tested an evora 400
Discussion
and tbh was disappointed.
I am prejudiced in favour of Lotus. I had an Elise R for 7 years and it was a wonderful small car, so I went to the Evora test expecting and wanting to like it. True to form the handling was first class, the turn in brilliant. And Lotus quality steering to boot, the very think that5 made me buy an Elise after just a short test drive. The seats on the Evora were comfortable and the interior finish was quite good. Where the journos get the idea that the Evora interior isnt a match for Porsche's standard German saloon, I do not know.
For me the problem was the engine. No soul. Rather than rev to a crescendo, it seems flat. Dont get me wrong. The engine has plenty of power and the performance is good but the engine betrays its inheritance from the Camry and indeed some more agricultural Toyota vehicles. Whats more the gearbox wasnt anything nice.
After I tested the Evora I tested the F type S with a 3 litre supercharged V6. Sorry Lotus fans but this is a way better engine even if the rest of the car isnt anything like a match for Lotus.
Anybody else feel the same about the engine in the Evora?
I am prejudiced in favour of Lotus. I had an Elise R for 7 years and it was a wonderful small car, so I went to the Evora test expecting and wanting to like it. True to form the handling was first class, the turn in brilliant. And Lotus quality steering to boot, the very think that5 made me buy an Elise after just a short test drive. The seats on the Evora were comfortable and the interior finish was quite good. Where the journos get the idea that the Evora interior isnt a match for Porsche's standard German saloon, I do not know.
For me the problem was the engine. No soul. Rather than rev to a crescendo, it seems flat. Dont get me wrong. The engine has plenty of power and the performance is good but the engine betrays its inheritance from the Camry and indeed some more agricultural Toyota vehicles. Whats more the gearbox wasnt anything nice.
After I tested the Evora I tested the F type S with a 3 litre supercharged V6. Sorry Lotus fans but this is a way better engine even if the rest of the car isnt anything like a match for Lotus.
Anybody else feel the same about the engine in the Evora?
Nope
Jag engine felt no better, infact I found the Evora engine revved better and faster to the limiter, and I only have a S1 Evora S.
Op, I think you climbed into the car already expecting to dislike the engine, because you had read about it as a Camry engine. I cant think of any production Camry engine that is supercharged and has a bespoke Lotus map.
Jag engine felt no better, infact I found the Evora engine revved better and faster to the limiter, and I only have a S1 Evora S.
Op, I think you climbed into the car already expecting to dislike the engine, because you had read about it as a Camry engine. I cant think of any production Camry engine that is supercharged and has a bespoke Lotus map.
Edited by blueg33 on Friday 3rd March 18:29
Nope again, although no modern engine sounds like old engines with all the catalytic convers etc. I do find the mid range when on loud mode a bit flatulent sounding at times, but the bottom and top end are superb.
My test drive of a Jag F type V6 S left me very disappointed. The car was very well put together and looked superb, but the ride was awful, the steering dead, and the exhaust nothing but an annoying rasp...it was horrible. The Evora is way better, except for not being a convertible.
Really like the look of the coupe`s.
My test drive of a Jag F type V6 S left me very disappointed. The car was very well put together and looked superb, but the ride was awful, the steering dead, and the exhaust nothing but an annoying rasp...it was horrible. The Evora is way better, except for not being a convertible.
Really like the look of the coupe`s.
I have an Evora S and the only disappointment is the soulless engine. 400s make a lot more noise, but I still think the general smoothness of a V6 lacks something in a sports car.
However the Jag V6 is no more interesting, maybe feels worse due to the gearbox.
And I've really wanted to love V8 F-types. I've borrowed one with a view to buying 3 times now, each time for a week to 10 days. And although the engine has character, the gearbox dulls it as it has so many ratios that it's constantly changing gear instead of feeling the torque curve of the mighty V8. And I got pulled over by the police for the first time in 20 years, not due to speed, but due to the noise and the assumption of speed.
The only 6 cylinder engines I've found to have interesting character are the straight six from E46 M3s and the flat 6 in the 996 C4S (combination of engine and a very sweet exhaust).
However the Jag V6 is no more interesting, maybe feels worse due to the gearbox.
And I've really wanted to love V8 F-types. I've borrowed one with a view to buying 3 times now, each time for a week to 10 days. And although the engine has character, the gearbox dulls it as it has so many ratios that it's constantly changing gear instead of feeling the torque curve of the mighty V8. And I got pulled over by the police for the first time in 20 years, not due to speed, but due to the noise and the assumption of speed.
The only 6 cylinder engines I've found to have interesting character are the straight six from E46 M3s and the flat 6 in the 996 C4S (combination of engine and a very sweet exhaust).
blueg33 said:
Tvr speed 6 engine has plenty of character, but I wouldn't want another one
Yup. Already have one of those - 4.5 
I love the Evora - great car to drive, but not using it much now and I wanted to replace it with the 400, but my test drive
really left me unimpressed with the new car.
