Greetings from Nashville

[Loquacious Lew]

I just joined the forum although I've been monitoring it for the past several months.  I recently purchased a new 400 which I will be collecting in a week.  It's been a long wait as I bought the car almost a month ago.  A knee surgery has prevented me from collecting it until mid July but I'm doing my best imitation of a man who can be patient.

Test drives convinced me it was the car I  wanted although I came very near buying a Corvette Grand Sport.   As most of you will know, Corvettes are tremendous value on this side of the pond and they are also great fun to drive. I considered several  911 variants as well but the Evora won me over with its  amazing road feel and balance. Whatever faults the Evora may have, it more than compensates for them with the feelings it imparts to its driver and the sense of 'enlightened design' that is the Lotus trademark.  

However rare Lotuses may be in Britain, they are far more so in Tennessee. Buying one here takes a willingness to swim against the current but as we all know and can't say too often, it's a fantastic machine with qualities that can only be best appreciated from the driver's seat.  Which, even if that's on the left side,  is a delicious place to be. Photos forthcoming after I collect the car on July 15 in Detroit.

 

 

Edited July 6, 2017 by Loquacious Lew

[ramjet]

Welcome to TLF Lew.

Looking forward to the photos when you get it.

Any questions or issues with using the forums, feel free to ask one of us mods. We're here to help.  

[The Pits]

Welcome to TLF. Great summary of the car.

Sadly the Evora remains a very left field choice in the UK too. The sports car buying public here is in the grip of an unprecedented Porsche fever and being  British built counts for absolutely nothing. I'd say it actually puts most British buyers off. As you have eloquently pointed out the car does have some stand out qualities even among such popular and well resourced alternatives. All Lotus have to do is get people to drive them, but that's a whole other story! Enjoy the 400, we look forward to the pics!

[theelanman]

Welcome to TLF and I/we look forward to seeing some pics of the wonderful machine youre now custodian of...

any questions just ask away....

cheers

G

[ramjet]

I just thought I would ask what colour exterior and interior or do we have to wait with bated breath?  

[Loquacious Lew]

Thank you each and everyone!  It's a pleasure to join this community and to receive its support.  

Ramjet, my car is metallic green/black pack over the tan leather pack. It's a manual, well optioned  including black forged wheels, cruise, paint protection, battery maintenance,  subwoofer as well as the standard features Lotus includes in the US spec.  It's true that many of the early cars Lotus delivered here are auto boxes but I wanted a stick.  There were none available at my local dealer who is new to the marque so I bought it off the floor at Detroit's store, Audio Europe.  I think the car looks fine in any number of liveries but as green (which my wife reminds me isn't BRG, strictly speaking) was a traditional color for this spirited English car, it works for me.  I'm fond of them in most of the bright colors and was open minded as the car had a manual trans and forged wheels and wasn't black as I find that harder to maintain.  The car looks good in most colors.  The darker colors are nicely subdued and conservative whereas the bright ones are fun and exciting. In the end, any Evora 400 is going to be an event on American roads.    

I'm over the moon and can't wait to get it home and of course will proudly post my photos as soon as I have it in my hot sweaty hands!  If only enthusiasts would take the time to seek out a 400 and give it a drive,  I know many more would be swayed as I was from taking the easy choice of a Porsche or Corvette.  I can't say anything bad about those options but if one's priority is fun at any pace in any place, I think the Evora holds an edge.  I had a lot of questions going into this  but once I decided I was buying the car for myself and my own driving pleasure, I was able to reduce the problem to a single question.  Would I buy another option and then always wonder if I should have gone with my heart's desire?  When I realized the answer to that question was "yes, the only remaining issue was where to find and how to best negotiate an Evora purchase.  

The info I gleaned here and elsewhere regarding the Geely deal helped ice the decision for me.  Special mention must be made of Jay Em's videos which went al distance to bolster my decision. I took the time and opportunity  to suss out the best drive for me,.  I examined  most of the available choices, and when I was satisfied that nothing made me feel the way the Evora did, I was able to move forward with some confidence.   The car's reputation is certainly fortified by universal high praise from people who actually own or have driven the 400.   Yet one needs to believe in one's own findings and feelings and that's where you find yourself on your own when it comes to buying a Lotus in the USA. 

Thanks again for a warm welcome.  Cheers!  A final thought:  this Yank hopes that the Geely deal works out splendidly but also wants to express a strong desire to see all of Lotus' halo cars continue to be designed and manufactured at Hethel and any other Lotus sites around Great Britain.   While the cars will surely benefit from shared technologies, when you buy a Lotus you buy into the unique perspectives of the Lotus point of view.  I'd hate to see that changed in any way except for the ones that will fortify and solidify Lotus' heritage and success.  

 

 

[Loquacious Lew]

I thought I should round out my introduction to you with a photo of the car I picked up last week.  Here it is in my garage keeping the BoxerCup and Ducati Multistrada company.  

[Bibs]

Looks stunning mate, congratulations

[Loquacious Lew]

Thank you Bibs!  Dream car..  

Edited July 24, 2017 by Loquacious Lew

[silverfrost]

Welcome to the forums Lew,  The evora looks lovely in that green and well done for buying a rare car,  always good to go against the grain and be different 

[Loquacious Lew]

Thank you Dan.  Pleasure to be here!

[FOXedupONE]

Great color and options choices. Nice bikes to!

im in Virginia with the same green Esprit. We'll have to pose them one day if we meet up at a south east lotus event or something.