Lotus Evora S -You know it makes sense!

Tuesday, 23 August 2011 11:40

I have always loved Lotus cars, even from a very early age, and as I have gotten older my opinion hasn’t changed.

So, when Lotus offered me the chance to test their new Evora S recently, I jumped for joy!

Lotus Cars is one of only a handful of British manufacturers still developing sports and racing cars. They are based at the former site of RAF Hethel, a World War II airfield in Norfolk, and they have been making sports cars since 1948. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles that are not only light weight, but offer some of the best handling characteristics in the business, and is still considered to be one of the best in the world. Somebody once said to me “If Lotus doesn’t know about it, then it really isn’t worth knowing”.

So as you can imagine, I was very excited to see how the Evora S would perform out on the road with an ageing old guy like me. When the Evora was first introduced to the market it was a real success, but people kept asking Lotus for more power, but what people did not realise is that Lotus already had the future of the Evora in hand, and Lotus showed this when they came up with the goods in the shape of the Evora S. With the help of a big supercharger, the Evora’s 3.5-litre V6 has been boosted from the standard Evora’s 276bhp to a mind boggling 345bhp in a car that’s the size of a shoe.

Looks; Boy does it look great, from its rear flanks, to its sexy front nose. Its probably one of the best looking sports cars on the market today. Not that I am always right, but remember this is a ‘Lotus’, how wrong can I be?

So, what’s the new Evora S like to drive then?

Absolutely bloody brilliant!!

The steering is precise and perfectly weighted, and has such direct action and solid feel. You race around a corner, and think to yourself wow! That was fast. If fact, it fills you with such confidence, that you do the same corner again but faster still. No matter what you do, the Evora just keeps gripping no matter how hard you push it. It’s like watching one of those films when the good guy is hanging on for dear life on the edge of a cliff with the end of his finger tips. The Evora is like this on the road. When you push it to the limit, its just keeps holding on like its life depends on it.

On the road:

The suspension is supple and poised, and it soaks up the lumps and bumps with ease. I was amazed how the Evora handled even the most hostile of potholes and bumps. You can see that Lotus have worked really hard to make the Evora something special. I don’t care what you currently drive; it could be a Ferrari, Porsche or even a Lambo, the Evora will beat it hands down on handling every time. This maybe just me, but in my book, no matter what you bring along, the Evora will do it better and faster every time. You can keep you’re £130k + Ferrari’s and Lambo’s, because after driving the Evora S, they just seem a bit second class really.

As for the engine; with the help of that supercharger strapped to that Toyota-sourced, 3.5-litre V6, torque is now set at a massive 295lb ft (400Nm) at 4500 rpm. there’s so much torque actually, that when I was in forth gear, I nailed the throttle, and it felt like my head was trying to be removed from my shoulders. Also, the sound of that supercharger whining at the back is really awesome. Add in the Evora’s 172mph top speed and it all starts to make sense. Fuel consumption figures if your interested, are between 19.4 and 37.2 mpg.

The Evora S also comes with a sports pack as standard, which adds air conditioning, and a sport button – this sharpens the throttle response of that big V6, and raises the rev limit from 6800 to 7200rpm. – Plus the fantastic cross-drilled and vented disc brakes. The brakes on the Evora are so good, that if you do happen to make a mistake, you can be rest assured that the Evora’s stopping power, will help you come to a dignified full stop.

DPM* (Dynamic Performance Management), is a suite of electronic aids developed by Lotus in conjunction with Bosch that includes ABS, EBD, traction control, ESP and an electronic differential lock. The good news, is that you can actually turn them all off, not like in a Ferrari. If you turn them off in a Ferrari, they aren’t actually really OFF!

My test car was also fitted with the Tech Pack – which includes an upgraded stereo, a 7in touch screen sat-nav with USB and MP3 connectivity. It even comes with cruise control. If you have a blank cheque book you can opt for the Premium Pack, which adds heated seats and covers the interior in very manly leather. As for the seating, I have driven the Evora now all week, and I haven’t had a hint of back ache once.

Inside; The Evora is a 2+2, but the rear seats are very small, and very useful for carrying your golf clubs. Boot space is very minimal; you could fit in a few small items, like a gentleman’s wash bag and a small pack of Cigars.

To sum up;

If you want a sports car that you can pose in as well as go round corners quite fast, then buy a Porsche Cayman. But if you want a car with the best handling characteristics and race pedigree, with links to Nigel Mansell, Jim Clark and Senna, then go out and buy the Lotus Evora S.

FYI: I’d have one over a Cayman any day.

Engine: 3.5-litre (V6)
Power: 345 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 400Nm @ 4500 rpm
Gearbox: 6 speed
0-60: 4.6 sec
0-100: 4.8 (km/h)
Top Speed: 172 mph
Economy: 27.7 mpg (combined)
CO2 Emissions: 239 g/km (combined)
Price: from £58,995

* Lotus DPM, hardware provided by BOSCH to Lotus’ specification - By Anthony Yates

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