RE: Driven: Lotus Evora S

[zthomasz]

speedsix said:

What I don't understand is how they get it that heavy

Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA). The evora is heavy because the platform was designed to underpin sevral lotuses (loti?) AND be sold to other car companies with only minor modifications. All of that engineering adds weight.

It remains to be seen whether VVA will actually ever be used on anything other than the evora, although its extremely likely that the future 5 lotuses unveiled in paris will be built use vva, or a modified version of it. This would explain why they all have roughly the same weight/width. The only differences in weight would be explained away by the different engines/wheelbases.

[Daniel1]

i like the lotus evora and i think it suffers from not being overly photogenic, it does look much better in the flesh. I like the idea of it being supple, too many cars are too stiff for anything other then really smooth tarmac.

BUT stories of notchy gearboxes and a characterless engine mean it has zero chance of getting me in one. Coupled with a lack of dealerships compared to its rivals from audi, bmw, porsche and nissan isnt going to help me change my mind, either. I think its expensive, not because of any perceived quality issues but simply because it hasnt got the character in the engine. If it had a high revving NA engine, V6 or V8, with associated noise, it would help justify the cost. A supercharged dull V6 just doesnt cut it IMO.

I am looking forward to the next series of lotus though.

[GKP]

speedsix said:

What I don't understand is how they get it that heavy

It's just 57kgs heavier than the last of the line V8 Esprits, yet seats four and will protect all of them in the event of a crash.

Daniel1 said:

BUT stories of notchy gearboxes and a characterless engine mean it has zero chance of getting me in one. Coupled with a lack of dealerships compared to its rivals from audi, bmw, porsche and nissan isnt going to help me change my mind, either..

The gearchange on the S is fine, but don't take mine or any mere journo's word for it, go and have a test drive then report your findings from a real experience.

[Daniel1]

GKP said:

speedsix said:

What I don't understand is how they get it that heavy

It's just 57kgs heavier than the last of the line V8 Esprits, yet seats four and will protect all of them in the event of a crash.

Daniel1 said:

BUT stories of notchy gearboxes and a characterless engine mean it has zero chance of getting me in one. Coupled with a lack of dealerships compared to its rivals from audi, bmw, porsche and nissan isnt going to help me change my mind, either..

The gearchange on the S is fine, but don't take mine or any mere journo's word for it, go and have a test drive then report your findings from a real experience.

i would but there is no dealer around here......

[Jimbo Deany]

I thought German cars were reliable. Right upto the point where I got one (VW Passat I'm ashamed to admit with a lovely big boot for the pram). 4 months in and 5 trips to the garage later (and with a boss whose Merc E Class broke down within the first 2 days) I'm a bit more circumspect. Even my tweaked old triumph spitfire only broke down once in 4 years (alternator replaced in 20 mins for £28). Maybe that was built in Germany? Good luck to Lotus says I. Given £60k I'd have one in a shot and they do look a lot, lot better in the flesh. I'd be prepared to sacrifice some engine character and alleged reliability for some real steering feel and a non Gordon Gekko image. Don't agree? Try an elise.

[Gabber]

Love the Evora and if I had the choice between this and a mass produced boring for ages the same looking Porsche I will take the Lotus anytime !

[trevleg]

Well i have just sent off the order form this morning black with black interior new Evora S trading in the Elise SC as i am finding the long journeys are getting a little tiring in it these days.
Now at the ripe old age of 47 and needing a bit more comfort this should be quick enough. I think that the Toyota 3.5 although not the greatest motor around will prove more reliable than some of the competition, and if lotus are offering a 3 year warranty and or 100,000km that should do me, very excited about it, At least for the next 3 years until the new Elan arrives i cant wait it sounds fantastic, Just hope they can deliver on time date set for a build week 1 January 2011 should have it by the 30.01.2011 so ill let you know when it gets here what it's really is like !!, ill be taking it out on the track when run in week 2 Feb , can we get some R888 or yokohama for it? or other track tyres which will get the best from it the pirelli are a bit expensive to tear up on the track, go faster goodies should start arriving from Komotec by the end of the year.

[kambites]

HAB said:

The same can be said of modern Lotus.

Definitely. It's a rather different group of people, but the principle is the same. I actually suspect that the majority (although obviously not all) of S2 Elises were bought new for this purpose and a pretty big proportion of the second hand market. Ironically, as the cars have become less compromised they've inevitably started to attract the kinds of people who buy them for their reputation for being compromised but wont actually put up with the compromises.

I'm not sure that it's just modern Lotus either, how many people bought an Esprit because Bond drove one?

It's true, to a greater or lesser extent, of all "aspirational" brands. That Porsche, BMW and Audi seem to suffer more from it than most, is just an indication of their success.


ETA: Of course this market is what Lotus aspire too. There just aren't enough driving enthusiasts out there to justify trying to mass produce a car to sell to them. I think this is actually the biggest problem with using a Toyota engine. However good it was in the Lotus application, your mates down the pub would still mock you for it, and that's going to be a major turn-off for that kind of buyer.

Edited by kambites on Monday 8th November 22:14

[kambites]

RichB said:

Well, we all chose cars for different reasons, my interest is British classics in particular and sports cars more generally. There has never been any Japanese cars that interest me.

I find it quite hard to understand that someone has an interest in British classics and sports cars, but no interest in, for example, the Honda S600 and S800.

