stats will show the number of new Evora sales to private buyers in the UK is minuscule - most new cars go to the dealers and sit in their showrooms, eventually get registered as demonstrators then sold discounted as used. In my view Lotus had the chance with the 400 to make a more gradual improvement in performance over the S and keep the price away from the 911

blueg33

35,563 posts

223 months

Friday 24th July 2015
quotequote all
For me a modern Porsche is the bogong choice, it's anodyne and sort of just like a fast Audi. The interior build quality is good without a doubt and sadly that works in sales terms, whereas the hidden quality in the Evora gets missed. Look at the cast alloy wishbones on the Evora and compare them with a Porsche, of the onlins dampers, the n appreciate the steering feel. Personally I would have those everyday over a slower 911 that gives me a choice of leather of body coloured vent slats and a body coloured key!

Edited by blueg33 on Saturday 25th July 08:22

FRO911

53 posts

130 months

Saturday 25th July 2015
quotequote all
I agree with you 100% and so will most people on this Forum, trouble is we're not the ones Lotus needs to appeal to if it wants to move forward.

Tuna

19,930 posts

283 months

Saturday 25th July 2015
quotequote all
FRO911 said:
I agree with you 100% and so will most people on this Forum, trouble is we're not the ones Lotus needs to appeal to if it wants to move forward.
That change isn't going to happen overnight, and will probably happen slowest in the UK market where there are only a tiny number of now well established players in that space (i.e. Porsche). However, it really does look like the Evora is getting there - this is the first Gen 2 Lotus since perhaps the Stevens Esprit that has marked a significant evolution of a model. Sure, it won't change die-hard Porsche fans' minds, but it is placing Lotus as a credible alternative.

By the way, it's been asked of you a couple of times - when did you sit in the Evora 400? You've talked about the interior, but not said when you got to experience it. By all accounts, it's a huge change in the quality of the car.

blueg33

35,563 posts

223 months

Saturday 25th July 2015
quotequote all
One of my land guys runs a Porsche 997. He lived in Cheshire so it's a sort of status symbol, until he saw my car he had no idea the evora even existed, once he saw it he was impressed and in his view a much more supercar looking car than the 911 and therefore more exclusive. He didn't buy his car as s drivers car, he is just as happy with his diesel Merc c series convertible.

I think lotus will slwsys struggle to access thst market until the have big flash dedicated showrooms in highly visible locations.

I say a 2014 Evora in a flash showroom last week. The other cars were s Ferrari California a 911 gt3 various other 911's and a Bentley. The Evora in yellow looked the most exotic and the most special by some margin. (According to my finance manger who was with me, she is the type interested in looks first.)

FRO911

53 posts

130 months

Saturday 25th July 2015
quotequote all
Tuna said:
FRO911 said:
I agree with you 100% and so will most people on this Forum, trouble is we're not the ones Lotus needs to appeal to if it wants to move forward.
That change isn't going to happen overnight, and will probably happen slowest in the UK market where there are only a tiny number of now well established players in that space (i.e. Porsche). However, it really does look like the Evora is getting there - this is the first Gen 2 Lotus since perhaps the Stevens Esprit that has marked a significant evolution of a model. Sure, it won't change die-hard Porsche fans' minds, but it is placing Lotus as a credible alternative.

By the way, it's been asked of you a couple of times - when did you sit in the Evora 400? You've talked about the interior, but not said when you got to experience it. By all accounts, it's a huge change in the quality of the car.
I've not even seen a 400 let alone sat in one so I may be talking complete bks but 20+ years of owning various models both new and used makes you a tad suspicious, hope I'm wrong but I thought the interior pictures weren't that encouraging. One of the problems Lotus have is that the competition also continue to raise their game

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Saturday 25th July 2015
quotequote all
I think overcoming that prejudice is a real challenge for Lotus. All of the reviews comment on the improvement, though, and not everyone put off by reports of poor quality is enough of a dashboard licker to actually care about the difference once they've been told it's good enough.

RedTrident

8,290 posts

234 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
Any proper pictures yet of the interior? Must say that orange exterior in some of the pictures looks stunning.

How long before the dealers have their demonstrators?

FRO911

53 posts

130 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
Was chatting to someone from Bell & Colvill at the Silverstone Classic today and he said they were expecting their demonstrator in a couple of weeks. Production of the 'current' model stopped several weeks ago and he thought the factory had one last car to place.

Interesting that amongst the hundreds of Lotuses there today saw just one other Evora. With the 400 trying to move up to junior super car league who knows what the market has in store for the outgoing car?

Impasse

15,099 posts

240 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
RedTrident said:
Any proper pictures yet of the interior? Must say that orange exterior in some of the pictures looks stunning.







C43

666 posts

197 months

Sunday 26th July 2015
quotequote all
FRO911 said:
Was chatting to someone from Bell & Colvill at the Silverstone Classic today and he said they were expecting their demonstrator in a couple of weeks. Production of the 'current' model stopped several weeks ago and he thought the factory had one last car to place.

Interesting that amongst the hundreds of Lotuses there today saw just one other Evora. With the 400 trying to move up to junior super car league who knows what the market has in store for the outgoing car?
I was at the classic yesterday and actually saw 5, not including mine. Bit of a record I think!

C43

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
Given the absence of review, is it safe to assume PH were not invited?

otolith

55,899 posts

203 months

Monday 27th July 2015
quotequote all
thumbup

EuropaSman

38 posts

140 months

Saturday 1st August 2015
quotequote all
I've sat in one of the Evora 400 press cars at the Bell & Colvill 45th Anniversary do and wow! It's a step change from the original Evora. The car looks a lot lot better in the flesh and the changes to the sills, dashboard and door cards make a significant difference to entry and egress and the roominess of
the cockpit. Also the gear shift has the feelign as if it had rod linkages. The interior quality is very good too. Rumour is that there migth be a no cost deletion option for the Lotus logo on the dash.

I love my original Evora, but was in two minds about the 400, but having seen one and sat in one even though I've not driven it I'm a convert. I'd buy one if I had the money!














Edited by EuropaSman on Saturday 1st August 23:48

Mr Overheads

2,436 posts

175 months

Monday 3rd August 2015
quotequote all
I'll have that Orange car in 3 years when it comes onto market at a cracking price please. Let someone else take the VAT and Depreciation hit.

After_Shock

8,751 posts

219 months

Saturday 22nd August 2015
quotequote all
Also spotted out in the wilds, development car:





Edited by After_Shock on Saturday 22 August 09:59