Evora 400 positivity thread…

[Neal H]

There’s been a bit of negativity recently towards the Evora 400 (me included), so I thought it was time to add a bit of balance.

I took mine across to Norfolk at the weekend to visit family & friends, a round trip of about 300 miles and I really can’t think of a car I’d rather have been in. Most of my ‘issues’ have been either fixed or disappeared of their own accord(!) and the car felt every inch the baby supercar.

Cruising along the dual carriageways at around the legal limit listening to Jonnie Walker’s Sounds of the 70’s, it was super smooth and refined and then when I got onto the twisty single carriageway roads it was Sport mode on, exhaust valve open and it felt and sounded like an absolute beast! I’m still super-impressed by how well this car handles, rides, stops and steers. The auto box in ‘manual’ mode is brilliantly responsive, the blips and crackles on the downshifts along with the howl as the revs rise still make me grin.

It even makes me feel good about being stuck in traffic! Filling up with fuel, a gorgeous blonde lady pulled up at the pump behind in an SL Merc and was extremely complimentary – about the car, not me

Sometimes it’s good to keep a bit of perspective….

[JayEmm]

I'll happily contribute to this one

+Spent last weekend at the Festival Italia at Brands Hatch. Hundreds of Italian exotics there, mostly Ferraris. Everything from Dinos to 488 GTBs and everything in between. Looking at a lot of the newer cars, I realised I actually prefer the styling of the Evora. Genuinely.

+Sounds like no other car I've been in (stock). Truly spectacular considering the engine's humble origins. Toyota know how to make a good engine.

+Ride and handling are superbly judged. I can't think of much that would be quicker A-B round here, except probably an Elise or Exige.

+Getting back in my M3 after three months without it. I've been using the Excel mostly this week. M3 felt lardy, totally disconnected from the road and generally a bit wooly in comparison to my Lotuses/Lotii/Lotus

+Never driven anything that gets so many (positive) comments from all around

+30ish MPG when not hooning

[DJW]

Best exhaust sound this side of a Lambo

More comfortable ride than most Exec saloons 

Auto so much better these days, similar to  F-Type 

Sublime handling and steering

Closed exhaust makes it super quiet when needed 

Other drivers are more courteous to you than if you drive a German mobile 

IT'S BRITISH 

 

[JayEmm]

I actually prefer the exhaust note to the Lambaudi V10. To me the V10 never quite changes pitch enough, but the Evora's V6 really changes character as you rev it. Sounds quite agricultural at low revs, then smooths out and becomes an ear shattering experience. The guys at Central tell me the GT4 sounds like an old F1 car, I can believe it.

[pickle]

This is more like it, keep it coming folks.

10 days until I collect mine and I can feel the excitement rising 

[JayEmm]

I think it should come as a massive compliment to the 400 that I was window shopping for McLaren 12Cs and Ferrari 458s recently and I though even if I did have the money to upgrade, would I actually want to? Genuine answer is I don't know if I would.

[pickle]

Although I love cars and always have, I've struggled over recent years to actually get excited about anything enough to spend my money on. The 400 is the first car in an age that has properly got my juices flowing. I remember thinking after my test drive that it's like a drug that I need to have more of.

[Tris...]

We were invited to display the car at the Beaulieu Super Car show, this past weekend.

Nothing but positive feedback all day, whenever I was near the car people where asking lots of questions about it, very few had seen one in the flesh before so it had the rarity factor. Show had some seriously exotic hardware on display and the 400 had a continual stream of people looking at it.

Did the final 'Speed Run' of the day, the feedback I got afterwards was that it was the best sounding car of the lot; "Most pure sounding car out there", even got a "Loved that run sir" from the announcer at the end. :-)

Tris...

[JayEmm]

It certainly has the ability to draw attention from much more exotic material. Probably because people have become very familiar with Lamborghini and Ferrari's offerings, not to mention Porsche

[DJW]

They sound OK in tunnels (excuse wind noise) 

 

[Inkyfingers]

The biggest compliment I can give, is that i'm too scared to test drive one.

[chylld]

11 hours ago, JayEmm said:

I think it should come as a massive compliment to the 400 that I was window shopping for McLaren 12Cs and Ferrari 458s recently and I though even if I did have the money to upgrade, would I actually want to? Genuine answer is I don't know if I would.

Will one-up you here: I cancelled my McLaren 570GT order after test-driving both the 570 and 400 twice each

I still encourage people considering the 400 to test drive everything within their budget; McLaren, Porsche, Ferrari, Lamborghini etc. Don't take anyone's words as gospel, and just drive everything yourself and see what stands out as the best.

Edited August 24, 2016 by chylld

[pickle]

That is a big compliment to the 400. Did value for money play a big part of your decision, or did you decide purely on the merits of the cars?

[chylld]

Pros for the 570:

• Better value for money. Yes it costs about AU$200k more here, but low mileage examples are selling over sticker, i.e. they haven't lost value. Even after you factor in running costs, the McLaren is cheaper to own over the first 2 years. My 400 lost about AU$50k as soon as I drove it out of the showroom!
• More comfortable. It feels as sharp as the 400 but with the magic carpet ride of the S1 Evora
• Power at the top end - it is giggle-inducingly fast
• Dihedral doors - actually practical as they have been redesigned to open more upwards/forwards, rather than outwards (12C/650S)
• It's a McLaren!!

