Lotus Evora 400

[TBD]

I guess we can stop worrying about comparison to the Cayman. Seems like the facelift due next year gets a new 4-cylinder engine! OK, it may end up with similar power figures, but clearly seperates it from thee "real stuff".

 

Apparently the Cayman GT4 is too god, Porsche needs to reestablish the gap to the 911, which will remain 6-cylinder.

[Gravel]

I guess we can stop worrying about comparison to the Cayman. Seems like the facelift due next year gets a new 4-cylinder engine! OK, it may end up with similar power figures, but clearly seperates it from thee "real stuff".

Apparently the Cayman GT4 is too god, Porsche needs to reestablish the gap to the 911, which will remain 6-cylinder.

Can we be sure that the next time Lotus goes trawling through Toyota's parts bin they won't find some blown or hybrid 4's?

[TBD]

It'l be OK as long as they put them in the Elise.

[C8RKH]

It'l be OK as long as they put them in the Elise.

I wouldn't want a 4 pot in an Evora but then it hasn't done Alfa any harm with the 4C.

[Gravel]

I want the LFA V10 in anything I can afford - a lawnmower would do!

[Stubox]

I wouldn't want a 4 pot in an Evora but then it hasn't done Alfa any harm with the 4C.

Actually its a not doing very well at all... Lotus sold 4x the number of V6s so far this year. Now if they had fitted a 6 ...

[diego]

Indeed! I actually think Lotus would do extremely well at the ring. It is a rough course and suspension magic really shines there. The 400 may loose out a bit on the high speed bit at the end, but that top speed limit is a known spec. Would only cost it 2 seconds or so. If the 400 pulled a 7:05 I would be hugely impressed! !!!

 

you mean 7.50?

[Breeze]

Having driven the 'Ring a few times, I have to think it's an excellent place to develope a car. It's the most un- circuit like place that's used as a circuit. If a car is set up for the ring, it would make an excellent all round road car. The couple of high speed areas are only a small percentage of the circuit as a whole, it's more like a very twisty B road for the most part, with a very so so surface.

[C8RKH]

If that's the case Martin then why are all the Beemers and Audi's that are "developed" there such "hard riding" drives when they come to the UK?

 

I think to the be fast at the 'Ring take a specific type of set-up and that just does not always transfer well to normal roads. Cannot speak for the roads in Italy, but here in the UK they are being reclaimed by nature and turned into wagon tracks....

 

One part of the M6 near Preston has two parallel tramlines 1-2 inches deep worn out by the convoys of lorries that use it...

[The Pits]

I'm inclined to agree with Breeze here. The whole James May thing about cars developed at the 'Ring being too stiff isn't accurate. Nissan's 7.08 'Ring laptime Nismo GTR special had ridiculously expensive dampers that were set up softer and more compliant than the regular Nismo GTR.

 

Audis are stiff for loads of reasons, most German cars were until more recently. Typically you can only get a heavy car to handle well if its stiffly set up, you just can't control the mass otherwise. On top of that, I think Audi wanted to make the cars feel 'solid and reassuring' which most people associate with being 'sporty' as opposed to soft and floaty like a big american limo.

[diego]

JP what goes for the goose and all that,

 

lotus should just cheat like everyone else. ... but i certainly think the 400 will be comfortably lotus' quickest production car at the ring. its going to be far more stable than Gebhardts exige, should be pulling a higher top end on the latter parts too. if it is its a good thing to publish / celebrate. 

 

For ref... 

 

[Gm77]

Does anyone know how much the space in the rear has been improved in the 400? I need only to put two car seats in the rear which isn't really practical in the current sports racer. An extra couple of inches in width across the rear bench, and an inch or two in headroom would make the world of difference. Legroom, surprisingly, isn't the biggest constraint.

[21gg]

Im not convinced about the headroom as I dont think the base cushion is any thinner but they have removed the side bolsters to the seat base so has made it wider.

 

 

 

compared to

 

 

Gav

[hyteck9]

you mean 7.50?

yes. I did mean 7:50  actually.  LOL.    

JP what goes for the goose and all that,

 

lotus should just cheat like everyone else. ... but i certainly think the 400 will be comfortably lotus' quickest production car at the ring. its going to be far more stable than Gebhardts exige, should be pulling a higher top end on the latter parts too. if it is its a good thing to publish / celebrate. 

 

For ref... 

 

Brilliant lap!  so jelly.

