The Evora 400 Diaries

[JayEmm]

Wouldn't that be nice! I wonder if Lotus owners have just played the role of test subjects for Sparco? Given their own version of the seat isn't out till next month. Still, if I have to exchange my yellow backs for carbon fibre ones I suppose I could suffer that.

[C8RKH]

Sparco SPX is listed for sale at around $2k on their US website.

[Neal H]

So probably about £4.5k (including VAT) for a pair of super smart carbon SPX's trimmed to match your interior. I assume they would be a straight swap without major modification. It would be very annoying if they still creaked though!!

Creaking problems aside, the 400 version is a really nice seat. It's comfortable, supportive and looks great.

[DJW]

14 hours ago, Eric W. said:

http://www.sparco.it/de/live/geneva-motor-show

Looks like future Koenigsegg Regera owners can look forward to having creaking seat issues as well.

Plus the Ford GT boys !

"

SPARCO AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

The 85th edition of the Geneva Motor Show, a show of international renown which hosted 220 exhibitors from over 30 countries, has just ended.

The Geneva show has always been considered the noble car show during which it is possible to admire the latest introductions, new concepts and previews related to the Automotive world. 700 brands represented and Sparco could not be missing.

Browsing in the Lotus stand, it was possible to admire the ergonomic Sparco SPX seats on the new Lotus Evora 400, 400 HP, 300 km/h, 0-100 in 4 seconds, which has chosen a racing approach for the car's interior. The SPX carbon seat, 90 gloss with paintable cover and 100% customisable, has also been chosen by Koenigsegg for the Regera and by Ford for the last Ford GT.

Sparco, always one step ahead!

#iamsparco" 

[JayEmm]

45 minutes ago, C8RKH said:

Sparco SPX is listed for sale at around $2k on their US website.

$2,900 list on the USA site, they must be great seats!

[JayEmm]

40 minutes ago, Neal H said:

So probably about £4.5k (including VAT) for a pair of super smart carbon SPX's trimmed to match your interior. I assume they would be a straight swap without major modification. It would be very annoying if they still creaked though!!

Creaking problems aside, the 400 version is a really nice seat. It's comfortable, supportive and looks great.

I would make an educated guess that at the very most you might need to use the Lotus runners, but if the car was designed with those seats in mind they're probably a standard item. I don't think £1.8m Koenigsegg buyers will put up with creaky chairs

Also, I agree - if they can make the bugger stop moving and creaking, it's a good seat. Looks miles better than the Recaro IMHO, especially in the Lotus trim, with the nice headrest.

[CocoPops]

Anyone found a ford gt forum? See if they have same issues?

[JayEmm]

Have any Ford GTs actually been delivered yet? Given the way the limited edition supercar market is I won't be shocked if most of them just get stored and flipped.

[DJW]

I'm sure a tweet with #iamsparco might get some attention

[CocoPops]

#iamcreakysparco 

[JayEmm]

Car will be back with me Wednesday, later than I had hoped but they want the time to get the job done properly and I'm happy to let them do that. It's getting a polish by the factory's "finals" team so I am keen to see what real "factory fresh" paint looks like, sans dealer scratches.

No new seats yet, dates still unknown. The USA cars have the improved seats.

[FlyingAttackPorcupine]

17 hours ago, JayEmm said:

The USA cars have the improved seats.

Lol im really glad to hear this as I wait for mine!  

[JayEmm]

Car back from Hethel today. Just so good to be back in it.

Improvements include: Dash switches now roughly line up, car no longer sounds broken on full lock, seats temporarily fixed again while waiting for new ones, leaves cleaned out of front, new HVAC installed. Good day all round.

Met some very nice folk and I wound up having a bit of an unexpected surprise at the end of the day which will be revealed later!

[PaulCP]

You did look very happy with life when I saw you in reception

[CocoPops]

Intriguing...

You meet JMG?

