RE: Lotus Evora GT430 - official!

RE: Lotus Evora GT430 - official!

Author
Discussion

bobo79

293 posts

148 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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The Wookie said:
To be fair, that is an actual wide bodied GTE because I sent it straight through the chicane at Hethel and flat spotted all the tyres with one of the Proton board members in the passenger seat about 5 years ago because no-one told me the ABS didn't work!
This really looks like one of the narrower bodies which Mansory marketed alongside the proper wide ones and were tested early on in the process - the wide ones are quite different - no lights at the front of the clam and the front air ducts are different. too. Various differences were tried with the rear wing and exit duct in front of the windscreen, too. But then, as you allude to - it was never really finished and the final 'production models while wonderful looking are not really in keeping with the original vision.



bobo79

293 posts

148 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Ha! Actually I am wrong - just an unforgiving camera angle! Here is the narrow Mansory Evora bodywork:


LotusOmega375D

7,580 posts

152 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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So I've raided my albums to put up some fairly direct comparison shots between the road-going GTE and the new GT430. Just for interest.

This is my GTE:



And here are some comparison shots with the GT430. Unfortunately mine were only taken with a mobile phone, so the proportions aren't spot on but you get the idea..























bcr5784

7,102 posts

144 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Hungrymc said:
Doesn't matter if you want a 430 or not, we should celebrate that they are still here, seem to be getting stronger, and produce some remarkable cars from fairly mainstream parts. I like M4s and 911s, I like that you also have the choice of something like an Evora.
Agree, if you want a serious but reasonably practical drivers car but not too big heavy or outrageously expensive, there really isn't much choice - other than Porsche. If Lotus and (I hope) Alpine can provide genuine alternative, that can only be good.

spikyone

1,413 posts

99 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Hungrymc said:
I guess there are two separate topics :

1) The 430 - Well I won't be buying one, but absolutely no harm in Lotus bringing new more focused models of the current cars and asking a strong premium. The underlying cars are brilliant (as drivers cars) and these faster, sharper, lighter versions off course have their place. This will be an utterly thrilling drive and I don't care what they ask for it, I just hope they can find buyers and it can contribute to the business.

2) The company - I disagree with you here. They don't have the size and resources to do what you suggest (maybe they will soon have this with new ownership and financing). They are small and must focus on what they know. It would be crazy for example to try and make an Evora fight the 911 only on the 911's terms. Its impossible to reach the broad level of development that Porsche hit in every area. What Lotus have to do is be utterly brilliant at their strengths, and be acceptable in the other areas. Does this mean they are the best car company in the world with a safe and great future? No, of course it doesn't. But it does mean we have a car manufacture that places driver engagement above pretty much everything else. And one that has managed to survive when most other niche manufactures (particularly ones that are not at the very top end of the market) have failed. All of this at reasonably accessible pricing for the mainstream models.

Doesn't matter if you want a 430 or not, we should celebrate that they are still here, seem to be getting stronger, and produce some remarkable cars from fairly mainstream parts. I like M4s and 911s, I like that you also have the choice of something like an Evora.
I've rarely agreed with anything on PH as much as I agree with this. Well-written, thoughtful, and impartial. beer

The Wookie

13,909 posts

227 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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bobo79 said:
This really looks like one of the narrower bodies which Mansory marketed alongside the proper wide ones and were tested early on in the process - the wide ones are quite different - no lights at the front of the clam and the front air ducts are different. too. Various differences were tried with the rear wing and exit duct in front of the windscreen, too. But then, as you allude to - it was never really finished and the final 'production models while wonderful looking are not really in keeping with the original vision.


Have to say I didn't realise there were two widths of GTE. I drove the mule car a few times which, while dog eared, looked pretty similar to the yellow car save for a few styling tweaks. I might be wrong but that yellow car was one of the first built and I'm fairly sure it was actually intended for the King of Malaysia. Looks like it had the bumper with the additional lights added on afterwards


The Wookie

13,909 posts

227 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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bobo79 said:
Ha! Actually I am wrong - just an unforgiving camera angle! Here is the narrow Mansory Evora bodywork:

Fair enough!! biggrin

WCZ

10,492 posts

193 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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from the rear and sides I prefer the GTE but the front of the GT430 looks nicer

I still can't help but thinking they wouldn't sell many of these unless they were £65k or something though tbh

Thorburn

2,398 posts

192 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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WCZ said:
from the rear and sides I prefer the GTE but the front of the GT430 looks nicer

I still can't help but thinking they wouldn't sell many of these unless they were £65k or something though tbh
They could sell loads if they were like £4.50.

