RE: Driven: 2012 M/Y Lotus Evora
Discussion
900T-R said:
Strangely the last thing I look at when in a mid-engined sports/GT car is the roof lining...
Having had the disposal of an 09 example from the factory for the best aprt of a week back then, i disagree with the former poster. The Evora feels a lot more special, more 'junior supercar' than a Cayman/Boxster or even a 911 - especially the dashboard of the Porsches looks and feels very mass produced, being all un-upholstered plastic mouldings and silver-painted facings and very, well, normal from a cabin architecture POV.
The fly in the ointment was always the gearshift while the engine could bear sounding and responding a bit more sportscar like - I'm glad to hear those points finally have been tended to.
It's true that the engine's delivery doesn't feel at all special in standard guise - but most of it is down to the long standard gearing. On the rollers the engine put out a very healthy 298 bhp with a wide, flat torque curve so I'd seriously doubt whether there'd be anything much in it between it and a Cayman S.
Surely you're aware that an unspecced Cayman like the one you describe is very different from what most people experience when they buy one.Having had the disposal of an 09 example from the factory for the best aprt of a week back then, i disagree with the former poster. The Evora feels a lot more special, more 'junior supercar' than a Cayman/Boxster or even a 911 - especially the dashboard of the Porsches looks and feels very mass produced, being all un-upholstered plastic mouldings and silver-painted facings and very, well, normal from a cabin architecture POV.
The fly in the ointment was always the gearshift while the engine could bear sounding and responding a bit more sportscar like - I'm glad to hear those points finally have been tended to.
It's true that the engine's delivery doesn't feel at all special in standard guise - but most of it is down to the long standard gearing. On the rollers the engine put out a very healthy 298 bhp with a wide, flat torque curve so I'd seriously doubt whether there'd be anything much in it between it and a Cayman S.
A properly specced Cayman will not show a single bit of plastic. Full leather swathes the dash in leather and beautiful stitching, even flanking the PCM module with careful needle work. Ditto doors and hand pulls. All the plastic surrounding the gear lever and dash strip is painted the same as the exterior in mine and even the little area around the ignition is leather - you can opt to have the little hooks on the back of your chair in leather if you so wish!
Add in, a beautiful suede roof lining and alcantara steering wheel and gear stick (like I did lol) and you have an interior in a class of its own - albeit a pricey one.
Base Caymans are a shock. I had loaner recently and it was like a different car, no bloody options and an interior like the one you describe. But seriously, Porsche has always been about the options and to judge it without them is to miss the experience/point I'm afraid. All Porsches are not born equal.
Edited by broker1 on Friday 9th September 10:49
broker1 said:
Surely your aware that an unspecced Cayman like the one you describe is very different from what most people experience when they buy one.
A properly specced Cayman will not show a single bit of plastic. Full leather swathes the dash in leather and beautiful stitching, even flanking the PCM module with needle work. All the plastic surrounding the gear lever and dash strip is painted the same as the exterior in mine and even the little area around the ignition is leather - you can opt to have the little hooks on the back of your chair in leather if you so wish!
Add in, a beautiful suede roof lining and alcantara steering wheel and gear stick (like I did lol) and you have an interior in a class of its own - albeit a pricey one.
Which is the whole point isn't it? 'The Lotus' interior is not up to Porsche quality - as long as you spec the Porsche up to (near) the price of a base 911'. A properly specced Cayman will not show a single bit of plastic. Full leather swathes the dash in leather and beautiful stitching, even flanking the PCM module with needle work. All the plastic surrounding the gear lever and dash strip is painted the same as the exterior in mine and even the little area around the ignition is leather - you can opt to have the little hooks on the back of your chair in leather if you so wish!
Add in, a beautiful suede roof lining and alcantara steering wheel and gear stick (like I did lol) and you have an interior in a class of its own - albeit a pricey one.
900T-R said:
Which is the whole point isn't it? 'The Lotus' interior is not up to Porsche quality - as long as you spec the Porsche up to (near) the price of a base 911'.
I take your point but felt your post offered little balance:"The Evora feels a lot more special, more 'junior supercar' than a Cayman/Boxster or even a 911 - especially the dashboard of the Porsches looks and feels very mass produced, being all un-upholstered plastic mouldings and silver-painted facings and very, well, normal from a cabin architecture POV."
The car you described is not one you'll commonly find, I mean who orders a Porsche without ticking 'Full Leather'.
broker1 said:
The car you described is not one you'll commonly find, I mean who orders a Porsche without ticking 'Full Leather'.
Well yes, but you can argue the same thing about prices. A Cayman may be available cheaper than an Evora, but it's not the one that you'll commonly find. I'd be fascinated to see the average real purchase prices of Evoras and Caymans.
kambites said:
Well yes, but you can argue the same thing about prices. A Cayman may be available cheaper than an Evora, but it's not the one that you'll commonly find.