[JayEmm]

No, at some point I would like to have a sit-down and interview with the chap, but I get the suspicion until I'm much more "important" I probably wouldn't get anything we haven't already seen in press releases

[CocoPops]

Ok, so I give up... tell me!

 

[TheKevlarKid]

What was the cause of the noise on full lock?

[DJW]

What was the temp fix for seat ?

[JayEmm]

37 minutes ago, TheKevlarKid said:

What was the cause of the noise on full lock?

Allegedly excessive copper slip applied to mating surface between wheel hub and brake disc. Somehow that caused horrendous racket. This would tally with previous reports from S1 Evora of similar issues. I can't understand how that happens myself but I am waiting for the Lotus engineer to get back and explain it to me (He wasn't there today)

 

26 minutes ago, DJW said:

What was the temp fix for seat ?

No idea. They did a fix previously, which moved the creak from one side to the other. Whenever my seat has been "fixed" before it usually behaves itself for a couple of days before returning to its old self. Mine are still getting replaced. I imagine the solution is probably additional padding in the noisy areas.

[Neal H]

Glad to hear it's back and (largely) fixed - fingers crossed it stays that way! Am I right in thinking that the reason your seats are being replaced is because of the bolster wear rather than the creak? I wonder if their temporary fix is the one they are rolling out more generally for the creaky seat.

[JayEmm]

10 hours ago, Neal H said:

Glad to hear it's back and (largely) fixed - fingers crossed it stays that way! Am I right in thinking that the reason your seats are being replaced is because of the bolster wear rather than the creak? I wonder if their temporary fix is the one they are rolling out more generally for the creaky seat.

It was going to be replaced on account of either issue individually

[Chew]

Procrastinating at work and thought I'd add my experience, FWIW, having done around 1k miles in @Philsport300's 'old' Evora 400 (hence it's done around 2.5k miles now).  I should also mention I put 10k miles on my '59 plate Exige S over a couple of years, a few years back.  With the Exige - it never missed a beat.  No creaks, rattles, leaks, nothing.  I remember one incident when the traction control went haywire during very heavy rain and the car went into 'get me home' mode, but returned to normal on a restart.

The Evora 400 has (mega touch of anything vaguely wooden within range) thus far been great.  The seats have been fine - I find them comfortable, supportive, and (crucially) silent in terms of any mechanical clunks or creaks.  VERY minor is that I find the belt rubs on the seat 'shoulder' where it contacts the seat en route to the driver's shoulder / chest.  I think this is cos I'm on the light / small-framed side, so perhaps there's less tension on the belt at this point - dunno.  I'm about 65kg so not sure if that all adds to the 75kg debate at all??!

There have been a couple of instances at low speed where the brakes have bound on very slightly, enough to make a slight squeal whilst driving along - fixed by getting some heat into the brakes.  The last few times I've driven the car this hasn't recurred.  

Only other niggle I could possibly point at at the moment is that the paint finish is very slightly different on the doors v rest of the body, obviously down to metal/plastic.  Only visible in certain lights.

I should add that the car was just run in when I had it, and previous owner from new had done all the hard work of any teething issues from factory, and that I appreciate massively.  But I just thought I'd add to this thread positively on both the Evora and Exige in the interests of a bit of balance, on the positive side...   I've now virtually guaranteed a major unexpected mechanical on the way home.....fingers crossed.

[Neal H]

1 hour ago, Chew said:

I'm about 65kg so not sure if that all adds to the 75kg debate at all??!

It might! I'm 63kg and although mine has an occassional creak, it is occassional. To be honest, as long as it doesn't get any worse than it is, it's something I would probably live with and it doesn't spoil my enjoyment of the car at all. I also find the Sparco's comfortable and supportive, as well as great to look at.

[Colin G]

I don't know what the bits are they're installing as a fix, but MMC have let me know mine have been shipped. That said, my creak seemed to go away last weekend, but I may as well let them fit the bits anyway.