RE: Driven: Lotus Evora S IPS
Discussion
snuffy said:
It's just my personal opinion but the reason I say it is that when Lotus were making the M250 I came within a knats cock of putting my deposit down. I didn't in the end, but what a debarcle that turned in to. So, for that reason, I'd trust Lotus about as far as I could comfortably spit a rat.
Ah the M250. Lotus were riding the crest of a wave at that point. They'd just completed the run of VX220s and had released the S2 Elise. The S2 Exige was just around the corner, and they had designed a mid-engined 2 seat V6 powered beaut of a car. There's a lot of Evora in this. But no back seats, minimalist but elegant interior, longditudinal engine IIRC with a proper transaxle (could be wrong about that looking at the back end. Might have been wishful thinking on my part). It looked the b
ks and if I remember right, had a lot of deposits. Then it was dropped and instead we just got one special edition paint job after another. Eventually we got the Evora which was a lardy M250, the engine had been shifted sideways to fit in the rear seats and it'd been 'improved' internally to move the brand more upmarket unstead of concentrating on what makes Lotus great. I think this was the moment that they most dropped the ball. Loved the M250. If it had ever come into being I could see me in one of those so much more than an Evora. Great though the Evora is, it's trying so hard to be something it isn't. The M250 had the purity nailed. Not so bothered about the scissor doors mind you.
Edited by juansolo on Thursday 2nd February 11:01
jagnet said:
Quite often see MP4-12Cs around here, but have yet to see an Evora on the road.
But 1450kg - not a case of adding lightness. That's just one passenger short of a 6 cylinder XJS
I appreciate that things have moved on - airbags, side intrusion, etc - but wow, for a Lotus that's pretty lardy.
To be fair to it, it really doesn't feel it. No idea how they've done that, but it just doesn't. But 1450kg - not a case of adding lightness. That's just one passenger short of a 6 cylinder XJS
I appreciate that things have moved on - airbags, side intrusion, etc - but wow, for a Lotus that's pretty lardy.Saying that, it still has the same construction (extruded ali tub and GRP bodywork) which makes me wonder just how the f**k they mananged to make it so damned heavy!?
theboyfold said:
I think the Evora is lovely in the flesh (I know I'm in the minority with this).
You're not, I have never owned or driven a car that has had a more overwhelmingly positive reaction than my Evora S. Everyone I know wants to look at it, sit in it, and comments on how pretty it is.Have to say I didn't think the auto gearbox is that bad. I'd rather have a manual for its shortcomings on track (downshifts mostly), but the upshifts are swift enough, the paddles work well, it doesn't feel slower than the manual (i.e. doesn't sap power) and it works well as a daily driver.
The Wookie said:
theboyfold said:
I think the Evora is lovely in the flesh (I know I'm in the minority with this).
You're not, I have never owned or driven a car that has had a more overwhelmingly positive reaction than my Evora S. Everyone I know wants to look at it, sit in it, and comments on how pretty it is.Have to say I didn't think the auto gearbox is that bad. I'd rather have a manual for its shortcomings on track (downshifts mostly), but the upshifts are swift enough, the paddles work well, it doesn't feel slower than the manual (i.e. doesn't sap power) and it works well as a daily driver.
You must admit though the words Lotus and Automatic used together in the same sentence just look's wrong. I can only assume they must have a market for it planned out in the Far East/US.
kambites said:
SWoll said:
Not an opinion TBH, simple fact. Buyers vote with their wallets and we all know how poor Evora sales are. I don't think the same could be said for the 911 somehow...
The fact that buyers have thought the 911 and not the Evora (which is clearly true) shows that people have bought the 911 not the Evora. It doesn't show why.I suspect the vast majority of 911 buyers have never even heard of the Evora, let alone seen one in the plastic or driven one. Would they have bought one if they had? Probably not, but we can never be certain.
Maiathualdar said:
Had both cars. The evora is a far better drivers car. But the quality sucks bigtime! The 997 is superior is quality
That's the thing isn't it. Even for a PH 90%+ of the time the 911 is the superior package. For non PH's make that 100%.Not something I'm proud to say as would love to see Lotus and the Evora do well, but that's just the way it is.
kambites said:
I know the Porsche badge is worth a premium, but how much (which is why I asked what the difference is)? Is the 991 PDK be available for under 100k? It's got to be close, surely?
Mind you, the 991 is probably a vastly better car for what the majority of buyers of cars in this price bracket want.
Porsche sell 911's by the bucketload. Lotus sell zero Evora's. Comparing the price of the Evora and 911 is irrelevant as the market is clearly willing to pay the price that Porsche charge, and unwilling to pay the price that Lotus are asking.Mind you, the 991 is probably a vastly better car for what the majority of buyers of cars in this price bracket want.
Edited by kambites on Thursday 2nd February 09:12
SWoll said:
Maiathualdar said:
Had both cars. The evora is a far better drivers car. But the quality sucks bigtime! The 997 is superior is quality
That's the thing isn't it. Even for a PH 90%+ of the time the 911 is the superior package. For non PH's make that 100%.Not something I'm proud to say as would love to see Lotus and the Evora do well, but that's just the way it is.
They were wrong.
If they wanted to make an automatic Evora for the more lucartive markets, more power to them. However they should have put in a proper DSG type box rather than this lazy offering.
As for the price, well I think the used Evora prices tell you know all you need to know about what the market\punters think the REAL price of the EVORA should be.
As for the price, well I think the used Evora prices tell you know all you need to know about what the market\punters think the REAL price of the EVORA should be.
kambites said:
Where would they have got it from?
Seeing as they crate the engine in anyway, I don't think it would have been too much of a stretch to crate in a decent gearbox from somewhere too. An automatic Lotus I can just about deal with but a torque convertor auto? Really!?If they couldn't find a decent gearbox then they shouldn't have bothered. A bad overpriced auto is worse than no auto at all IMO.
theboyfold said:
I love Lotus, I love the brand, I think the Evora is lovely in the flesh (I know I'm in the minority with this). It's such a shame what they are trying to do. I would love it if they built a 1.8 RWD soft top like the old MX5 and sell it off at a price that people can afford. Why they are trying to fight the likes of Porsche is utter madness to me.
Because the can't go against the volume businesses like Mazda. They don't make money selling the Elise.
There only option is to try and move upmarket (something Colin Chapman always wanted to do) but as they have the wrong badge little chance.
Just like Honda will shortly find out people buy sports cars so they can say to the neighbours "I own a Porsche".
kambites said:
Guvernator said:
A bad overpriced auto is worse than no auto at all IMO.
Now that I don't understand. How can more choice ever be a bad thing?
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