Evora Sport 410

[Bibs]

Very nice Ricky and welcome to TLF! 

Do you know @phenoyz, he's in the Philippines with a Lotus too! I can't imagine there are that many owners. 

[Rainmaker]

They’ve sold a lot of the Elises followed by the Exige. They brought in 5 400s and this one 410. The dealer has 2 more 400s, returned for fueling issues. Something about incompatibility with 100 RON fuel (93 RON+MON/2 equivalent). They’re advising me to load up with Shell V Power Instead...but that has 10 or 15% ethanol. 

No I haven’t met Phenoyz I don’t think. 

[The Pits]

Looks great in silver, haven't seen one in that colour yet, might be the only one! Congrats! 

[C8RKH]

Red Interior too.   Hmmmmmmm, yummy or what. Pics please of the interior....

[Rainmaker]

Here you go:

 

Would’ve preferred that the dealer had spec’d the black interior with yellow accents though. 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 13, 2018 by Rainmaker

[SFO]

stunning interior 😍

[The Pits]

Wow, really unique spec, never seen one like that. Dealer really went for it! 

[scotty435]

Red Carbon buckets look stunning 

[Babas89]

The red interior is awesome

I think they like Daytona blue on swizerland 

Twins 

[mdavies]

Ricky, re your comment on "all that wasted space on either side of the seat! ",  it's not only the space, but the wholly unacceptable and naff-beyond-belief uncovered seat mounting rails, protruding bolts and all!  And what does the car cost?

But the fix is simple - and potentially useful.   My own 410 - in due course, hopefully - will have made-to-measure black or carpet-coloured plastic trays on each side in those spaces. The inner vertical side of the tray will have a horizontal side piece extending over the mounting rails. The rail, or its protrusions, will locate fixings on the side of the tray - it must be immovable when fitted, but removable. Perhaps lined with carpet-matching fuzzy felt. Negligible weight and trivial cost.

The seats will look more part of the car, and the trays will make up for the lack of door card stowage.

Disgraceful of Lotus not to have finished their creation themselves. 

[Rainmaker]

Where are you having it made? Third party?

I’m toying with the idea of the GT430 seats (the carbon backed Sparcos?) or the B5 from Tillett.  Or both. I’ll just swap in the Tillett’s for track days. The folding seats will allow me to actually use the storage in the back. As it is I can only load stuff piecemeal.

[C8RKH]

7 hours ago, mdavies said:

 

Disgraceful of Lotus not to have finished their creation themselves. 

Wow. Bit strong that and  I am assuming just your point of view.

I do think it depends, as ever, on your personal outlook. I'll share mine then.

I'm a lardy fat bastard and my "arse is as wide as a small country" so the logical choice for me would maybe have been an R8 with its big National Express drivers coach seats ( a prize for the band and song referenced there so elegantly 🤣 ).  But actually I like the carbon seats in the Sport 410. I like that they are small and dainty. Never even thought about the exposed runners. Had noticed them but never seen them as an issue.  To me the Sport 410 is the equivalent of Kylie Minogue. Light. Nimble. Agile. Desirable. Focused. Nice but with a hint of oh so naughty. Dangerous even ( for an old out of condition bloke like me).  Who cares if you see the bones occasionally. It all works wonderfully!

A quick first drive over my known, quiet, local roads at the weekend confirmed to me just what a machine the 410 is. Turn in was disoncertingly sharp after the S1 NA. The amount of grip staggering. And the way it felt so tight and stiff, yet still managed to float over our crap roads was just sublime. Oh, and in 4th gear and only using up to 4k revs on a windy A road she gathers pace so quickly...

I like the fact I have no door pockets. 2 things less to clean out, to fill with shite, tissues, chewing gum whatever etc.  I like the fact it has no cup holders. It means if I want a coffee or a drink I need to stop. But then that gives me the chance to get out of the car and just look at it. Smile. And relish the fact that everyone else is looking at it, then me, and saying "lucky fat bastard" as their missus ushers them and their lovely little snotty bio hazards into the shite green Renault Scenic or something similar that she insisted he buy as it had big wide comfy seats, pockets at the side, door bins for shitey nappies and wet wipes oh, and a nice centre console for the bag of giant mint imperials she so gracefully bought him to make the driving more pleasurable. And because well, errr, it is just so sensible.

So @mdavies. To me. The 410's interior form is far, far, far from disgraceful. Focused. Functional. Sharp (especially when you trap your finger under the seat release bar and the runner - ouch!). Yes! It suits what I wanted and hoped the car would be when I bought it unseen and having not been in a 400 or 410 before - a more raw and focused Evora.  If I wanted a better GT car, I'd have bought a 400 with the centre console cup holders and arm rest, and the door pockets to store my latest copy of GQ / Mens Health and the associated grooming products.  It would have given me wider, softer seats for my big arse. But then that is well padded anyway and the satisfying suction noise when I jam my butt cheeks into that carbon base would be no more. No chance of me sliding around in that seat!  Oh, and in that drive on Sunday I found out that as well as the luxurious glovebox it has a nifty little slot under the dash on the drivers side. I can get a packet of wet wipes ( I need to stop thinking about Kylie ) or even my phone it. Hoorah. Focused AND practical. The Sport 410 really is a practical classic!

So. You think the seats/runners are disgraceful. I think they are wonderful. Horses for courses. Maybe you should consider a 400 and a KT430 upgrade! 😲

[mdavies]

A DIY job I expect, Ricky!   (Made similar for previous Elises, Exiges and a Zenos.)  Very probably based on a standard plastic box - dozens of types sold in dedicated shops. Some cutting/shaping of course, but covered over in felt, so that's ok.  Fixing bits glued on side.

