RE: Evora S Sports Racer: Intro

[Garlick]

Interesting comments! As said, the blog is my thoughts only and a full test will follow. I also said the car handles brilliantly and performs well. It does, however, compete in a 'usable' sportscar market and that demands a lot from it, more than it can live up to. Lovely if you want to be compromised, not so much if you want a good all-rounder (and that definition has multiple possibilities depending on who you are and what you want)

However, for me, the car is flawed and I wouldn't buy one. There's lots I didn't mention including a gear change I dislike and a cheap finish in many areas, I wanted to love it but I couldn't. I admire it, I admire those that buy one and I like that Lotus exists but I couldn't ignore the better rival (for my needs) if I was spending my money. You like it, some PH staff like it, yet I can't warm to it. Sorry.

[Terry Barr]

ravon said:

shoestring7, an object lesson from an elderly poster, write down somewhere who you lend your books to ! The Paul Frere, I think it's something like "Racing Porsche, The Early Days", is in one of my friends hands along with " Capri, The Development & Competetion History of Ford's Gt Car" and" Lotus Elan ( M100) by Mark Hughes ", all of which have been missing without trace for about ten years !!

Even worse, I don't know who has my copy of 'Racing and Sports Car Chassis Design' by Costin and Phips.

[rocketride]

Garlick said:

Interesting comments! As said, the blog is my thoughts only and a full test will follow. I also said the car handles brilliantly and performs well. It does, however, compete in a 'usable' sportscar market and that demands a lot from it, more than it can live up to. Lovely if you want to be compromised, not so much if you want a good all-rounder (and that definition has multiple possibilities depending on who you are and what you want)

However, for me, the car is flawed and I wouldn't buy one. There's lots I didn't mention including a gear change I dislike and a cheap finish in many areas, I wanted to love it but I couldn't. I admire it, I admire those that buy one and I like that Lotus exists but I couldn't ignore the better rival (for my needs) if I was spending my money. You like it, some PH staff like it, yet I can't warm to it. Sorry.

The car is flawed??? Hahahaha!

Yeah the problems you found were simply unbearable........FPMSL!

Now tell the Porsche rep the wash his hands on the way out.

Edited by rocketride on Wednesday 23 April 16:39

[LotusOmega375D]

The Evora's the only mid-engine 2+2 on the market. There's a reason for that some of you might think, but not so. Back in the 1970s all of the major Italian supercar makers had an entry level 2+2 middie (Ferrari 308GT4, Maserati Merak & Lamborghini Urraco) and they were all relatively successful products. In 2+2 guise I think the Evora has tapped a niche for enthusiast drivers with families with young kids.

I spent many waking hours in bed trying to think of a second-hand car that would excite me, as well as accommodate the wife and two sprogs. OK, so an NA Evora is not overly-endowed with raw power, but the 0-60mph time of 4.8 seconds, top speed of 163mph, aluminium chassis, fibre-glass body, incredible brakes, mid-mounted/ reliable/economical chain driven 4 cam 24 valve V6, junior supercar styling and rarity factor all combined to make me get my cheque-book out. 6 months in and I'm loving it! Of course, when the kids have grown up, it will be time to move it on, but I've still got a good 2 or 3 years to go.

[Garlick]

rocketride said:

The car is flawed??? Hahahaha!

To me, yes. To you, no. It's really that simple

[kambites]

I don't think it's unfair to call it flawed - different people have different definitions of "flawed".

For me the Cayman and recent 911 are fundamentally flawed (by their steering systems). That doesn't mean they're flawed for others.

[Richard-G]

You buy an Evora you get a Lotus, you buy a cayman you get a Porsche.

Was it Clarkson who said the problem with a Porsche is that people see you driving them? he had a point.

[Impasse]

Richard-G said:

You buy an Evora you get a Lotus, you buy a cayman you get a Porsche.

Was it Clarkson who said the problem with a Porsche is that people see you driving them? he had a point.

I suppose you could always hide in the commodious glovebox?

[Garlick]

kambites said:

I don't think it's unfair to call it flawed - different people have different definitions of "flawed".

Well exactly, so it's fair to say isn't it? My definition is different to others as you rightly highlight.

[rocketride]

Garlick said:

To me, yes. To you, no. It's really that simple

Flawed is a big word to throw around. The Space Shuttle Challenger was flawed, The Fukushima Power Plant was flawed.

