Thursday 30th September 2010

Paris: Lotus Evora Gets A Supercharger

Supercharger for Lotus Evora S; paddle shift auto also unveiled

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Two years since its arrival on UK roads the Lotus Evora is getting an upgrade.

If more power is your thing the supercharged Evora S should suit. And if you've only got an automatic licence but want to tool around in Norfolk's finest the IPS will be the one for you.

Let's start with the S. Simple maths will help us describe this one: 276bhp V6 + Supercharger = 345bhp + fun.

To cope with the extra grunt there's stiffer suspension and hefty cross-drilled brakes. Matching the collars to the cuffs (as it were), Lotus has given the Evora S a sport button. Press it and the car's throttle response sharpens, the exhaust's bypass valve opens and the DSC allows more fun.

The supercharger, naturally, helps performance: 0-60mph takes 4.6secs and it'll go on to 172mph before hitting the limiter.

The IPS (or 'Intelligent Precision Shift') is a six-speed paddle shifter and a little more staid. Well, as staid as you can be with 276bhp.

Evora IPS: Look, no gearstick!

Drivers can swap between paddle shift, fully auto and 'sport' mode - which makes things a little sharper.The paddles don't help performance, as 60mph comes in 5.3secs and it'll 'only' manage 155mph. Where legal. Ahem.

[anonymous-user]

How many have they sold in the two years they have been on sale?

[anonymous-user]

British Beef said:

"I think it should be a 'comfort button' in a sports car and a 'sport button' in a normal car tbh."

Good Call, that is a exactly how it should be. The default setting based on type of car!

Or have a magnetic ride option like an R8 that changes the setting based on your driving style. It works very well!

[anonymous-user]

You gotta love Lotus with all their optimism and oddness.

The only car less than 15 years old which they've actually got on sale is finally improved to become what it should have been in the first place (with no price mentioned) so instead of giving it a real fanfare they shove it in a corner at the back and don't mention it in their 25 minute presentation.

Clever marketing no doubt. Like the brilliant faceless people.

[anonymous-user]

Dodgey_Rog said:

This will be it til 2013, then one assumes Evora will get replaced by the Elan?

Looks to me as though that must be right. Lotus' 25 minute presentation killed the Evora stone dead by notably not mentioning it. Looks like it's going to be the shortest lifecycle since their ill-fated M100 Elan.