Lotus Evora 400

[Vulcan Grey]

Thanks for looking into it Bibs.

[ByJoveByJingle]

Love that battleship grey color! Interior needs a bright treatment though . . . venom red?

[ByJoveByJingle]

Has this been on yet?

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aT4vTMwncU

I just find it really strange that the main criticism across multiple venues and reviewers is that . . . it's not a Porsche. Well, yes. That's why it says Lotus on the back. It's never going to be a Porsche, so how about evaluating it on its merits even if you use Porsche as a benchmark?

[brightoncorgi]

Love that battleship grey color! Interior needs a bright treatment though . . . venom red?

 

I'd go with tan/cognac interior.

[NedaSay]

Love that battleship grey color! Interior needs a bright treatment though . . . venom red?

What about tan interior?

[ByJoveByJingle]

What about tan interior?

  

I'd go with tan/cognac interior.

Brilliant minds, and all that? Tan would work, I think. I wish they would have contrasting stitching for the cognac.

[NedaSay]

I'm pretty sure that they will bring back the contrast stitching before soon as part of a personalization program à la Jaguar Q. or McLaren MSO. this kind of personalization program doesn't cost much and brings buckets of money.

[Michadams]

Nice review from Xcar

 

Edited July 30, 2015 by Michadams

[Bibs]

That's been posted in the 'Evora 400 Reviews & Videos' thread already

 

http://www.thelotusforums.com/forums/topic/76203-evora-400-reviews-videos/

[Mark Blanchard]

I'd love to see a Lotus Evora 400 GTE.  All the benefits of the 400 with the GTE wider body and front end.  Go on Lotus, do it!!

[DaveC72]

So do we have definitive dates the 400 is hitting anyone's dealer yet?

[Gm77]

Dave, I understand a 400 will be at Bell & Colvill tomorrow, although drives wont be possible as it isn't a demonstrator

[Gravel]

Doesn't it work like Argos - buy it, take it home, play with it for 13.5 days and bring it back for a full refund? Not sure they'd have a carrier big enough, so they might have to tape it up for you...

[Stuno1]

Liked that video review. Not sure mentioning lotus going belly is is still relevant?

[NedaSay]

I'd love to see a Lotus Evora 400 GTE.  All the benefits of the 400 with the GTE wider body and front end.  Go on Lotus, do it!!

 

I think it will come, albeit with a different name, Lotus seems to be reverting to a combo of numbers and letter  since JMG took over: "220 Cup", GT350". So i'm guessing will get a "4XX S" version first, I don't think it will be "450 S" - even though from N/A to S the differential was actually 70bhp so a 50 bhp differential fro base to S would not be irrational.

 

After that, a full blown "450 GT" or "GT450" with carbon fiber galore:  carbon fiber front and rear bumpers,  carbon fiber side skirt, front splinter and rear wing, lightweight probax seats and no rear seat, Lightweight Braille battery and a weight around 1300kg. 

 

Priced much much closer to £90-100k because that kind of kit commands that kind of big cheque.

 

 

Now could somebody at lotus realize that they need to put the price of the 400!! I mean the price is no longer TBA ... Or is it!?

Edited July 31, 2015 by NedaSay

[NedaSay]

So after reading all the reviews the Evora 400 weaknesses (or points of future improvements) are the few old Ford bits (side mirrors toggles, window washers toggles, indicators toggles ) and the ICE head unit and to a lesser extent the gearbox which as Jethro Bovingdon :
 

It lacks the smooth fluidity of a Cayman’s ‘box but then so does pretty much everything on the planet.

 

 .... And I trust JMG and the Lotus crew are going to address most of these in the next few months. Oh and from Lotus cars own twitter feed: 

 

The Evora 400 has set a new lap time around Hethel: 1:30.8 seconds. The weight now is just 1395 kg. LIGHT IS RIGHT!  

Edited July 31, 2015 by NedaSay

[Stuno1]

Is the interior that much better than the MY2012? Ergonomics and dash etc I can understand but are the materials and build quality that much more superior?

[TBD]

Lotus need to talk to Getrag and see if they can source their dual clutch gearbox. Then they should talk to Parrot to source their ICE.

 

Two rather low-invest options to dramitcally improve on the current weak spots.

[internets]

At the Bell & Colvill open day driven by Scott Walker

[NedaSay]

I think that the fittings have been improved a lot and overall perception is everything, so with better ergonomics all around...  Bibs can give us few pointers I believe.

[NedaSay]

Lotus need to talk to Getrag and see if they can source their dual clutch gearbox. Then they should talk to Parrot to source their ICE.

 

Two rather low-invest options to dramitcally improve on the current weak spots.

 

I wonder if these options are low invest though. Pretty sure the Getrag DCT units are pricey... But after all Lotus is optioning the Automatic version at 2k. I think Lotus could pass on to customer the full cost of the DCT minus the cost of fine tuning the gearbox to the engine. Clients would probably not even raise an eyebrow or would they.

 

Here are the info on the gearbox TBD and I keep talking (revving in my case) about it's the Getrag 7DCT500: http://www.getrag.com/media/products/powershift/7dct500/7DCT500.pdf

 

It weighs 81kg so not much more than the current AISIN AWF6F45 or even the newer AWF8F45 and more importantly will cope with 560nm.

 

Getrag also has a manual gearbox that could fit the bill and definitely deal with the shortcomings of the current unit it is the 6MTT480 :

http://www.getrag.com/media/products/manualshift/6mtt450/GET05025_6MTT450.pdf 

 

It's the Audi RS3 manual option... it weighs 52kg is good for 480 nm, can be fitted for AWD application - Lotus SUV ready.  

 

 

 

As for the head Unit Parrot list of client is getting longer and longer but the RNB6 aftermarket head unit is still not in production as it seems they are focussing on making B to B deals with the likes of Volvo and McLaren.

Edited August 1, 2015 by NedaSay

[Al]

Amazing how that car has a yellow front end and an orange back end.  The power of digital photography to excite and confuse.  In any event looks great. 

[Stuno1]

I think that the fittings have been improved a lot and overall perception is everything, so with better ergonomics all around...  Bibs can give us few pointers I believe.

Bibs - I'd be interested to hear your view on this.

[Bibs]

It's all in my review

[Mark Blanchard]

Regarding the 400, does Lotus Cars read the Pistonheads reviews, TFL reviews and TFL members thoughts and take note?