Lotus – Evora – Review

Meet the first new Lotus in a generation. The Evora takes its place as the practical, 2+2, everyday Lotus and is arguably the company’s most ambitious new model since the Esprit of the 1970s. Priced from almost fifty grand, the Evora must do battle with the seminal Porsche Cayman and be much more than just a track day toy. If Lotus is to survive and prosper, then this car’s success is not just important, it’s critical.

On The Outside

When the Evora was first unveiled at the London Motor Show in 2008 it received a mixed reaction. Under the harsh show lights the design looked ungainly, awkward and fussy. Gone was the elegant simplicity of the original Esprit.

But in the soft light of the real world it looks much better. Only now do you get a sense of how small it is and how the body’s been shrink wrapped around the mechanicals. Like the rival Cayman, it’s diminutive proportions are a key benefit on the road.

Some of the swoops and intakes – needed to help cool the mid-mounted engine – still look a little OTT but time and familiarity breed appreciation. The cartoon-like extravagance of the tiny Elise and Exige have been given a layer of sophistication, but this is still instantly recognisable as a Lotus. There are also some neat details, such as the visor-like windscreen. It might not be the most elegant car ever, but it does have presence.

On The Inside

This is the bit Lotus has to get right if two thousand people each year are to ignore the allure of a Porsche crest in favour of a car from Norfolk. The Elise and Exige both make do with simple, Spartan cabins because they’re a Saturday afternoon indulgence. The Evora is billed as an everyday tourer so it needs to cosset and cajole.

There are some high points. The Recaro front seats are extremely comfortable, the driving position is perfect and the simple design is a nice antidote to the too-fussy Cayman cockpit. Some of the materials are also well judged – what looks like leather is leather and the bespoke aluminium heater controls look and feel great.

This car is also usefully practical. The boot’s a decent size and can be supplemented by the rear bench seat. This is designed for children or Kylie and feels a bit claustrophibic, but the extra versatility is welcome. The car’s exterior designer, Steve Crijns, reckons his dog has grown used to riding tandem. Apparently, “he doesn’t much like the Elise.”

What doesn’t impress is the detailing. The ergonomics are rubbish. From the driver’s seat you can’t see any of the switches for functions as important as the headlights. The instrument cowl reflects badly in the windscreen and the Alpine multi-media sat nav system looks naff and is spectacularly fiddly to use.

The build quality of our test car was also less than impressive, with far too many squeaks and rattles from a car of this pricetag. This was a very early example and Lotus assures us that the full production cars will have a significantly higher standard of build. Let’s hope so.

On The Road

The Evora is staggeringly good to drive. The feel and finesse of the seminal Elise has been retained but with an extra layer of comfort and sophistication. At the core is an aluminium chassis that’s almost three times as stiff as an Elise. This rigidity allows for a high level of suspension precision. If the body doesn’t flex, the springs and dampers can do their job.

Anyone who tells you that sports cars must sacrifice comfort for composure have never driven a Lotus. Once again, the engineers at the Hethel HQ have revealed an uncanny ability to combine taut body control with a cosseting ride. There is nothing harsh about the Evora; nothing ever upsets the sinewy fluency of the suspension. On poor quality roads you can carry big speed with comfort and confidence.

The steering is arguably the best we’ve ever experienced on a road car. The power assistance is beautifully judged and does nothing to detract from the exquisite feel through the rim. Lotus makes it’s own steering wheels out of magnesium because they argue that a heavy ’wheel creates too much inertia and spoils the experience.That might sound anal but when you’re out on the road, you really start to believe.

The brakes are also superb. There’s ABS but the stopping performance is so strong that you’ll have to be driving spectacularly badly to activate it in the dry. It takes a little time to acclimatise to this car, but the more you drive it, the better it feels. It’s the sort of car that you’ll never tire of, as you explore more and more of its vast repertoire of skills.

On paper, the only weak link is the straight line performance served up by the 3.5-litre Toyota-sourced V6 and the six-speed gearbox. In today’s world, 276bhp and 256lb ft of torque is no more than adequate. The Porsche Cayman S offers up 315bhp and 273lb ft and it’s lighter too. Lotus’ claim of 0-60mph in an impressive 4.9sec says more about gear ratios that allow 60mph in second than it does about the car’s true speed.

But Lotii have never been defined by their straight line thrust. In reality, this car is plenty fast enough and above 4000rpm it has a cultured, evocative howl. It’s also terrifically responsive, especially if you opt for the Sport pack (most will) that offers a more aggressive throttle response.

source: motoring.sky