New TTRS and new Cayman S, have Lotus missed the boat ?

[catmando]

The new Cayman S has 320BHp a LSD, is lighter, and early tests have it at 10.6 to 100MPh. cost 43k + options

Mags are raving about it and some even say "maybe the best sports car ever made"

OK you want 4 seats, the New 43k 340Bhp TTRS fits in there and no doubt will be fast as fook and be 200% nicer than the evora inside and easy to get in. A mini R8 :up

Then ofcouse the base 911 with 340Bhp maybe the perfect GT car.

Evora will be 1400Kg i guess and only have 285Bhp but still cost move than some of the above with options.

Have Lotus made a boo boo in this now very strong market sector?

Please it's not a troll post as such, but a true worry that in this Climate Lotus have fooked up again with to little to late.

I for one don't want to see Lotus go under but think they should ditch the 285 Bhp car and release the 320Bhp NA car to save face becasue if it goes up in a mag v the 3 cars above its going to prob lose.

Edited February 24, 2009 by catmando

[alan]

The new Cayman S and TTRS are good cars and I am sure some magazines will compare them with the Evora.

On the other hand its a bit unfair to say Lotus may have missed the boat before the final specifications or pricing have been announced. Lotus know a thing or two about handling and have a tradition on producing cars that have less power than the competiton but perform better.

There are also issues of looks and branding when it comes to these sorts of car. I suspect for many potential Lotus owners Porsche and Audi are not tempting options even if they are faster or cheaper. (Did I just hear someone say "hairdressers cars" )

Alan

[Bibs]

You also have to factor in brand loyalty, some people just like to have a Lotus would you believe!

I don't care if Audi bring out an R100 with super dooper everything, I like Lotus cars and would rather have one in the garage than an Audi ta and I'm not the only one. There are even people with Caymans who say they don't care what Lotus bring out, I'm sure you get my point.

[pfoster@fiberbyte.com]

For me, having owned an older 911 a while back, Porsche designers are just lazy. They havent come up with anything new in decades. They are also victims of their own success with that Porsche look everwhere. The Evora is a breath of fresh air and it's handle superbly.

I'm just wondering if these new releases will put any downward pressure on pricing for the Evora. Hey, wouldnt it be nice if Lotus gave each of us that have paid a deposit before the official price release a little loyalty discount... yeah, I know I'm dreaming.

[Tuna]

You could also buy a Subaru and tune it until it's fit to explode, and it will have higher headline figures than the Evora. Or you could buy a top of the range Mondeo, and it'll have more leather and gadgets. You could (at a push) buy a second hand Lamborghini.

Buying a car isn't really a game of Top Trumps (unless you're that kind of person). Every car has unique strengths and weaknesses and you buy the car that suits your preferences. The Evora looks like it is competitive in the market. Drivers will need to sit in it, drive it and read the reviews to make the decision whether it is the car for them.

If your only concern is how fast you can go for the money, buy an old Rover and stick a rocket up it's backside.

[TomE]

Alan, you're paying too much for a cut and blow dry if your hairdresser drives a Cayman

[AndyShep]

first thought is TROLLL BURN HIM!!!!

[catmando]

You could also buy a Subaru and tune it until it's fit to explode, and it will have higher headline figures than the Evora. Or you could buy a top of the range Mondeo, and it'll have more leather and gadgets. You could (at a push) buy a second hand Lamborghini.

Buying a car isn't really a game of Top Trumps (unless you're that kind of person). Every car has unique strengths and weaknesses and you buy the car that suits your preferences. The Evora looks like it is competitive in the market. Drivers will need to sit in it, drive it and read the reviews to make the decision whether it is the car for them.

If your only concern is how fast you can go for the money, buy an old Rover and stick a rocket up it's backside.

All the above is pointless we are talking about Top branded 43k new cars not chaved up 2nd hand or old super cars.

then to say "The Evora looks like it is competitive in the market" was my point, it does not look like it is imho,

Now if Lotus launched the 320Bhp NA one 1st than yes but atm it like flogging a model which looks 2 years out of date.

Edited February 25, 2009 by catmando

[Bibs]

David, people want different things from their cars and numbers aren't always what it's about, that's what is being explained to you.

[bolly girl]

And so endeth the bear baiting...

Numpty 0

Funsters 1

[pfoster@fiberbyte.com]

Bibs is spot on. It's not all about specs. This is just like sound systems. You cant tell a single thing about how a system plays music by looking at the specs. Often the systems with better specs have no soul, present music clinically and are completely boring to listen to.

[AndyShep]

Given Catmando's current car, I think my first suspisions were right - is it half term?

[Beady]

i think a valid point is being made here.

Lotus do have a lot of brand loyalty and i would not consider an Audi TT over an elise let alone an evora.

The cayman is also something of a red herring - my interest in the evora is because it allows me to trade up my elise for something that will also fit the boy in the back, which is not possible in a cayman.

However i suspect that the majority of buyers at this price bracket will read the reviews, take a test drive and then decide on what is the best car for them rather than going on pure loyalty.

If the magazine reviews do put the evora against the new cayman /TT / others then i hope the conclusion is that the evora handles fantastically in comparison. However i have a feeling that it may also say that it feels a bit underpowered in comparison.

Providing it handles exceptionally well then i can forgive it for not being top of the power league, but many "alpha males" in this car sector undoubtedly will think differently.

heres hoping its as good as we all believe it will be othewise the need for the extra back seats may drive many towards that 18month old 911 or even Aston Martin in this economy.

[TomE]

When I was at the factory in January, the sales folks had done some analysis on what cars the Evora deposit holders are coming across from. Majority, as you might expect, are current or former Elise/Exige/Esprit etc owners. Next largest group (15% of deposits) are coming from Aston Vantage, then Porsche 911, and have not owned a Lotus before.

Interesting that the non-Lotus owners are coming over from a mix of 2- and 2+2-seaters and cars in a higher (new) price bracket than the Evora.

[Al]

I am surprised that the Factory figures are not even more heavily weighted towards non previous Lotus owners from my experinces at the factory and at local dealer.

I myself am coming from a Boxster S ownership experience never having owned a Lotus before. However I did lust after an Esprit for many years but family got in the way when I could maybe have afforded it then once clear of the little darlings they were not young enough as discontinued so I went the sensible Porsche route. It was supposedly a bullet proof, depreciation winning fantastic driving experience. 1 out of 3 I suppose isn't bad. (Driving experience) additionally the way I have been treated as a cheapo Porsche (Only

[Fasteddie]

oo somebody has an itch. I'd like to say coming from somebody who considered both the Cayman S and a wait for the TTRS my reasons for going Lotus are many - handling and ride (and yes I know it hasn't been in the hands of anyone outside Lotus but I fully trust Lotus to bring us a car that will perform better than even the Cayman). The Evora will also be unique. Now the first point you can argue (when it gets in the hands of the press etc) however I doubt even the mighty (and I'm very serious) Cayman is going to be better, I've read the reviews I love it, in fact I almost forgave it the lack of rear seats (I would like them). The second point you can't argue 500 cars in the UK in the first year.

As for the TTRS this is a four seater in the same vain but this is a 4 wheel drive, fully blown (Turbo) heavy weight. I want rear wheel drive and on to the subject of weight. The evora strength is it's light weight - do you really think it weighs in at 1400kg, it'll be 100kg lighter than the Cayman and as for the TTRS well the TTS (with it 2.0l turbo) is 1415kg unladen, the Evora is 1350 with two passengers and a full tank of fuel.

Don't get me wrong the above mentioned cars are GREAT, but with so many TT's around and the lack of 4 seats in the Cayman I'm still happy with the choice.