B&C Evora 400 launch event & trackday at Goodwood

[Bibs]

On Wednesday 23rd Sept Bell & Colvill will be taking the Evora 400 to Goodwood Motor Circuit and you can head along and experience the car on track. There's also a trackday (£290 full day or £160 for an AM or PM session). Lunch will be provided.

If you'd like to attend, please contact Maxine on 01483 286456 or mayling@bellandcolvill.com

[The Pits]

Aaaargh! My driveway still isn't finished, not sure I'll be able to get my car out by Wednesday. Brand new Avon ZZRs to try out too. The agony!

[Arun_D]

Damn it! Doubt I'd be able to get off work for this Wednesday. Shame, being only half an hour away. Would love to sample the 400 at what is my regular haunt.

[Bibs]

You were looking a little peaky at the weekend mate, perhaps you need a day off to rest!

[beak]

Emailed Maxine

 

What time is stuff happening, will pop down after the school run..

[Bibs]

9am to 4pm, I'll check what times the briefings are...

[The Pits]

Usually 8.30am for the drivers briefing.

[superdavelotus]

Hi Bibs,

Does one get to drive this car on the track or is it a passenger ride?

Regards,

David

[Bibs]

Bit of both I believe.

[The Pits]

Booked!

Looking forward to it. Weather's looking promising.

[auRouge]

Gutted I couldn't go..

Have you posted somewhere else on this event yet Bibs? Any photos or video's?!

So what's the verdict? How did it feel over and above the Mk1 Evora's on track? 

Really annoyed I couldn't go ?, memories of my old Evora at Goodwood still fresh from last summer.. That was bloody good, how much more exciting is the new one?!!

Edited September 24, 2015 by auRouge
Typo

[theelanman]

who went and how was it?......

Im going to try to get to my dealer and see if I can borrow one.......lol.....(for as long as possible.....)

[The Pits]

This isn't going to help those who couldn't make it but it was an unbelievable day. Perfect weather, almost no-one on track, lengthy road and track tests in the Evora 400.

I took quite a bit of video (which will take quite a bit of editing) but will post it here in due course.

I have to say I think the Evora 400 is a massive achievement for Lotus. Like many here I was a bit lukewarm about it going by the motorshow launch pictures. The 400 is a really special road car, everything I've always liked about the Evora is still there only all the dials have been turned up a few notches. It sounds more exotic (and much louder!) than before, it's a little firmer (but never remotely harsh), it's even more eager to turn and has more venom above 5k rpm than before. But the noise! The noise is epic to the point of being ridiculous. You could win a rev battle with a Tubi Gallardo in this car! Fortunately you can return it to a serene mileater at the push of a button but as the exhaust valve opens above 5krpm on full throttle it was tripping the noise meter at Goodwood all day. You could hear it for a full lap!

On track it was very capable, fiendishly so for the comfort on offer. But perhaps unfairly it suffered in direct comparison to the V6 Cup which felt tiny, noisy, edgy but savagely quick everywhere around Goodwood. To be fair we were also restricted to 'Tour' mode (see DPM article ) on track which blunted it somewhat - peak power is 7k rpm, Tour cuts out at 6500rpm and TC was intervening everywhere, even on the back straight.

The things that have stayed with me this morning are the noise, in some ways Ferrari-esque in the mid-ranges but ultimately a distinctive and glorious noise all of its own. It sounds nothing like an Exige or Evora S either.  The near gear linkage is a massive improvement, it really is rifle bolt precise and mechanical now. I know people complain about the gearbox and I have driven Evoras with sloppy gearboxes (I've driven much nicer ones too) but both of the 400s I drove yesterday had exemplary gearshifts. Seriously, the press haven't done the car justice on this area at all. There's a real polish to the car that doesn't square with the likely resources available. It feels very thoroughly developed. The control weights are all beautifully balanced, heel and toe was second nature on the track, there's great progression to the brakes and immense power. The new brakes are titanic!

If you missed out yesterday, go and book a test drive asap. Awesome car.

An Exige with that powertrain is going to be intense, as for the 311, with another 50bhp on top, that's going to be positively terrifying!

 

[Bibs]

Brrrm! Evora 400 flat out around Goodwood :D

Posted by

The Lotus Forums

on 

Wednesday, 23 September 2015

[theelanman]

Jonny....

great stuff..........thanks!!!

(I hate you.............lol)

I wish I could have been there.......sounds awesome.....

cheers

G

[auRouge]

What a noise!

From the description above the Evora we all want. Gearshift is a relief, I like the sound of a "rifle bolt" action! 

So here we have it, an everyday super fast, great looking, stylish British sports car that doesn't lie about its emissions?!! 

(Gutted I wasn't able to make it Bibs but you'll be glad to know I didn't crash the A320 today?)

[Bibs]

We all saw you try with it's big brother! 

 

[auRouge]

We all saw you try with it's big brother! 

 

??

one of the items was demonstrating a 38kt X-Wind landing.. Ezy!? I like to think of my A320 as the Elise version of the Airbus family!