Lotus Evora GTE
Discussion
As promised on the GG Spotted thread a couple of months ago, here are some photos of the LHD Evora GTE I bought direct from Lotus Motorsport in April. It is #4 of just 20 being built (hence registration). It is also the only manual 2+2 example manufactured. I had to sell my early Evora N/A and Lotus Omega to fund it, but c'est la vie. Loving it so far.
I have had it detailed and ventureshield film added:
I have had it detailed and ventureshield film added:
Beedub said:
wow!!! that looks special!
so what exactly is the GTE spec?? it looks FAST! lol
The Evora GTE has an unusual story. Back in 2011/2012 the flamboyant then MD proposed a halo Evora based loosely on their GTE Le Mans entrant. The road car version was intended for sale to the Far East (i.e. China). The standard Evora bodywork was widened by about 4 inches and the track to suit. Really the only common body panels with the standard car are the roof and doors. The styling work was handed to Mansory who came up with one of their more tasteful offerings, with various carbon fibre parts too. These are: front splitter and bumper details, front bonnet vents, barge board sills, engine cover, rear diffuser and that impressive rear spoiler.so what exactly is the GTE spec?? it looks FAST! lol
Mechanically things were very different too. A third party tuned supercharged Toyota V6 producing around 430bhp, an automated manual gearbox and centrelock wheels.
Anyway things went a little sour at Boardroom level and the MD left the company (he had a dark blue GTE as his company car) and the project was canned after only 30 cars had been laid down. Just a couple left the factory in the above format. The rest were parked up adjacent to the factory awaiting their fate. Anyone who attended a test track day at Hethel could see them sitting their mournfully.
Forward fast to the Summer of 2014 and the new incoming MD also spotted the vehicles and discussed them with Lotus Motorsport. Motorsport agreed to re-build the 20 best cars for sale and break the other 10 for parts. The only way they could offer a reliable (short!) warranted road car was to replace the old untried third party engine and automated manual gearbox with standard Evora S components (i.e. 350 PS and 6 speed manual or flappy-paddle auto gearbox). They also reverted to standard 5 stud hubs. Since this was to clear up a project initiated by his predecessor this would all be done low key and without any publicity or fanfare. Even the name "GTE" was avoided in company correspondence.
Anyway word was leaked out to dealers and Lotus owners alike and the first cars started being delivered from the second half of 2014 onwards. The format and (to a certain extent) colours were predetermined from their original configuration (i.e. LHD or RHD, 2+0 or 2+2, light colour / dark colour), so choice was limited. For example, I only wanted a 2+2 manual and they were only building one, which was this black left-hooker (#4). This car was originally expected to go to Italy but the buyer pulled out (presumably due to the weakening Euro exchange rate), so I jumped in. The interior in my car is from the Evora Sports Racer.
Most of the cars have now been allocated (maybe one or two left-hookers still available), with some still in build.
Regarding performance, clearly the straight line speed is similar to a normal Evora S, but the Motorsport guys say that the wider GTE handles better round the corners. It is also relatively simple to achieve the original 430 PS by investing about 5 grand in a Komotec tuning upgrade. At least two GTEs have so far been treated to this and it makes them seriously fast. I will wait until my warranty expires before considering that option.
I'm still carefully running mine in but am already very impressed. Of course the most impressive aspect of the car is the way it looks. Everyone stops and stares at it!
The owner of the carbon one originally bought a black one. The carbon one had been expected to go from Lotus to America, but the sale didn't go through. He found out about this and promptly sold his black one after only a couple of months and bought the carbon one from Lotus instead. Furthermore I understand that he has since bought a white one as well! That means he has already owned 3 of the 20 cars produced! That's just greedy!
Yes there's a register of each of the 20 build numbers, listing colour, LHD/RHD, manual/auto, 2+0/2+2 and registration number, where known.
The country split is as follows:
12 in the UK
4 in mainland Europe
3 in Hong Kong
1 in UAE
Number 19 is still for sale in Switzerland:
http://www.classicamotors.com/site/fr/a-vendre-for...
The country split is as follows:
12 in the UK
4 in mainland Europe
3 in Hong Kong
1 in UAE
Number 19 is still for sale in Switzerland:
http://www.classicamotors.com/site/fr/a-vendre-for...
