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More details please: it sounds fantastic. I hope they get the marketing right this time and get this extensively tested and publicised in all media around the world (inc, Top Gear test track!)

Thanks Bibs: just googled Lotus Exige Scura to find out more. Seems it was only 3 grand more than the "regular" Cup 260 car and 35 were supposed to be made. Are there some on TLF? I imagine they fetch a premium second-hand over the standard cars.

I remember crawling into Silverstone on the temporary 1-way system on F1 race day (I think 2010) and came alongside one of these. I think it had a different name than Exige and was one of about 25 or so built. Can anyone shed any light on it? Was it carbon-fibre perhaps? I've never seen one since either in the media or on the road.

Good point. It's like the protective film you get on a new phone/tablet or whatever. Why not just peel it all off?

Now he's being taken home to recover.

As far as I can remember, it was the BBC who cut the budget for Top Gear a couple of years ago, meaning that the series run was halved from 12 shows to 6. At the time I think they intimated that there would be an extra series per year, but that never happened. Similarly at the time of the BBC/Sky F1 carve up they also said that Monaco would always be live on BBC: however, by the time of only the second season of the new agreement the Monaco GP was broadcast live only on Sky.... In hindsight, the TG budget cut was probably unwise, since it has left the Beeb with less shows per year to sell globally.

One other Emmerdale connection: Kelvin Fletcher (who plays farm-hand Andy Sugden) has been on the lookout for a Lotus Carlton for quite some time now. I don't know if he's taken the plunge yet though.

Declan Macey regularly used to pop down to the Woolpack in his grey Evora, but I've not spotted it since he fell on hard times.

Does seem a shame to supply them with the regular 345bhp S engine, rather than something approaching the 440bhp originally planned. So what will you get for your hefty outlay? A 2 to 3 year-old chassis and bodyshell that's been sat outside keeping the turnips company in the wilds of Norfolk for goodness knows how long. Then there's the real-world impracticality and extra weight of the widened arches, but only with the same power output as a regular S, so probably a tad slower. Still what do I know? Porsche has been selling 911s like that for decades: 1980s 911 SuperSport and subsequent Carrera S models springs to mind: aka the Poseur's Porsche for those who won't stretch to a Turbo. I guess they'll find 20 willing customers based on the looks alone. Looks like the 25 year-old Lotus Carlton's reign as the most powerful production Lotus to date will continue for a while longer.

I sat in the driver's seat, opened the windows and did my best to reach from one wing mirror to the other. Not quite as scientific, but gave the same result. :-)

Don't think it's that wide. Extended mirror to extended mirror: a tad under 2 metres in my opinion.

The cars in that distant shot were still languishing there a couple of weeks ago. I'm not sure I'd want to pay big bucks for something that's been simply put out to grass for years like that. It amazed me during my recent visit how Lotus just leave cars standing around in the elements: even the special race-bred ones. Lots of leaks and surface rust no doubt.

As a kid I'll never forget the "Clunk, click, even on the shortest of trips" TV advert. It was nice of old Jimmy to be so concerned about children's welfare...

It is to me: the cross-drilled brakes are awesome, the sharper throttle response also a requirement (that should be the standard setting really). Buying an Evora without these features would be like buying a Rolls Royce without air-con and leather.

Wow, there seems to be more Lotus enthusiasts living on Easter Island, than in both Wales and Northern Ireland combined!

New clutch at 29,000 miles? That's a very big job on an Evora. Sounds like the clutch doesn't like the power upgrade...

Your car was parked with a few others round behind the Lotus Motorsport building last Saturday.

First time I've checked my long ratio NA brim-to-brim. 30.8 MPG over a 194 mile journey to Hethel and back. Mainly dual carriageway "making good progress", but also including the slow A11 roadworks section. I'll do another test from now on to the next fill-up with my usual B road antics: I'm expecting low 20's.

As a birthday present I was given a "Scare yourself Sensible" afternoon at the test track on Saturday. Here is a summary of how the afternoon went on. Everyone arrived as requested at 12.30h, but were then made to wait for half an hour at the gatehouse. Registration then went smoothly, we were split into two groups of about 10 to 15 each and I was in the first sub-group of 3 out on the track with my instructor in the Academy Elises. This was an excellent introduction and the first time I had sat in an Elise, which was an ideal car for beginners (although I did find the brakes lacking bite after stepping out of my Evora). I think we had about 20-odd minutes each and with only 3 cars on a 2.2 mile track, everyone was able to progress at their own pace (only 2 customers had driven here before) and the instructor provided constant advice, so that everyone was lapping much quicker by the end of their stint. Then it was back to the clubhouse to wait for the others in our group to finish, prior to taking our turn on the factory tour. I don't know what it was about the building, but there seemed to be far more flies buzzing around inside than outside! The promised light refreshments turned out to be a limited supply of bourbon, custard cream and malted milk biscuits, washed down with fruit juice or tea/coffee. I would recommend that everyone brings a packed lunch with them and something to read whilst waiting. Eventually it was our group's turn for the factory tour. This was also excellent and very informative. Interesting points to note is that they aim to make 12 cars per day (1 every 43 minutes) and only run the production line Monday - Thursday. Fridays and Saturdays (if necessary) are used for tidying up loose ends. Maybe this is a Quality Department policy to ensure no-one gets a shoddy "Friday car"! Last week they produced 43 cars. The Exige is going well, but the Evora and Elise (in particular) have tailed off, so from those max. 12 cars per day, only about 2 of them are now Elises, with many of those being ordered by track day companies, rather than private individuals. Maybe this is where Lotus should focus its next product move? There were quite a few almost finished cars awaiting delivery of the correct wheels from their supplier. Lotus bonnet badges also seemed to be rather thin on the ground! The claimed production time is 6 - 8 weeks from dealer order, but I get the impression this is wishful thinking, even for an Elise! Many of the cars were benefitting from optional Lotus Motorsport tweaks. Then it was back to the clubhouse to await a demo ride with an instructor. Needless to say the passenger ride was awesome and helped put everyone back in their rightful places as regards their own driving skills! We then said farewell and set off home at 17.00h. In summary: the activities and staff were all brilliant, and it was generally good value for money, but be prepared for some waiting around. 8/10.

Hope she paid for a new wing mirror. Minor Vancouver women's bike race gets a Lamborghini. Tour de France gets a Skoda...

£80K is a lot of money for an Evora. What's a Sports Racer S? £65K? Still 20 units ensures exclusivity and it will probably appeal to Eastern markets.

Was there not another quest involved? That of rebuilding the mythical Castle of Camelot, in which Dany would start a dynasty of elves to rule the House of Lotus for all eternity.

The Lotus Carlton story in the current issue of Octane quotes a Lotus engineer about the development of that particular engine: "Sometimes we had them running for two or three hundred hours at peak power. The chargecooler put out enough heat for the average English house" Considering the top speed was 177mph, that equates to driving a theoretical distance of up to 53,000 miles at full whack! This would have been 25 years ago.

There's a quick clip on the BBC programmes website about "Question of Sport Super Saturday" being broadcast tomorrow. It includes Messrs Dawson & Tufnell attempting to skid/park an Elise. Also an Exige & Evora S in the background. All presented by dishy Blue Peter lass Helen Skelton.

Good job they didn't use this year's car: no-one would have been impressed by the sound of that. Anyway I remember going to Regents Street in July 2004, when there were plenty of very loud F1 cars zooming up and down, so I don't need to just imagine it, thank you.