The MOTHER of all spots

[simonf]

Yes its an EVORA! It must be a prototype because it was actually registered as a 57 plate! The driver was a bit cagey when he saw i had my camara out as when i pulled alongside he hit the brakes so that i couldn't get a shot!

One thing i can tell you is that it had alot of presence on the road! When i saw it from about half a mile down the road, i knew it was special - my first thought was the new Noble (not the M12 or any dirivative) but the all new one! Its about a foot wider than an Elise and about three foot longer - which is something you get from the photo!

By the way i saw it last thursday - which is wierd as they only relaesed it on tuesday at the motor show!!!

Edited July 28, 2008 by simonf

[red vtec]

Good spot.

Car manufacturers always have models on the road before they are released, they are used for shakedown tests.

We did it a lot at Ford, you also see alot of test mules, i.e older cars running different drive chains, power units etc. Before the Kuga was realised I saw a weird looking SMax, was test mule for the Kuga.

[Bibs]

Thursday was after if was released!

Lotus were very keen to be able to perform more testing sans camo once it was in the public domain so expect to see plenty more as the car is finished off over the coming months.

[Tentenths]

1. Good spot, Si.

2. You might have pulled over and cleaned your windscreen first!

[Steve1]

Stole my thunder a bit mate but on friday afternoon M25 at 13:40 between Junction 16 and 17 I glanced clockwise and spotted a black prototype that looked very familier...

[simonf]

Stole my thunder a bit mate but on friday afternoon M25 at 13:40 between Junction 16 and 17 I glanced clockwise and spotted a black prototype that looked very familier...

Steve it is amazing that i saw this one on my side of the carriageway! The good spots are ALWAYS heading in the other direction so that you don't have a chance to get your camara out and snap them!

[pauli]

well lets hope we will see a lot more on the road when she is released next year. Can`t wait to see one in the flesh, really looks a stunning vehicle and sounds like the press are on side for this one.

Top marks for the guys at Lotus, you`ve made history again.

Long live Mr Chapmans Badge.

[simonf]

If you thought that was a good spot!

This was spotted on my street! Cheekily i knocked on his door and we had a really good chat about it. It turns out he is a ride and hanfling specialist for Lotus and took it round the Nurburging! All he would say on the matter is that it put down a "very respectable time!!!"

[Glyn Harper]

That is a good spot!!

I hear they have made 12 so far.. Prototype engineering cars.

Interestingly, the one at the motor show had apparently done literally thousands of miles testing, before it was polished up for the show!

[Bibs]

To be honest Glyn I would dismiss that as an urban myth. I really can't imagine that the motor show example has ever moved further than it's trailer to the stand.

[andydclements]

I asked somebody who knows and got the answer to that question of has the Motor Show car done lots of miles.

In a way you're both right.

It has done lots of miles, but not in its current form.

It was one of the pre-production cars, just like the one SimonF spotted and others have seen, touched sat in etc, but it was then stripped and re-built with a new engine and no fuel tank (you can't have fuel in a car that goes into the Motor Show).

I don't think that info was privelidged. In fact it shows Lotus have a great philosophy on this. They displayed a road worthy, road going car on their stand, depite the model not being in full production yet, whereas many other manufacturers resort to blanking off empty engine bays and mocking up many bits.

Andy