For an order of maybe several hundred I expect the basic form could be blow-moulded, but not cost effective for a few, and RHS/LHS differ too.

If you would sponsor a pro job, I'll buy a pair ahead of the car! Should have said that your car looks marvellous, by the way!  Reinforces my intent!

[mdavies]

Andy, no not the interior!  Just the exposure of those runners - all I referred to!  And left empty - as you would, then - how many grams of weight added by the trays are you concerned about? 

 

[C8RKH]

I was referring to the runners and your "desire" to fill all that space with trinket trays etc.

At worst, I was taking the piss!   hahahaha............................................................................

The runners are just not a problem to me. It is what the car is all about. A more focused 400.  Horses for courses as I said.  

Go and look in an Audi R8, or other "sports cars" from Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Maserati, etc.  Their interiors are overstuffed with seats that look like they came out of a private jet. Heated this, air con that, in-built massages - pah. Really. Nothing to do with the drive and just shows the drivers don't care about the driving, just the badge on the front.

I might be in the minority. But I honestly believe less is more with the 410.  Even cut a piece of "rubber" to fit over the carbon fibre hatch louvres so when I washed the car I wasn't spraying soap and water all over the engine below.  Yes, a pain in the arse to some. To me, all part of the rawness and the ownership experience. As is the leaky drivers door window seal!  I forgive it. Every time I get in and start it up and drive it. I forgive it everything. And more.

However, and this is a biggie - the exhaust noise so far is NOT as good as my NA with 2bulars headers and the Lotus titanium tipped sports exhaust. Hoping that once the run-in period is over the 410 will improve.  The pops and gurgles on the over run just not as good the old car. Yet (I hope).  Might be because Silverstone specc'd my car with the NVH kit - I might need to rip it out and save several grams in the process of getting more noise!!!!!  

[The Pits]

If I had such a strong negative reaction to the seats I would skip the 410 entirely and be very happy with a 400. The carbon seats save nearly 20kg on their own. For those that couldn't care less, again, Evora 400 is a better choice.

Sounds to me like that Fire Red 410 has found an ideal owner. The assumption that the 410 is just better than a 400 is incorrect. It's much better for some but not for everyone. It was for me. It was the car that got me into an Evora.

I love the carbon seats and I like the gaps in there too, they look and feel more motorsport I wouldn't swap them for Sparcos personally but each to their own, we are all different shapes and sizes.

[C8RKH]

16 minutes ago, The Pits said:

we are all different shapes and sizes.

Said by a typical bloody skinny git!    hahahahaha. 

Yup for me, the 410 is more raw. So if it looks a little less finished around the seats, then so what.  The 400 is more civilised. Both great cars (as is the S1 in NA and S - you never forget your first love....) and neither "better" than the other. Just different.

[mdavies]

Ricky/Andy, been distracted by worrying over your potential concerns re DIY/car-clutter, so the simplest practicable cover-up of Lotus' shame could be as follows. (Regrettably no 410 handy at the moment so no dimensions or detail.)

Get a large plastic box (food/picnic etc) and cut it to leave a long L-section with one boxed-in end.  A vertical side to sit against the side sill of the car, the horizontal to bridge across from the sill to sit on top to the offending seat runner, with glued-on whatevers beneath the horizontal to locate on the runner's protrusions. The front end will be closed off, the rear open but hidden.  Velcro between the vertical side and the sill. Cover in black stick-on fuzzy felt.  Sit back and view with pride.  Then curse you have to do it again - in a mirror - for the benefit of the passenger.

Perhaps better if the top has a slope?  Then slit the front end away from the top, immerse in very hot water and bend to suit. Doubt the front slit would open up beyond what felt could cover effectively.

To include a tray - just for wallet and phone in my case - I'd look for a slim container with a nice finish to set into a cutout in the horizontal top.

Look forward to your photos!  Mine in due course I'm hoping.

"Suggestions" re 400, 430 - no comment. 

[The Pits]

I'd definitely rather see seat runners!

[Rainmaker]

Would sure help with the odds and ends falling between the seats which necessitates assistance from my daughter (who has far skinnier arms than I) in the retrieval of said odds and ends. 

[21gg]

May I suggest one of the following?

The pink one is for C8RKH, obviously 

[C8RKH]

No use me having the pink ones as mine is a proper Evora with no back seats!

I think you guys are getting confused - I am very happy without the cupholders, the armchairs, the covers, and all the other useless stuff mentioned including naff crap plastic covers for the runners. I like my car au natural like it came from the factory.

That other stuff is for MILFs and Porsche owners.

[mdavies]

Mentioning no names, but anyone feeling sniffy about my planned use of stick-on felt for my "naff plastic covers for the [410] seat runners" - think someone called them that - might like to note what I've just read two minutes ago in the Telegraph report about the Volvo XC40:

"Savings have been made, of course................ the door facings are a weird felt made from recycled drinks bottles."

Nailed on for my next project.

 

[C8RKH]

You obviously played with too much fuzzy felt as a kid. I had a scalextric!   Hahaha....

Probably why I like Lotus as their cars corner with full on magnatraction...

[Gadzooks]

@C8RKH points out that the 410 has the little chubby by the steering wheel potentially for a phone.  I tried it and unless you have a v short phone it doesn't stay there for long.  Andy - you will find that out for yourself after the running in period!.  Revving it out is sooooo much fun.  Also, I am at the 5k miles point and the engine is starting to do more pops on the overrun - but not many