Evora Wins Car Magazine's Performance Car of the Year

[TheViper]

The Lotus Evora beat strong competition from 29 other cars to win the title of Performance Car of the Year 2009. The prominent competition included cars from some of the greatest Marques in the world such as Lamborghini, Ferrari, Porsche and Aston Martin.

The 2009 Performance Car of the Year comprised 30 cars, and included exhaustive subjective and objective testing. The feature incorporated testing on some of the greatest driving roads in Britain, with objective testing at the Rockingham Motor Speedway, where Darren Turner, a Le Mans winning racer, put the cars through their paces.

Chris Chilton, Assistant Editor at Car Magazine was so taken with the Lotus Evora during the first drive activity in Scotland that he said he would eat his Apple Mac if the Evora didn't win this year’s Performance Car of the Year.

In saving his Apple Mac, Chris commented, "There are executive saloons that don't ride this well, supercars that don't turn in so crisply, and surely no car on the planet steers like this". To further safeguard his constitution, Chris added, "Lotus has managed to transfer everything that we love about the Elise to a bigger, more refined, more grown up platform...It couldn’t really be much better to drive - the Evora is nigh-on perfect. A winner on every conceivable level".

Roger Becker, Vehicle Engineering Director said that "It is very rewarding to win the well established Car Magazine, Performance Car of the Year award against such tough competition. I am personally very pleased that Chris Chilton so accurately informs on the character and performance that we set out to achieve in the Evora: They are all you would expect from a modern everyday Lotus. The Evora is a great ownership proposition, offering the great Lotus driving experience in a very comfortable, practical, refined and efficient package.”



He added “It is a great validation of the expertise at Lotus to win this title against incredible competition from such a highly regarded publication and very pleasing to continue Lotus’ outstanding record in this competition".

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

ENDS



NOTES

For more details about Car Magazine’s, Performance Car of the Year feature check out the Car Magazine and Cars website, car news & car reviews | First drives & car information | Car Magazine Online.



About the Lotus Evora

The Evora enters the sports car market as the world’s only production mid-engined 2+2, and provides a tremendously rewarding driving experience; the mid-engined layout gives exceptional agility and the Lotus engineered suspension ensures incredible ride, handling, and steering performance. Powered by a Lotus-tuned 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 280 PS/ 206 kW / 276 hp @ 6400 rpm, and weighing just 1382 kg, the Evora delivers an exhilarating experience true to the Lotus DNA characteristics.

With the zero to 60 mph sprint taking just 4.9 seconds (100 km/h in just 5.1 seconds) a top speed of 162 mph (261 km/h) and an Official European Combined Cycle fuel economy of 32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) and emissions of 205 g/km CO2 the Evora stays true to the ethos of performance through light weight. The other economy figures are Official European Urban Cycle of 22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) and 43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) for the Official European Extra Urban Cycle.

Production of the Evora is currently ramping up to a build rate of 2000 cars per year, which is forecast to be achieved in November 2009, and will mean that total production of Lotus vehicles will be over double that of November 2008.

[ItsThaMonsta]

I just really cant see how it beat the Aztec. I think it was rigged.

[Uncle Sam]

I'd be interested in seeing how the Evora, as well as Lambos etc., handled the banking at Rockingham. It is a half a degree steeper than Daytona.

[ms355]

Originally Posted by Uncle Sam

I'd be interested in seeing how the Evora, as well as Lambos etc., handled the banking at Rockingham. It is a half a degree steeper than Daytona.

The Evora at Rockingham, but not in the banking:

Default Viral Title Player

[Goose]

A new Lotus is almost never panned in the British press - certainly not within the last twenty years.

[...m...]

Originally Posted by ms355

The Evora at Rockingham, but not in the banking:

...that's a lot of one-handed steering...

[toedrag]

Way to go Evora, that's fantastic!

Originally Posted by ...m...

...that's a lot of one-handed steering...

and some nice gear grinding at 0:17 & 2:26. ugh, it's like fingernails on a chalkboard.

[jasper]

Originally Posted by ...m...

...that's a lot of one-handed steering...

I agree, looked a bit "casual". I almost expected him to reach down and pick up a latte.

[delise]

Originally Posted by toedrag

Way to go Evora, that's fantastic!



and some nice gear grinding at 0:17 & 2:26. ugh, it's like fingernails on a chalkboard.

Yeah I am guessing American driver with little experience shifting with left hand ( First time out was a bitch for me at Hethel Lotus track , I constantly missed downshift to 3rd, every single lap )

That engine sound is pretty wicked at the stock set up , this car is really growing on me.....

[Thomasio]

That does sound nice.

[Phantom]

The ZR-1 video is fun to watch just for goof's-

That thing's a hand full!

[buzzy]

Is it just me or does anyone else not care to hear about the Evora's mpg and emissions. I really couldn't give a s**t about those stats. It's not important in the slightest.

[...m...]

...it's going to become more and more important as fleet regulations and emissions taxes ramp up, which they already have in europe - it has a tangible effect on operating costs...

[biffster10]

Yes, it is important to many. Anyone can make a car fast by putting a thirsty engine in it, but Lotus is proving that we can have our cake and eat it too. A high performance car with great fuel economy is the best of both worlds! How can you not love it?

If a person truly doesn't care about fuel economy, then they must love sharing their wealth with the Arabs and be immune to pollution. I don't care whether you believe in global warming or not, would you rather be locked in a garage with an idling Civic or Viper? Would you rather be breathing rush-hour smog in LA or clean air in a Natl Park somewhere? Cars pollute... that's not negotiable, so of course it is better if they pollute less.

[apk919]

Originally Posted by biffster10

Yes, it is important to many. Anyone can make a car fast by putting a thirsty engine in it, but Lotus is proving that we can have our cake and eat it too. A high performance car with great fuel economy is the best of both worlds! How can you not love it?

If a person truly doesn't care about fuel economy, then they must love sharing their wealth with the Arabs and be immune to pollution. I don't care whether you believe in global warming or not, would you rather be locked in a garage with an idling Civic or Viper? Would you rather be breathing rush-hour smog in LA or clean air in a Natl Park somewhere? Cars pollute... that's not negotiable, so of course it is better if they pollute less.

Just remember that now that they've made CO2 a pollutant... you as a human are a polluter by definition and must be regulated by the EPA...

[buzzy]

IMHO The only reason the majority of people care about mpg is because of the cost of fuel, not because they want to save the world from whatever eco-disaster happens to be trendy at the time. Coming from the UK where gas is at least $7-8 a gallon, I honestly think that $3/gal is dirt cheap here in the States.

[biffster10]

Originally Posted by apk919

Just remember that now that they've made CO2 a pollutant... you as a human are a polluter by definition and must be regulated by the EPA...

Ha, some days I release more methane than CO2.