I test drove the v8 F-type a couple of years back and thought it was very good. The gearbox was a bit... *blah* but the sound
was great and the driving was nice and direct. Certainly not as good as the Evora, but it had more... presence...
One thing however is that now F-types are getting as common as mud, whilst the Evora is still very rare. Hence why I have
been mulling it over for nearly 18 months...
F types are lovely looking things, but the test drive left me cold. Perhaps I need to try the V8 but I doubt it will change much. There are dim a dozen around here , all driven by retirees.
I'd want a lot more excitement for the money. Can't comment on a 400 as I've not had a chance to drive.
I'd want a lot more excitement for the money. Can't comment on a 400 as I've not had a chance to drive.
Look at the torque curve - you should expect it to feel "flat" as adopting a charger allows them to plump up the mid range.
If you want something that gives its best as you approach the redline, you are pretty much restricting yourself to NA engines. And with the increasing trend towards smaller capacities with forced induction... this isn't good news for you...
I'd love a bit more urgency at the upper end of the rev range in my s1 S, but the "any revs punch" is one of the reasons it covers ground so rapidly.
I like the engine - and I ran a 6.2 LS3 for 5 yrs before the Evora
If you want something that gives its best as you approach the redline, you are pretty much restricting yourself to NA engines. And with the increasing trend towards smaller capacities with forced induction... this isn't good news for you...
I'd love a bit more urgency at the upper end of the rev range in my s1 S, but the "any revs punch" is one of the reasons it covers ground so rapidly.
I like the engine - and I ran a 6.2 LS3 for 5 yrs before the Evora
Edited by mik_ok on Sunday 5th March 16:14
Thinking about buying an Evora BUT I am totally spoilt!
I have an S1 Exige with a supercharged Honda - it absolutely flies in any gear at any revs.I really want something a bit quieter and more refined,but I think I will be disappointed by any other car.I will probably stick with my Exige and Mazda diesel as a runaround.
Driving the Exige makes me feel like I am twenty one again
I suppose when I am old and grey I will get an Evora - I am 54!
I have an S1 Exige with a supercharged Honda - it absolutely flies in any gear at any revs.I really want something a bit quieter and more refined,but I think I will be disappointed by any other car.I will probably stick with my Exige and Mazda diesel as a runaround.
Driving the Exige makes me feel like I am twenty one again
I suppose when I am old and grey I will get an Evora - I am 54!
Actually bought a Jag F Type V6S and sold it 3 weeks later 
. Lovely car but got bored very quickly.
Did you get much chance to really stretch the legs on the Evora, as the sound from the car when screaming it round to the redline is immense.
At the end of the day we all like different cars, so no right or wrong
. Lovely car but got bored very quickly. Did you get much chance to really stretch the legs on the Evora, as the sound from the car when screaming it round to the redline is immense.
At the end of the day we all like different cars, so no right or wrong
Edited by DaveGB on Wednesday 8th March 06:42
Never understood the obsession with engines being shared with other cars. In an age where companies like FORD need to share the cost of engine development, you can't expect Lotus to have a bespoke powertrain.
I mean, at least Audi give you a unique engine in the R8... oh wait, no that's in the Lamborghini... and the S8...
But of course something spectacular like a Rolls Royce gets a unique engine, what do you expect for a quarter million pounds? Oh, what, a BMW V12 from the 7 series?
Bugger. Well if you've got half a million pounds and are extremely lucky you could buy a Ford GT! ........with the engine from an F-150 truck. Not even a V8.
The 400's engine is superb but needs to be treated like an NA engine. It works its best when revved and doesn't half sound good.
I've no experience of the Jags but the V8 they use has been around for donkey's years now
I mean, at least Audi give you a unique engine in the R8... oh wait, no that's in the Lamborghini... and the S8...
But of course something spectacular like a Rolls Royce gets a unique engine, what do you expect for a quarter million pounds? Oh, what, a BMW V12 from the 7 series?
Bugger. Well if you've got half a million pounds and are extremely lucky you could buy a Ford GT! ........with the engine from an F-150 truck. Not even a V8.
The 400's engine is superb but needs to be treated like an NA engine. It works its best when revved and doesn't half sound good.
I've no experience of the Jags but the V8 they use has been around for donkey's years now
jayemm89 said:
But of course something spectacular like a Rolls Royce gets a unique engine, what do you expect for a quarter million pounds? Oh, what, a BMW V12 from the 7 series?
Unless you're a persuasive Mr Bean...http://subscribe.octane-magazine.com/features/john...
jayemm89 said:
I mean, at least Audi give you a unique engine in the R8... oh wait, no that's in the Lamborghini... and the S8...
It makes no difference to me, but then I'd never drop £80k on a new car. For those who do, I can imagine why the idea of sharing a powertrain with something as comparatively humdrum as a Toyota Camry might be hard to swallow. This appears to be an even bigger issue in the US, where the Camry is the ultimate symbol of cars as white goods.Don't think the Audi comparison really holds, as a V10 shared with a Lamborghini is a pretty aspirational thing.
Gassing Station | Evora | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff