Written by: Martin Ward
Wednesday, May 13, 2009 

I did think Scotland was a strange place to launch a new car but all became apparent when we arrived there. We were the first group to go to the event and I suppose we were the guinea pigs to make sure it all worked out. Over the next couple of weeks the press will be arriving at Glasgow airport from all over the world to test this new British built sports car. They picked Loch Lomond for its beautiful scenery, great roads and the friendliness of the Scots. Most of the guests will never have been to the UK before for a launch so it seemed an obvious choice to use this area although there are many other stunning places in England and Wales. The pound/euro also made the decision easier, as it is more cost effective to hold it nearer to home. On the day we were there it rained and rained. The mist came down, the scenery disappeared behind it and the roads were flooded so it was quite a miserable day to be driving a hot new supercar.

 

The Evora is the first car from Lotus with an all new platform in thirteen years, so it is very important to them. There will be two models available at launch: the 2+0 and 2+2. The 2+0 has two seats and a small luggage area in the rear. The 2+2 has two front and two small rear seats; I tried the rear seats and found it very difficult to get in and out as there is very little head or leg room. These may be suitable for two tiny children but anybody larger will struggle to get comfortable, even on the shortest of journeys.

  

The Evora is powered by a heavily modified Toyota 3.5 litre V6 VVT-I petrol engine that is coupled to a Lotus developed 6 speed manual gearbox. The Evora produces 276hp, goes from 0-62mph in 5.1 seconds and has a top speed of 162mph. The combined fuel consumption figure is 32.5mpg and it has a Co2 emissions output of 205g/km. We didn’t get much of an opportunity on the semi-flooded roads to really try the Evora; the Police were out in force to ensure all guests and the public remained safe and stayed within the speed limits. However, during the time we drove it, it seemed to have more than enough power. It felt stable and safe, with handling as good as you could get. The engineers have spent an awful lot of time and money in getting the balance right and it has paid off. It is a sports car that can challenge other super cars at twice the price.

 

Speaking of price, the cost of the 2+0 is £47,500 but the first 450 cars built will all be the 2+2, which is priced at £49,875. These first cars however, will all have the following options fitted: tech pack, sport pack, premium pack, power folding door mirrors, bi-xenon lights, Alpine/Lotus imprint sound, reverse camera and silver forged alloy wheels. This makes a grand total of £61,750 which is a little expensive when compared to an Audi TTS at £33,425 (this produces 272ps and has a 0-62mph time of 5.4 seconds) or the forthcoming TTRS at £42,980 (this produces 340ps and has a 0-62mph time of 4.6 seconds). Another contender in the super sports car market is the new Nissan 370Z. This produces 331ps and costs £26,895 for the basic car or £31,895 for the GT Ultimate. I know the perception is that you cannot compare the Audi or Nissan to the Lotus due to its heritage and huge following by its customers and Lotus would like to compare the Evora to an Aston Martin DB9, Porsche 911 or Audi R8 rather than the TT or 370Z, but pound for power, it does look a little expensive. However, they will no doubt be able to sell 2,000 per year worldwide and around 450 units in the UK.

 

There will be a Cabrio version in the future but the final design has not been signed off yet and it is expected to only be available as a 2+0 version.

 

This is the first Lotus I have been able to get in and out of easily; it is comfortable and easy to drive. Some enthusiasts would accuse Lotus of ‘going soft’ by offering a practical sports car but it looks good, has some great features, is every bit a Lotus and keeps up with its heritage in terms of handling, braking and design. Despite the price, there will be enough followers out there in the world to snap them all up. It is just a pity that it rained so much on the day I drove the Evora. Due to the flooded roads, I never really had the chance to try it out properly.

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