Because you cant find somewhere for a wallet or phone or learn how to use a button its flawed??? I mean WTF! What you really mean is its oh so slightly different.

Its just a shame that your article had to be so cliché in its conclusion. Why didn't you compare to another mid mounted, low volume car?

It's the Porsche Cliché syndrome which has infected PH

Edited by rocketride on Wednesday 23 April 18:10

[Richard-G]

Impasse said:

Richard-G said:

You buy an Evora you get a Lotus, you buy a cayman you get a Porsche.

Was it Clarkson who said the problem with a Porsche is that people see you driving them? he had a point.

I suppose you could always hide in the commodious glovebox?

Well it is covered in such luxurious soft touch plastics, probably from the same batch they used in their RMS...

[justin220]

British Beef said:

Terrible terrible terrbile write up, perhaps the worse I have read on Pistonheads.

Test drive new Lotus and concludes looks really nice, little mention of the actual driving, negative remarks regarding visbility (unless Garlic is a dwarf I dont see how this can be an issue) and ultimately rejected as a vehicle proposition on the grounds of lack of interior storage space for a phone & wallet, FFS!
THE CAYMAN ONLY HAS 2 SEATS!!

That means on the Evora you can use one rear seat for your wallet and the other for your phone, interior storage problem fixed.

Completely agree. What a bizarre update.

Hardly a mention of how the car handles, rides, brakes.. No let's complain about minor things, which aren't really that important in a car like this.

Complaining about storage space and buttons? Is this pistonheads, or Whatcar?

Storage wise they are good. Door pocket to empty your pockets into, and rear seats/boot for plenty luggage space.

Buttons, slightly agree, although can't say this ever bothered me. Not a great position, but the actual functions are only either on or off for me, not toggled during a drive.

Lights - it's either on or off, light or dark
Petrol cap - only used when parked
Sport button - I either had this on or off, when setting off for a drive.

[limpsfield]

Impasse said:

Richard-G said:

You buy an Evora you get a Lotus, you buy a cayman you get a Porsche.

Was it Clarkson who said the problem with a Porsche is that people see you driving them? he had a point.

I suppose you could always hide in the commodious glovebox?

I laughed at both of these.

If you google "Porsche Cayman Glovebox"

these are the first two results




It looks like Lotus are ahead of the curve.

Edited by limpsfield on Wednesday 23 April 17:05

[kambites]

Garlick said:

kambites said:

I don't think it's unfair to call it flawed - different people have different definitions of "flawed".

Well exactly, so it's fair to say isn't it?

Isn't that what I said?

[I WISH]

There can't surely be many motoring hacks out there who have never driven an Elise.

[rocketride]

[Tonyringtone]

I was waiting with anticipation that the PH Evora Part IV update was going to be a really upbeat appraisal of this fantastic car. Why on earth let an Evora into the hands of a guy who by his own admission has never felt compelled to drive a Lotus before!! This in itself should have been a warning shot and to add insult to injury, he can't resist posting further threads trying to explain himself!
Garlic, I really hope you have passed the keys over now to someone more worthy than yourself hopefully a real 'Petrol Head' and you don't ever go near another Lotus again.
Just for the record...I have taken over 20 non-Lotus owners for a drive in my Evora, without question they were all blown away, and strangely were comparing the car more with Italian exotica rather than with our fine German cousins.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Richard-G said:

Clarkson ... the problem with a Porsche is that people see you driving them? he had a point.

Whereas the problem for Lotus is you don't see people driving them.

A handful of hard-core enthusiasts who slag off the successful competition do nothing to help build a successful car company.

[Ozzie Osmond]

Tonyringtone said:

I really hope you have passed the keys over now to someone more worthy than yourself hopefully a real 'Petrol Head' and you don't ever go near another Lotus again.

Another case, if I may say so, of an over-vigorous defence of the brand which lacks any foundation in reality.

Lotus keep building cars the market doesn't want. "The front wheel drive sportscar". "The slightly softer Elise with a fixed roof". "The world's only mid-engined 2+2".

I'd buy a Lotus at the drop of a hat if they built a sportscar that fits what I want.

[Zyp]

I'd buy another new Lotus again, possibly not buy another new Porsche and I see the merits in both - but Jesus H... some of you on here are having a real hissy fit because of one persons review?!

There's certainly a McDonalds somewhere missing a few chips.