Thanks for the bump. 
The car disgraced itself in the autumn by throwing a piece of something-or-other through the gearbox casing. Fortunately I managed to limp it to the local dealer under its own steam. Here's the hole:
A free-of-charge replacement gearbox from Lotus was fitted, along with a new clutch and the car's been fine again since the start of 2017 (touch wood). Apparently I was extremely unlucky, as such an event on a V6 Lotus is pretty much unheard of, particularly after so few miles.
With the advent of the better weather, she's been getting more use. In fact I took her down to Brooklands last weekend for the TLF Lotus gathering. I brought the whole family with me (wife and 2 kids and luggage) on the 180 mile round-trip. You can't do that in many other current mid-engined supercars!
I also got to take it out on the M-B World track for the Lotus demonstration run (not my photo).
Hopefully plenty more fun times to come this summer!
The car disgraced itself in the autumn by throwing a piece of something-or-other through the gearbox casing. Fortunately I managed to limp it to the local dealer under its own steam. Here's the hole:
A free-of-charge replacement gearbox from Lotus was fitted, along with a new clutch and the car's been fine again since the start of 2017 (touch wood). Apparently I was extremely unlucky, as such an event on a V6 Lotus is pretty much unheard of, particularly after so few miles.
With the advent of the better weather, she's been getting more use. In fact I took her down to Brooklands last weekend for the TLF Lotus gathering. I brought the whole family with me (wife and 2 kids and luggage) on the 180 mile round-trip. You can't do that in many other current mid-engined supercars!
I also got to take it out on the M-B World track for the Lotus demonstration run (not my photo).
Hopefully plenty more fun times to come this summer!
It’s been a few years since I updated this thread and with Lotus being in the news a lot recently, it seemed like a good opportunity. Anyway, six and a half years later, I am still the proud sole owner and have no plans to sell. I have found a couple of old photos. This one at Lotus Motorsport prior to completion in early 2015.
This one a few weeks later after collection.
The car is running very well (touch wood) and I love driving it. However, it is getting used less now that my kids have both grown out of the back seats! I’m wondering if it may contain more carbon fibre than I originally thought. I believed that all of the painted bodywork was glass fibre, but in certain light some painted panels seem to exhibit a weave pattern. It’s hard to tell from photographs, but here’s a couple of close-ups. Anyone know about such things?
This one a few weeks later after collection.
The car is running very well (touch wood) and I love driving it. However, it is getting used less now that my kids have both grown out of the back seats! I’m wondering if it may contain more carbon fibre than I originally thought. I believed that all of the painted bodywork was glass fibre, but in certain light some painted panels seem to exhibit a weave pattern. It’s hard to tell from photographs, but here’s a couple of close-ups. Anyone know about such things?
Yes the Lotus GTEs seem to have held their value well. That Hoffman’s one at £87k has done similar mileage to mine. I paid Lotus £79k for mine back in 2015. You’re right about the Strattons ones. They’ve been for sale for years and seem to be a tough sell at their asking prices. They’re actually 10 year old cars underneath, but the vendor never seems to reduce the sticker prices.
As for a Komotec upgrade, no I didn’t go for it. The main reason was insurance. When I asked my broker what, if any, difference it would make to my premium, he basically said “double it”. That would mean an extra £1k per year throughout my ownership, which is a “tax” I wasn’t prepared to pay. It’s a shame, but I don’t drive it enough to justify the cost. One of the up sides of my lack of use, is that it still thrills me every time I drive it, even with the stock Evora S engine. I’m also a stickler for originality. Apart from a new set of Michelin MP4S tyres, it still looks the same inside and out as it did 6 years ago.
As for a Komotec upgrade, no I didn’t go for it. The main reason was insurance. When I asked my broker what, if any, difference it would make to my premium, he basically said “double it”. That would mean an extra £1k per year throughout my ownership, which is a “tax” I wasn’t prepared to pay. It’s a shame, but I don’t drive it enough to justify the cost. One of the up sides of my lack of use, is that it still thrills me every time I drive it, even with the stock Evora S engine. I’m also a stickler for originality. Apart from a new set of Michelin MP4S tyres, it still looks the same inside and out as it did 6 years ago.
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