New Lotus "Evora"

[Linfone]

Originally Posted by Phantom

= approx. 3,000 lbs, right?

It's about 210 hp per ton. Which is lower than an Elise SC...

[Kevin M]

I guess I am the only one that thinks it looks ugly?

[gtlotus]

I like!

[slibo]

The... "E-Vulva" ... I'd eat it yummy....

[jesterbot]

I think the car is gorgeous, inside and out - but like others, underpowered. The weight would be acceptable if the engine was higher powered, and vice versa.

From every opinion I've read, this seems to be very much a love it or hate it design.

[viacondotti]

Originally Posted by jesterbot

I think the car is gorgeous, inside and out - but like others, underpowered. The weight would be acceptable if the engine was higher powered, and vice versa.

Road and Track reports that an "ultra-high-performance derivative" will come out later.

RoadandTrack.com -- New Car Search - Lotus Mid-Engine 2+2 (7/2008)

[lotus4fun]

Lotus Evora - True character in a faceless world.

Why does the Lotus love the E?
Do all the models start with an E?

Eric

[wallabyguy]

Originally Posted by lotus4fun

Lotus Evora - True character in a faceless world.

Why does the Lotus love the E?
Do all the models start with an E?

Eric

Colin Chapman, the company founder, liked the way Lotus Eleven sounded (technically Mark 11). Ever since, all road cars have been named with titles starting with "E".

[NomisR]

Overweight, underpowered..... BOOOO!!!

[dma550]

I like it, but... is there an open car option?

[wallabyguy]

Originally Posted by dma550

I like it, but... is there an open car option?

A Convertible is coming in a couple of years. I suggested to Lotus Engineers that US buyers would want and pay extra for a moonroof option. At this point, it looks like they opted to go forward without one. I still believe that most US buyers would pay for one.

[BRTHTAKR]

Looks like a hell of a fun way to get from A to B. And I think much more of a chick magnet than the Elise/Exige, which appeals more to boys who read car mags and homeless people.
Don't get me wrong, the trackability of the Elise/Exige is a very special thing, we are so lucky to have it. But really, this new car will be way cool for people not driven to track a car, yet want the legend and experience, with room for a girls stuff and needs (get out with a skirt on without looking like Brittany).
And of course appealing to the fairer sex as a statement of their coolness too.

[NomisR]

Originally Posted by BRTHTAKR

Looks like a hell of a fun way to get from A to B. And I think much more of a chick magnet than the Elise/Exige, which appeals more to boys who read car mags and homeless people.
Don't get me wrong, the trackability of the Elise/Exige is very special thing, we are so lucky to have it. But really, this new car will be way cool for peope not driven to track a car, yet want the legend and experience, with room for a girls stuff and needs (get out with a skirt on without looking like Brittany).
And of course appealing to the fairer sex as a statement of their coolness too.

For the weight though, I rather get an Rx8.. at least you have the sweet smooth sounding rotary...

BTW, price?

[Chris Mackey]

Originally Posted by NomisR

Overweight, underpowered.... BOOOO!!!

Overpriced

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by wallabyguy

A Convertible is coming in a couple of years. I suggested to Lotus Engineers that US buyers would want and pay extra for a moonroof option. At this point, it looks like they opted to go forward without one. I still believe that most US buyers would pay for one.

I'm not so sure that I agree with that, however, if they make it an option then who cares. But here is why: I have spent the last 6 years buying first Porsches (from the Boxster to the 996 to the 997) and then switched over to Lotus because.........well I don't need to explain why on this board. With the 996, the car came with a sunroof standard, however, you had the option to delete the sunroof. This was a bit rare I admit that owners would delete the sunroof, but for the GT3 is was a must have. In fact, the 996 GT3 may not have had a sunroof option, and I don't think any GT3 buyers complained. Now that the 997 has been released, Porsche got rid of the sunroof delete option here in the U.S., including the regular GT3. Only the RS comes without a sunroof in the US, and a buyer cannot add a sunroof to the RS. Well the regular 997 GT3 buyers were just pissed off about this (me being one of them). The reason I mention this, is because I find GT3 owners to be very similar to Lotus owners. When I am on this board I can't believe how many track their cars (which is a good thing), but the exact same can be said about GT3 owners. In fact, I think more GT3 owners track than Lotus from by observations.

So with the Evora, besides the poseurs and the "I gotta have the first one crowd" (more poseurs), I think this will be a true enthusiast car, although I admit it will bring some over to Lotus who just couldn't live with the Elise and Exige. I think it will attract some Porsche guys (I still rank Lotus #1), and it will be the ones who actually drive their cars. So I really don't think a sunroof will be popular in this car. A true Lotus owner really is a special person who know what Lotus is all about, and a sunroof is not part of that equation. Besides, they plan on bringing out a cab version of the car, so that should take care of those who really want open motoring and also the performance of a Lotus; but I do think the cab buyers will be rare based on the same reasons stated above. A true track car, even just for occasional track use will be a coupe. Besides, with the design of this Lotus, I don't think that a sunroof will work with that roof line and roof area. Have you ever noticed that a Cayman and a BMW Z3 Coupe do not come with a sunroof? It would not work because of the hatch and small roof that is a little too rounded without enough of a flat area to put in a real sunroof.

But if they did do one, it would be on the small side which really just makes it worthless. All those things do is add weight to the highest part of the car (that is not good for a Lotus), they reduce headroom for your helmet (again, not Lotus-like), there is some structural rigidity losses, but more importantly it is just an area to intruduce more squeeks and rattles. A have never opened the sunroof on my GT3 and also pulled the fuse to it so no one accidentally opens it. It is a worthless little $hit slit that is at most good for smokers who want to flick their ashes out of the car. And in a 997 with repeated use over time it will begin to rattle a bit (or can). My car is tight as a drum so far and I want to keep it that way.

If I want some kind of open air driving then I need a targa top (such as the Elise; I consider it more of a targa than a convertible), T-tops (like in a Trans Am or Camaro!!! ), or a true cab. But these tiny little annoying holes that they put in little sports cars are just plain worthless and take away from what is a serious sports/track car. Those who don't like it can go buy a bmw or a 997 C2 with the new PDK tranny and take their garage queen out once a week to go to the local golf resort.

I asked my Porsche salesman if he ever had complaints about the Cayman not coming with a sunroof and he said "no." I believe him (I was not in the market for one, he had no reason to lie) and I think it is because the Cayman buyers are more often true enthusiasts than are the 911 buyers (other than the GT3 buyers of course ).

[Aedo]

Originally Posted by RoadDad

Why are there harness cut out in the seat backs?

Adding a harness would be a problem for the back seat passengers

[Stephen]

Originally Posted by NomisR

For the weight though, I rather get an Rx8.. at least you have the sweet smooth sounding rotary...

BTW, price?

I don't know if I would want an RX8, although they are very nice cars, but agree about the weight. I thought the Evora would come in at no more than 2,600 lbs, and I am a bit shocked that of all the manufacturers of a car that size, it has a base weight of 2,976 lbs. That is the weight of a Boxster S and Cayman S, and only about 100 lbs less than a base Carrera (C2). For 2009 Porsche is coming out with direct injection in all of their cars which means more hp and better fuel economy. The base C2 will have 345 hp, weighs about 3,075 lbs base, and has a base price of about $75K.

So I think the best comarison to the Evora is the base C2 since the price is going to be at least that much. If it ends up being $80K, then I think they will have some serious problems because the C2S is going up to 385 hp with a weight of 3,131 lbs and a base price of about $85K.

If the Evora is to compete with Porsche; is this not the case? Are the potential C2 and C2S buyers not the main target audience for the Evora? If so, and it comes in at $80K, then I see some problems. If a C2S is only $5K more, and weighs only 155 lbs more, yet has 105 hp more, then I am afraid I will not be making a deposit on a new Evora. And not that I don't like the Toyota motor, but for $80K it has a Camry motor vs. a proven flat six developed by Porsche.

