First look of Motorshow Evora

[TomE]

As mentioned by a couple of people already, the Motor Show Evora is doing the rounds of the dealers over the coming weeks. Some of you have already had invitations (thanks Scott & Richard!). I believe these are largely being run as invitation-only events, so I'm not inclined to publish a schedule on here to save our dealers from uninvited gatecrashers. But if you want to take part in one of these events, now is the time to be contacting your local dealer as they'll only have it for a day. If they aren't having the car themselves, they should know which is the next nearest dealer that'll be getting the car. Should include a chance to get close to the car, sit in it and talk to some of the Hethel project team.

Oh, and if you go, don't forget to tell everyone about the Evora Forum (I have EF business cards if anyone wants to hand any out - just PM me your address and which dealer session you're attending)

[paul_barrett59@hotmail.com]

Hmm...That reminds me, I've heard nothing from Christopher Neil's about the car doing the rounds - I'll drop them a line.

Anyone else have a deposit down with them?

[alan]

Just returned from a short stay in Scotland to find my invite has arrived in the post to see the Evora at Stratton in Norfolk on the 12th Sept. Just need to check if I can bring a ankle biter with me to see if they will fit in the back.

I guess it must be on its way back to Hethel for the show at the weekend. Now rather tempted to stay overnight for the weekend of the 60th bash.

BTW as mentioned just back from Scotland where I was lucky enough to sail a friends boat through loch ness and then stay in Castle Stuart for the night with the other half. If you are ever in the Inverness area with your "significant other" its worth splashing out on - http://www.castlestuart.com/

Alan

[Bibs]

There are still some LEF discounted rooms at Dunston Hall on the Friday night I believe Alan

[Allan Gibbs]

For those in the U.S., the Evora will be making around at U.S. dealerships after the LA auto.

See post #3:

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f170/evora...07/#post1086188

[TomE]

That's excellent news - showing the car at the Auto Show and getting it round dealers for an "invited customers only" hands-on session should help to generate some buzz in the US.

I wonder what they've got planned for the Auto Show stand - something technical but a bit drab, PR stunts and a celebrity tie-in, or dry ice and girls in short skirts .... or all three?

[Allan Gibbs]

Perhap an appearance from Men Without Hats and People Without Faces.

[paul_barrett59@hotmail.com]

Cool, I'm off to see the car next Tuesday! I'll give a full - and probably tedious - rundown when I get back!

[scott]

Indeed, our invitations have gone out too.

Further to these invites, should anyone enjoying this forum and have interest in seeing the car, find themselves in the vicinity of Surrey, it will be in Bell & Colvill's showrooms on Wednesday 10th September. You'd be most welcome to come in and have a look.

The car will be here from 16.00 hours until 19.00 hours for general viewing only. We have a presentation to make to our customers who have bought one - this is running from 19.30 hours to 22.00 hours.

One night only.........we can't wait.

ATB

Scott.

[yztop]

Hmm...That reminds me, I've heard nothing from Christopher Neil's about the car doing the rounds - I'll drop them a line.

Anyone else have a deposit down with them?

Yep

They asked me today.

Didnt actually see it today.

[Graeme]

Further to Scott's note above, we have the Evora in our Murray Motor Company (Edinburgh) showroom on Monday 8th September (it's starting with ourselves then working its way south; I think four dealers nationally are getting the car). Again, a similar format; the car (should!) be in our showroom for open viewing from around 4.30pm, and we have invited guests from 7.30pm (those who have ordered the car or plan to pay deposits subject to seeing Evora in the flesh). All who are in the area are more than welcome to come and view from 4.30-7.00; I believe the next dealer south to get the car is JCT Leeds, so anyone in the far north of England may find it quicker to come up here!

Cheers, Graeme

[ads_green]

Yep

They asked me today.

Didnt actually see it today.

ditto - got a text invite.

[hedgerley]

Thats perfect for me Graeme - I have to fly back to London late Monday evening. I'll be there for the general viewing session. Look forward to it.

[Guest EBORA]

Peter Smith Sports Cars, Hatton, Derbyshire will have the motorshow Lotus Avora on Wednesday 3rd September!

[Guest EBORA]

I Had an oppurtunity of seeing the Evora in the flesh for the first time today down at Peter Smiths in Hatton.As I pulled up in my Esprit I could see that the dealer went to great lengths to display the car properly. They had only moved 5/6 cars out of the main showroom (which insidently was specifically built in 1999 to house the M250 models) and re-arranged the dealership!

I had the whole showroom to myself and was able to take a number of photos while wearing a cheshire cat grin Around the car were various colour charts and official photos together with 4 driver seats upholstered with different colour leathers.

The Evora looked a quality product with nice details and quality finishing. . The indicators embedded in the headlights was a nice touch and I pressume the wing mirrors will incorporate the indicators as the show car has no indicators down the sides.