What comparable car is £65k? We're talking something with quite a bit of carbon fibre (the engine cover/bootlid on the Sport 410 and GT430 is huge and looks stunning imo), titanium exhaust, limited production run, etc.


suffolk009

5,344 posts

164 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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I write this as a huge Lotus fan, and whilst realising I'm clearly in the minority here, and I know it's subjective - but I think the Evora is still a very unattractive looking car.

I'm hoping, with everything crossed, this is not the styling cue that Russell Carr will be using in his 2020 Elise designs.

DonkeyApple

54,923 posts

168 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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suffolk009 said:
I write this as a huge Lotus fan, and whilst realising I'm clearly in the minority here, and I know it's subjective - but I think the Evora is still a very unattractive looking car.

I'm hoping, with everything crossed, this is not the styling cue that Russell Carr will be using in his 2020 Elise designs.
I'm very much in the same boat. Now they've managed to push the price points up successfully they really need body shapes that genuinely excite at the top end.

I'm not sure what could be done to the Elise or Exige but I actually think they look good for their price points and what they deliver but the Evora has never worked for me, albeit the latest tinkerings have been vast improvements it just looks too dumpy when put alongside the level of car it should be naturally up against that cost more than twice as much. Now it has that £100k tag it needs those £200k looks that will make it look a bargain for what you are getting.

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Surely this is the halo model that Lotus were looking for?
A top of the range car limited numbers out of the price range of most people but an aspiration/inspiration to help sales of the models further down the range.
It's a wider body to make it stand out too
At the other end you've got the affordable under £30k Elise
Where did this Gales guy come from?

bobo79

293 posts

148 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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LotusOmega375D said:
So I've raided my albums to put up some fairly direct comparison shots between the road-going GTE and the new GT430.
Your car is fabulous smile

DonkeyApple

54,923 posts

168 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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saaby93 said:
Where did this Gales guy come from?
Luxembourg, via GM, Merc and Citroen where he clearly learnt that allowing employee engineers to make non engineering decisions is something that you simply don't do. And that to make a profit you need to sell things that people want and with enough margin. biggrin

ben5575

6,221 posts

220 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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DonkeyApple said:
..... but the Evora has never worked for me, albeit the latest tinkerings have been vast improvements it just looks too dumpy when put alongside the level of car it should be naturally up against that cost more than twice as much. Now it has that £100k tag it needs those £200k looks that will make it look a bargain for what you are getting.
I agree with all of that.

The car below shows how important colour can be at this price point. Big arches, wings and bright colour and you have a car that looks £100k+ lick . Just like an orange 570GT vs the PH one that just looks boring in its socks left in wash blue. But then I'm terribly gauche, having grown up on a diet of Countach and F40 ... tongue out

The Wookie said:

saaby93

32,038 posts

177 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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The Wookie said:
Why why did they try to imitate the panel gaps front and rear of the door with a crease on the door
Couldnt they have done a similar panel gap type gap on the door?



anniesdad

14,589 posts

237 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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Mega...lick

suffolk009

5,344 posts

164 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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saaby93 said:
Why why did they try to imitate the panel gaps front and rear of the door with a crease on the door
Couldnt they have done a similar panel gap type gap on the door?
I'd be more concerned about the panel gap and fit of the front edge of the door. Why does there appear to be a bit of door sticking up just in front of the mirror? I should be kind - maybe it's the camera angle.

Thorburn

2,398 posts

192 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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suffolk009 said:
I'd be more concerned about the panel gap and fit of the front edge of the door. Why does there appear to be a bit of door sticking up just in front of the mirror? I should be kind - maybe it's the camera angle.
Because before they were sorted out and turned into the GT 350 by Lotus' motorsport division they were badly made things by Mansory, with relatively limited Lotus engineering input.

At least that was the impression I got speaking with people at the factory, they never spoke particularly highly of the GTE project. It seemed to be an issue of Bahar outsourcing works to friends outside of Lotus when it could have been dealt with better in-house - things like the wider track being achieved through wheel spacers on the GTE where as when converting them to the GT 350 they produced bespoke wishbones for it.

hondansx

4,562 posts

224 months

Friday 21st July 2017
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DPSFleet said:
The styling is now spot on, the original evora looked a bit bland, But this! Wow it is terrific and maybe the price is not too silly given that a Porsche GT3 is unobtainable or about £180k. I paid virtually this price for a 4 year old 16k GT3 2 years ago.....food for thought.......
.
Agree with you entirely. However, i also know a GT3 will be worth decent money when I sell it. I'd be really worried about the Evora.

It's almost like Lotus need to have a buy back option to protect values.