I'd be fascinated to see the average real purchase prices of Evoras and Caymans.
It would be interesting to know wouldn't it....I'd be fascinated to see the average real purchase prices of Evoras and Caymans.
I reckon I've a good idea when I walk around the lot at the local Porsche garage... very few 'S's specced below 55k, mine ran me well into 911 territory (PASM, PSE etc)
I guess the question is, does all the leather and stuff come standard on the Evora?
Edited by broker1 on Friday 9th September 11:10
Edited by broker1 on Friday 9th September 11:14
Good show Lotus, developing and improving a car is the name of the game, and certainly the way forward. Its good to see the are listening and acting on criticism, I would be much more disappointed if they were not making these changes!
People keep moaning that the original Evora should have been like this. The bits that made it great are still present (chassis, ride, steering, brakes and suspension), they are simply moving the game on in the other areas.
A front bumper like the the new GTE and it would look much better - me thinks!
People keep moaning that the original Evora should have been like this. The bits that made it great are still present (chassis, ride, steering, brakes and suspension), they are simply moving the game on in the other areas.
A front bumper like the the new GTE and it would look much better - me thinks!
Indeed, that's how I recall it, too. Thing is the base version dash is unlikely to be a bare plastic moulding - it'll be upholstered in something if not dead cow (not unlike TVRs standard 'half leather' interior - seat facings leather, all the rest upholstered in Ambla with stitching and all).
RTH said:
Well if the old model was that awful, it is something I would avoid in the future.
Don't remember the launch road testers being so candid about all those shortcomings.
Road testers tend to focus far more on how a car drives and far less on things like the interior than the average actual buyer would. The initial road tests did slate the gear change action. Don't remember the launch road testers being so candid about all those shortcomings.
kambites said:
I think it's part of the "premium pack" which is about £2500. So yes it's extra, but I'd imagine that's an awful lot cheaper than speccing up the best available Cayman interior.
I'm surprised by that you see, and it backs up what I was getting at earlier - gotta compare like for like. If we're holding up an Evora with a 2.5k (!) leather OPTION, then we need to consider the equivilent Cayman with the 2k full leather option dont we? A bit unfair to say it's all plastic etcbroker1 said:
kambites said:
I think it's part of the "premium pack" which is about £2500. So yes it's extra, but I'd imagine that's an awful lot cheaper than speccing up the best available Cayman interior.
I'm surprised by that you see, and it backs up what I was getting at earlier - gotta compare like for like. If we're holding up an Evora with a 2.5k (!) leather OPTION, then we need to consider the equivilent Cayman with the 2k full leather option dont we? A bit unfair to say it's all pastic etcI don't know enough about Porsche's interior options to know what the closest spec they offer would be?
Edited by kambites on Friday 9th September 12:30
kambites said:
That 2.5k isn't just upgraded leather - it's all of the interior upgrades available. I think. Anyway, the Evora always has leather seats and dashboard as far as I know. The upgrade is things like door cards, centre console, footwell sides, etc.
Ditto the Cayman : ), just as you describe. Lotus obviously did some homework. You ever seen a Cayman with cloth seats?? No such thing. Seats are always leather, regardless, we're talking about dash, lower dash, foot well and door trim. 2k gets all of that in a high quality leather with great stitch work, seems the equivilent costs 2.5 on the Evora.Edited by kambites on Friday 9th September 12:28
All the other stuff I was talking about such as Alcantara wheel and painted parts etc are special order stuff... I'm not comparing that.
But I think you'll find a Cayman with full leather ticked is a nicer cabin than the Evora with full leather (or whatever package they call it) ticked, certainly judging by the photos in that article anyways. That was my original point really.
Wills2 said:
Am I being thick, as I can't find any prices on the Lotus website?
You can request brochures and prices, but they aren't readily available through the site.You can also find them here: http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Pricing_and_Upgrades_%2820...
Thorburn said:
You can request brochures and prices, but they aren't readily available through the site.
You can also find them here: http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Pricing_and_Upgrades_%2820...
Thanks for that, looks like a Evora S with tech/sport/premium packs is 66k so on a par with a loaded Cayman R. You can also find them here: http://wiki.seloc.org/a/Pricing_and_Upgrades_%2820...
I do feel they should publish the prices online and also allow you to spec your car including the cost.
Also the website needs updating, fancy pants sites can help to lure you in to the whole experience and I think if they are going to compete with the big boys (Ferrari, Porsche etc...) they will need a better site.
As I spent hours speccing my 911 online and dreaming about it before I actually took the plunge and bought one.
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