I am a huge supporter and lover of everything Lotus (well the Federal ones since 2005 at least); but after running through those numbers, I don't think they will get me to sell or trade my current GT3. My GT3 might be worth $95K by next spring and the Evora at $80K would be a huge mistake.

I was expecting this car to be less than 2,600 lbs and the Esprit to come in at around 3,100 lbs. They just lost me with the one thing that urks the hell out of me about Porsche; they build too heavy of a sports car. Even my 3 comes in at over 3K lbs bone stock (I basically have a base car; only two options which do NOT affect the weight) and that makes me sick. I have heard of guys who have RS's and put some options on them (but not overboard) and the car is over 3,200 lbs with a full tank of gas. What a joke. The US version of the RS is less than 40 lbs lighter than the regular GT3.

So I had to come back to Lotus because I miss my 2K lb street legal go kart with a grin factor of 11. Then I thought I sell the GT3 and get the new Evora. But my 3 is now down to just over 3,000 lbs, and my target weight of 2,850 is definetely doable. That combined with a bare minimum of 415 hp in a true dry sump motor and the Evora no longer makes sense.

The only pro for the Evora, which I know is important for some of you, is the exclusivity of the car. 911's are a dime a dozen and about as common as a Honda Accord. So if you care about that, I sure don't, then the Evora will definetely be a BIG attention getter.

I'm really disappointed. But, they still have the Elise and Exige, so I am going to stick with these cars. There is nothing like them out there that is a true production and street legal car (and, NO, the Noble does NOT count; nor does the Ariel Atom or 211). However, speaking of the Noble, for $80K I bet there would be a few on here who would be looking towards getting a Noble for that money. It literally has about half the power to weight ratio of the new Evora, especially one like Randy's. That is what the Evora should have been. More like the Noble, but a little bigger and a LITTLE heavier and with a bare minimum of 300 horseys! 280 is not bad if they put it in a true lightweight Lotus. I remember potential buyers gripes about the Lotus only having 190 hp and those who understood the car, and also understood power to weight had to explain it to those who only go by hp figures. But now when a potential buyer comes on this forum and says: "It doesn't even have 300 hp; it has has less than a Boxster S." We can no longer use the power to weight argument; all we can talk about are Lotus handling dynamics and Lotus quali......er ah, and more about the handling and steering.

There is one pretty incredible thing about the car (I think). I don't know who actually watched it live this morning, but I did. They did say that the Evora's chassis rigidity is going to be 2 1/2 times that of the Elise. That is huge, but I don't know what the Elise's value is, so I can't comment on how good that actually is. Of course being a true coupe explains a lot of that, but 2.5 times as much seems like a whole lot to me.

I will wait and see, and reserve final judgement of the car until I have driven it. And inside I'm secretly hoping that the weight quoted is a typo; they actually meant 1,150 kilos! Right?

[shinoo]

Originally Posted by Stephen

...I think it will attract some Porsche guys (I still rank Lotus #1), and it will be the ones who actually drive their cars....

Stephen, I agree that the Evora should attract some Porsche/BMW/MB/Audi guys who could not reconcile with the impracticality of the Elise/Exige. I think there are plenty of real enthusiasts who would buy a Lotus that fit their needs. Hopefully this car finds enough buyers and brings some new customers to the Lotus Brand.

I think this car is going to look even better in person.

[tsunami racer]

Originally Posted by BRTHTAKR

I think much more of a chick magnet than the Elise/Exige, which appeals more to boys who read car mags and homeless people.

huh? homeless people? having a bit of windshield wiper trouble at intersections, are we

the interior is brilliant. if it drives as well as it looks, i'll be waiting with checkbook in hand. like i did for the exige, i'll hold off for the more powerful "S" model, of course

[Murix]

For the same money this keeps popping up in my head. I agree. I would have expected the Lotus to be closer to this.

Kerbweight:
2387lbs