[ewenm]

kambites said:

RichB said:

Well, we all chose cars for different reasons, my interest is British classics in particular and sports cars more generally. There has never been any Japanese cars that interest me.

I find it quite hard to understand that someone has an interest in British classics and sports cars, but no interest in, for example, the Honda S600 and S800.

Or even the Elan-inspired and PH favourite MX-5.

trevleg said:

Evora S order placed...

Let me know when you upgrade to one of the next gen cars as a used Evora S might just be perfect for me by then...

Edited by ewenm on Monday 8th November 22:07

[The Pits]

From people looking to knock the evora (I have no idea why, it's not like it's any threat to Porsche et al) there has been lots of negativity about the toyota V6. The most common thing is to mention that it's a 'camry V6', like that in itself is some kind of problem. Lotus have done the right thing using advanced japanese engines. Everyone always said what they needed is to outsource bulletproof engines from a big, respected manufacturer. The toyota ZZGE 111R engine is utterly superb for a 1.8 four cylinder both in it's own right and even better when it's in a Lotus chassis. I have previously owned a Honda S2000 and the toyota engine is smoother and sounds even better with a less restrictive exhaust.

Returning to the Evora V6. I would have preferred Lotus be granted use of the direct injection V6, only because it produces more power and is presumably more efficient too. But the V6 Lotus uses is far from characterless as the following videos will hopefully demonstrate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RniCaHihsjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sggEUWH-HA&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T85ty4X1HRc

Yes, not standard exhausts but there are ferraris that don't sound as good as that. And the S has an 'active' exhaust so should sound good.

At 7200 it also revs higher than any turbocharged 911.

It's a more advanced engine than the Honda NSX, by rights, it's far more modern. Yet I suspect the same people who are put off by the 'camry' engine would be rather impressed if Lotus announced they were using a supercharged NSX engine. So I think there's a degree of snobbery about using toyota engines that is unwarranted.

I'd love a more exotic engine ultimately but then I'm someone who could consider spending more than £60k on a Lotus. It's pretty clear that most would not.

For the money the supercharged V6 is pretty cool.

[Gompo]

The Pits,

I've not driven this V6 either in the Evora or Camry so I cant conclude whether it has character or not. However, the sound an engine makes is only a small part of the 'character' of the engine for me anyway.

I know it's been mentioned that the V6 is 'Lotus tuned/adopted' but do you or indeed anyone know what they've done to the engine? I know it has basically the same power as in other appications (and possibly less than it does in some) but apart from I assume different intake and exhaust what has changed/improved if anything? Lightened/strengthened?

Definitely not intending to knock Lotus.

Cheers.

[kambites]

I don't know, but I suspect it's got tuned exhaust and inlet and different cam profiles. I doubt they bothered change the crank to alter the stroke. I think this supercharger is a Lotus only application too although I might be wrong?

Edited by kambites on Monday 8th November 22:13

[Gompo]

Kambites,

While I didnt make it clear I thought The Pits was talking about the standard Evora rather than the S and thus my reply was based on the none-S. Yes you'd hope that the cam profiles have been changed, along with hopefully a lighter flywheel (than it'd come with in the Camry) and other bits and bobs.

Without checking, I think you are right about the one in the S being the only supercharged version. I think there might be a Lexus version that produces more NA than the basic Evora.

[British Beef]

The Pits said:

Yet I suspect the same people who are put off by the 'camry' engine would be rather impressed if Lotus announced they were using a supercharged NSX engine. So I think there's a degree of snobbery about using toyota engines that is unwarranted.

Well said, I totally agree, and those you tube clips do sound excellent.

On a side, just as BMW 3 series now out sell Ford Mondeos, I think Porsche are not far behind, testiment to excellent marketing. Downside is that seeing any of them is not an event in the slightest, which for a semi exotic sports car it really should be. I think the Lotus Evora has that appeal more than any current day Porsche.

[Milks]

Not sure if it's down to those new wheels but that looks rather spanking

[jackal]

love the new wheels

larger and a nice design

looks spanking in that yellow too

i'll have one in about 11 years time when they are thruppence

In the meantime I shall be keeping the 993 RS-homage, the £700 1.8 Passat, continue saving for a 996 GT3RS and also adding a Toyota Landcruiser to the jackal fleet.

Edited by jackal on Monday 8th November 23:14

[simonrockman]

This is the second planned evolution of the Evora. I wonder if the third, the convertible, is still in the Lotus plans or if the new order has killed that.

Simon

[Anatol]

Love the car, would have it in a heartbeat (despite feeling fibbed to by the Lotus test-pilot giving hot laps at the Nordschleife last year who assured me that there was no supercharged variant on the horizon, or indeed necessary).

The wheels are a huge error though. They have a lathed front, and (unless there have been some huge strides forward in self-etching clearcoat in the last few months), they will look beautiful for a (max) couple of years and then the clear will delaminate from the very regular alloy surface, corrosion will start underneath and the whole surface will turn milky and blister.

Either Lotus will be excluding the wheels from the bodywork warranty, or they will be paying for a lot of (complex - coloured sides/lathed front) refurbs...

[Rawwr]

The Pits said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RniCaHihsjo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sggEUWH-HA&fea...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T85ty4X1HRc

You think those sound good? :|