[auRouge]

So, if I'm honest - and I will be with the Dealer - this is not a buy now test drive. I'm lucky that Chris at Westway is a genuine enthusiast (in my experience) and knows that he will be "bedding in" a future customer if the 400 turns out to be the belter it's shaping up to be.

When he supplied my current car he suggested that most of his customers were "two year" owners. That might not be us all on here... but I can see his logic.

I have oscillated massively over certain aspects of the 400s look and I think will only know for sure when I see the damn thing in the plastic. For now - I'm smitten.

Totally agree D. I'm in the same boat. Almost ready in my mind to buy an S but have decided to wait for the 400... Let's see it in the flesh, have they really sorted the quality and transmission.

[Gm77]

"Im not convinced about the headroom as I dont think the base cushion is any thinner but they have removed the side bolsters to the seat base so has made it wider."

Thanks Gav.

Greg

[Arregueti]

I just came across this (not that I was looking for it or planning to change mine... :-) ) and I thought I would share for those of you without nails and willing to spend some spare time configurating your Evora 400

 

http://lotus-am-ring.de/konfigurator.php

 

Hopefully the official one in Lotus' website will show the same results shortly. :-)

 

Jorge

[C8RKH]

OH MY god Jorge why did you have to post that link!  I got as far as this and then needed to go and change my trousers!!!  Though I do hope we lose those stupid North American reflector thingies on the front wings...

[Arregueti]

Well, Andy, your post should be censored, too. That looks amazing!

[brightoncorgi]

Im not convinced about the headroom as I dont think the base cushion is any thinner but they have removed the side bolsters to the seat base so has made it wider.

 

 

 

My dog will like this back seat a little more.  Doesn't look as elegant or exotic as the previous design; more like what Porsche does on the 911....

Edited June 1, 2015 by brightoncorgi

[Al]

I have asked about the "Federal" or correctly termed "those stupid North American reflector thingies on the front wings" and been told that all regions are getting them as the body is formed for them and not as presently glued on as an afterthought.  The bad news is they are also behind the rear wheels and look equally hideous.  

 

I also would love to see the LOTUS letters on dash top be removed as tacky in the extreme and when I enquired if could be a delete item initial indications were possibly not, as material formed round them or something......  As nobody who saw them in our large group liked them I can't believe that the feedback hasn't reached the powers that be.

 

​That is the first time I have seen the car in any colour other than that hideous Geneva Show silver and it is stunning.  Damn you! I was convincing myself I didn't like the new shape and wouldn't be upgrading.  Damn, damn and damn.      &   That's car porn. (where did you find that rendition?) 

 

​I think that the seats look considerably better than the present ones although possibly less comfortable and the good news is it looks like when loading them up with everything but human cargo as I do a lot, they are also a better shape to accept cabin bags etc. as flatter and squarer.

[C8RKH]

Why oh why would they do that with the reflector thingies??? They are ugly, hideous and a complete waste of time.

They are soooo bad they deserve to be stick on thingies and the Americans deserve them spoiling THEIR cars for being so namby pamby....

Mr Chapman would not have approved in my very humble, and not so important, point of view.

Al - if you click on Jorge's link above my post you will see the pornfigurator. You can see yellow, red, blue, green ones and even select the black pack. I positively went weak at the knees then raged at the reflectors.....

For what it is worth I agree re the Lotus letters on the dashboard, looks really tacky, but unlike post above I think the rear seats look superb and much better than the 911 ones.

[ramjet]

I ave seen modified cars in the US that don't appear to retain the reflectors, so how does that work?

They only have to be there on new vehicles?

[2011 Chrome Orange]

Well, this namby pamby American ordered my car in CO so "the stupid North American reflector thingies on my front wings" don't spoil it as much as the faulty British wiring connectors that go to them do.

Edited June 1, 2015 by 2011 Chrome Orange

[brightoncorgi]

I also would love to see the LOTUS letters on dash top be removed as tacky in the extreme and when I enquired if could be a delete item initial indications were possibly not, as material formed round them or something......  As nobody who saw them in our large group liked them I can't believe that the feedback hasn't reached the powers that be.

 

Is there anyone reading this thread that likes the LOTUS lettering on the dash?  How many would opt to have as a delete option or just deleted and forgotten?  The rest of the interior is nice looking.  Much nicer gauges, but I would've much preferred an LCD type of display.

Edited June 2, 2015 by brightoncorgi