The interior was huge in comparison to an elise and definitely bigger than my Esprit, sadly the car was a LHD so i was unable to check the gear shift in 5th and 6th. I am 6ft 3 and in the elise and europa my knee has been sandwiched in the past between the steering wheel and gear stick.

For the first time ever in a lotus, I had to adjust the seat forwards to sit in the perfect driving position and I must have had a gap of 2 inches above my head!!

The combination of leather, brushed alluminium and uncluttered dash made the interior a pleasant sporty capsule. Slightly off putting were the pedals which were offset to the right, maybe the RHD version will be different. Passenger seat comfort was like a dentist chair which obviously made the rear seats non existant but if the front seats are moved forward then children are able to slide in the back.

The real thing does look good, it does not have the elise snout as seen in Autocar magazine but I thought the rear wings over the wheels looked too beefy from certain angles.

I just can't wait to drive one now!

[Bibs]

Nice one Bo, I'm looking forward to seeing it myself in more detail in a few days

[Guest EBORA]

Was about to post some pics but just realised that I have left my camera somewhere! Bugger!!

I'm already counting the days to the Hethel meet when we can see it again.

[TomE]

In the words of the chocolate ad "Monsieur, with zis write up you are really spoiling us"

I'm looking forward to next week's session even more now - nice to hear it's being well presented, including the colour charts and leather options.

No doubt several of us will be communing with the car again up at Hethel at the 60th and we'll keep bumping into each other there and at the tech talks with the Evora design team.

[neal]

Hi Guys

Have been watching developments on the Evora with great interest and went to the London Motorshow specifically to see it.

I've owned 5 Lotus cars and purchased my very first one from Peter Smiths Sports Cars in 1990 - From that date you might have guessed - it was an Elan M100. Since then I had an Esprit another couple of Elans including the S2 and finally an Elise Type 49, so you could say I'm a bit of a Lotus fan !.

As kids came along the Lotus unfortunately had to go and I've been waiting ever since for Lotus to produce something like the Evora, so I am particularly interested to see what the rear space is like. When at the motorshow, one of the dealer guys I spoke to said he had sat in the back with comfort - but was the driver in a comfortable position as well - I don't know. So I'm looking forward to hearing a review from someone who is going to sit in the back - are they letting you sit in the back of these show cars ?

[TomE]

So I'm looking forward to hearing a review from someone who is going to sit in the back - are they letting you sit in the back of these show cars ?

It's my understanding that the private, invitation-only dealer sessions include being able to sit in the car. I'm keenly interested in the rear seat space too, so will be hoping to set the driver's seat for an average height driver and then see what the rear space is like. Hopefully I'll get some pics of this experiment as well as a write up!

[Guest EBORA]

I sat in the drivers seat and the passenger seat where I was able to adjust fore and aft and rake. I totally dismissed sitting in the back being 6ft 3" tall. Having moved the drivers seat forward, a gap was created to fit some legs albeit thin ones! I did notice that the roof had recessed holes so that headroom in the back was increased.

I'm not sure whether Peter Smith had an invitation-only/private session but I had no issues in checking the car out during normal openning hours. I wish now that I had turned the key and illuminated the dials!

Edited September 4, 2008 by EBORA

[Fasteddie]

Nice

I'm still keen to know why Lotus selected the Toyota engine over it's stablemate. Not sure which one it is they did go for but it wasn't the one that appeared in Wards 10 best engines for 06, 07 and 08.

If anybody gets the chance to ask someone from the Engineering team, the question to ask is why have they not gone for the Toyota 2GR-FSE version, it is a 3.5l V6 same as the selected one but different injection system, ie it adds direct injection to the standard port injection. Standard BHP is already over 300.

I just don't get it?

I know this has been mentioned before but surely it's madness not to use this engine, oh and by the way the emmisions look lower too.

[vernasca]

If the 2GR-FSE is one from the Lexus IS300 then it is designed for a longitudinal installation so it's gearbox is inline whereas in the Evora the installation is transverse - I believe the transverse gearbox won't mate with the longitudinal V6.

[Allan Gibbs]

Thanks for the photos. You won't happen to have any of the interior? One other reason please, could we have a full size photo of your avatar. With you being 6ft 3, it's a good reference of the Evora's height.

[Guest EBORA]

Thanks for the photos. You won't happen to have any of the interior? One other reason please, could we have a full size photo of your avatar. With you being 6ft 3, it's a good reference of the Evora's height.

Hi Allan, No I didn't take any interior shots, I was a little cautious but I do know that a pistonheads forum has plenty of interior shots .

I just want to reiterate that the cabin was spacious for a lotus, especially the headroom.

Edited September 9, 2008 by EBORA