RE: Lotus Evora GTE Road Car Is A Go-er

[Thorburn]

Caviar said:

Here is a chance for lotus to have a go at Porsche's GT3 4.0 RS, might sound ridiculous but if they put in that Cosworth 4.0 engine in, 125/hp per liter like on the 458 italia, 500hp, bare interior with only two seat...lightweight...it could be legendary

I believe it's a tuned version of the 3.5l V6 Evora S engine, not the Cosworth built 4.0l. Good for 444ps though so hardly weedy.

[Kong]

WOW WOW WOW, I like the look of this car very much. 100kg weight saving on a car like that is very impressive and they aren't doing the BHP thing by half either

Looks superb, far better than anything currently available from Porsche. Apart from that vile wing on the back which i'm sure you could fit a proper single deck GT racing one in it's place.

Shame they will no doubt charge silly money for it

[S18DMW]

This car looks amazing! I'm liking the Evora more and more at the moment but I need this car in my life.

[JuniorJet]

Not bad Lotus, but I ain't buying anything until you release your concept models

[PiB]

Sounds like a perfect car to me! When will people in China take deliveries? I'd like to see this thing a little closer. Send it to America soon after to keep me away from those unreliable water cooled 911's.

[ali_khl]

harryowl said:

According to ph's earlier article on the car( http://www.pistonheads.com/lotus/default.asp?story... ) it is going to have a sequential 'box.

I have an acquaintance in Beijing with a LP-550 Balboni, with the 'e-gear' which is also essentially a sequential. He has never driven the car in 'manual' mode. As long as there is no third pedal and manual stick that would require any sort of driver involvement, the Chinese sports car customer is happy - whether the gearbox is a sequential, dual-clutch or whatever, its considered and driven as an automatic.

The ratio of 997 Turbos against GT3s/GT2s in China is more than 300 to 1 (I know of one GT3 in Shanghai, and it is kept parked in an underground parking lot most of its life), and this is only because of the fact that the GT3 is only available with a real stick-shift.

The success of any new Lotus will ride on them implementing automatics - step 1 is this GTE, step 2 is to stick an auto on the Elise, so that the average Chinese millionaires son has no difficulty parking his new ride outside the downtown clubs every weekend.

[ProCo2020]

Lotus have historically been in rallying for years. Their best lookiing car was the 26r based on the Elan.

Their are Elans rallying all over the world including the UK & Barbados plus there is at least one in Rallycross. Nothing new under the sun.

[Oddball RS]

Someone needs to have a word with that Exige 'Rally driver' my mother can take corners quicker than that!!

[Raja]

As long as the weight saved isn't out of the Porsche school of thinking where you put nearly everything back in with some essential options.

Rear wing looks a bit clumsy but I'm sure this will sell more than the combined number of Evoras so far. Providing its manual!

[AndyCzech]

Browse the lotuscars website to see 4 current racing variants; GT4, GT Enduro, GTS and GTE.

http://www.lotuscars.com/motorsport/en/evora-gte

Good to see Lotus really is serious about the Evora taking on the mighty 911. For the number of different versions that is.

[rob.e]

Civpilot said:

Personally I quite like it.

Agree - I think this is great, exactly the sort of thing Lotus should be doing.

If my maths is right, this should be somewhere around 330bhp/tonne? Not quite up to GT3 RS 4.0 levels but getting closer.

Any news on UK pricing (and manual box options)?

[Rawwr]

What the FRIGGING BALLS is that thing stuck on the back? Is that really the best design they could come up with?!

[The Pits]

It's a woeful end to a nice piece of work. A total carbuncle of a spoiler.

As it the one on the back of the disguised new Exige V6.

Why not just stick a proper carbon motorsport wing on the back, a la GT3 RS and Esprit Sport 350?

[British Beef]

From all angles, including the controversial rear wing, I think this Evora looks absolutely stunning.

It also has that functional are raw race car look. I really like!

Still no mention of cost, yet 100+ Chinese have already ordered blind, I find that hard to believe!

[Fetchez la vache]

British Beef said:

From all angles, including the controversial rear wing, I think this Evora looks absolutely stunning.

This.
Great stuff Lotus. Was chuffed with their 24hr completion too... no easy task.

[GTRene]

I don't think the rear spoiler is that bad, its different, but I guess Lotus went this way for aero/drag and for safety pedestrians probably, this way no out sticking parts I guess...

[suffolk009]

Wonder what newly appointed Lotus Group advisor Gordon Murray thinks of this.


Woooah! Missed that piece of news. Just googled it and it seems to have slipped by mostly only on ESPN. How does Swizz sizzle get so much press, but getting Gordon Murray getting involved gets so little press. Worlds gone mad.

Lets hope he doesn't just advise, but designs some of the cars. Especially the little Sprite-like sports that has long been rumoured. It'd be nice to see that with Chapmans initials on the bonnet.

[Guvernator]

That is a fantastic looking car and looks like the Evora has finally got the power it deserved in the first place. I hope they've also managed to improve the fizz and aural excitement of that motor too.

The only thing I worry about is the price, the standard Evora was already too expensive, how much is this going to be?

[sunsurfer]

"As well as increased power, carbon fibre has been used to reduce weight by 105kgs against a standard Evora."

That's what I'm talking about!
That 105kg would have been like having Jim Davidson stuck on your bonnet. Now he's gone that car will handle.

[Rawwr]

sunsurfer said:

That 105kg would have been like having Jim Davidson stuck on your bonnet. Now he's gone that car will handle and be less racist..