Pros for the 400:

• Instantaneous power - any gear, almost any rpm, the power is right there and makes the right foot feel much more connected
• Better seats. The 570's side bolsters stick out so much that I can't physically lower my elbows enough to get my hands comfortably to the bottom of the steering wheel
• Rear seats. We take our puppy everywhere in it!
• Dealer support. The Sydney dealer is primarily a race team and not only runs Lotus-only trackdays, but also provides pitcrew support and professional driver training
• Fit and finish. I have seen broken bits on both cars, but at least everything lines up nicely on the 400. Some join lines on the 570 are alarmingly out of whack on every example I've seen.
• Exhaust. Quieter in touring mode, more evocative in sport mode, and never droney like the 570

That's all I can think of off the type of my head They are both great cars, and I can still see a 570 in my future... but the 400 is the better package for my needs atm.

[Neal H]

I do actually enjoy driving mine more than I did my V6 Exige! I think it offers probably 95% of the sheer driving enjoyment of the Exige, combined with much greater comfort and refinement. In terms of A to B road pace, there would be almost nothing in it.

[IanPops]

To echo the comments made:

love the exhaust, steering, ride and handling, not to mention powerful and feel some brakes. Oh, and don't forget the manual gearbox - no issues with mine, enjoy using it.

My two boys love it too... The school run is about to take on a whole new dimension.

 

 

Edited August 24, 2016 by IanPops
Typo

[Colin G]

I was just out for some lunch and an R8 convertible drove past me, which to be honest I only really noticed as I was looking directly toward it as it approached. Basically it could've been any German saloon car with the sound it was making, making it even clearer just how good the 400 sounds. I've been similarly unimpressed this week with other comparable sports cars including a Lamborghini gallardo that was distinctly dull in comparison.....

[C8RKH]

I'm sure the Audi R8 is a very good and very well accomplished car. But you hit the nail on the head Colin, to me, it is just another very good, very accomplished Oooodi. I really do not think I would get the same "buzz", or feeling of excitement, specialness, aloofness that getting in an Evora gives one. Every time I passed a new TT in the R8 I'd be asking myself why did i spend 100% on this when it looks just like that!

[Neal H]

Even my 80 year old mum loved the 400 and she has zero interest in cars normally. There's no way she could have got in and out of the Exige, but the Evora 400 was a doddle.

[JayEmm]

2 hours ago, C8RKH said:

I'm sure the Audi R8 is a very good and very well accomplished car. But you hit the nail on the head Colin, to me, it is just another very good, very accomplished Oooodi. I really do not think I would get the same "buzz", or feeling of excitement, specialness, aloofness that getting in an Evora gives one. Every time I passed a new TT in the R8 I'd be asking myself why did i spend 100% on this when it looks just like that!

Andy

That is precisely the sensation you get from an R8. It's the sort of car that if I had a sensible 17-year-old son who wanted a go, you'd probably let them because it's completely safe, neutral and easy to drive. I can see why city types love them. But as a "supercar" it fails miserably. Even on the interior front, they're nowhere near as special as their premium commands, and the comparison with a TT is right:

Here's a 30-something thousand Audi TT

Here's the £110,000 Audi R8 V10 interior...

...and the engines in the R8 both appear in numerous hot Audis (granted in different forms). The R8 is nice, but it's not special.

I got my 400 back today and within five minutes was reminded why I love it - drives amazing, sounds amazing, then pull up at the Bird in Hand where a young lad and his Dad were very interested in it - they're Lotus fans from Australia and had come over for a tour of classic. The young one hadn't seen a 400, as @chylld appears to have stolen Australia's annual quota. So naturally had to take him out for a quick ride.

[DJW]

So seeing as car hadn't been used for a week, popped out in it at lunchtime to Paul Mattys to look at Elan +2's 

Stopped at garage for some fuel, with the inevitable drop to 1st and blip in sports mode.  2 mechanics came out and were admiring car, waiting for me to drive away to hear the exhaust again, mentioned it looked like a McLaren. Went into pay and cashier and other person asking about the car ...was it a Ferrari ? Lol.  Made a little noise on departure <whistle>

Next at Mattys some positive reactions from staff there re looks and again exhaust noise   

Popped into an Indy on way back to look at some other cars and once again owner of dealership giving positive views of car  

Needs a wash now 

 

[C8RKH]

We always seem to agree @JayEmm

To me, the nicer interior is actually the TT's above - the R8's is dated and may well be an A6 2.TDI Sline Estate for all I know.

[Ccd]

The R8 shape just hasn't aged that well, IMHO.  And the interior has aged even less well.  I also prefer the interior of the TT over the R8.  Another point in favor of the TT is that its radio is a standard double DIN size and easily replaced (just like the 400's radio).    

[CocoPops]

I was away for a week, got back today....

got back into the 400, after volunteering to go and do the family shop

What a car! What a noise!

glad to be back behind the wheel, shame it's still filthy from my Zandvoort trip! Better get it cleaned tomorrow night, for Brands as we're travelling down Friday night.

[Colin G]

I just renewed the insurance on my 400. I have two years no claims on the policy, but seven years no claims on the policy for my much loved, but old and nearly worthless Saab estate. The Lotus costs me £50 a year more.

The tax on my high performance, near supercar 400 is almost half of the cost of the aforementioned Saab, another bonus of being an early adopter.

So basically it's cheap as chips to own, and this is a car that has kids (and often adults) losing their shit when I drive past them as it looks and sounds, well, a bit mental.