My impressions of the Evora on track - LotusTalk

iwilson · 07-08-2009, 12:55 AM

Just back in New Zealand from a six week break in Europe. Timed the trip to ensure I could catch up with some old mates at a big race meet at Snetterton. One of those mates is Paul Golding the organiser of the highly successful Elise Trophy race series and the Lotus Cup Europe series. The safely car for the weekend was an Evora supplied by Lotus. A quick word with Paul and the next thing you know he's on the blower to race control telling them the safety car would be going out for a couple of laps between races with me as a passenger.

Impressions - looks much better in the flesh particularly in darker colours (the safety car was white but there were a couple floating around in darker colours). The rear end is still not quite there imho. Interior - uncluttered and doesn't look like a parts bin special, real seats OK for kids but that's about it. Luggage space, small but no problem if you have a washing machine at the other end.

Driving - breathtaking, unbelievable levels of grip and I'm coming from 12 years of Elise ownership. I was stunned at the effortless ability of the Evora to tackle the circuit at trackday speeds without so much as a squeak from the tires - the driver was an old mate of mine and is no Micheal Schumacker but he was made to look very good in the Evora. The ride was soft compared to an Elise yet cornering didn't seem to be compromised. The engine pulled like a train and made the right noises for a car of its class. For an early car it appeared very well screwed together, running over the kerbing which exposes all sorts of rattles and squeaks in an Elise was barely noticeable in the Evora. Does a BMW M3 represent better value - on paper absolutely, but better value only enters the equation for the masses to whom a car is a only a method of delivering them from A to B.

So in summary, massively impressed with the driving experience, they got the front right but the rear end needs more work imho. Is Porsche worried, probably not. Will they sell - yes, but not to as wide an audience as they hoped. This is a car for those who appreciate the experience of driving rather than showing their status in life aka the majority of 911 and Ferrari owners (present company excluded). If one of these fills your rear view mirror on a track day be afraid, very afraid!

The show car which a mate of mine apparently bought on the day!

Rear end - which seems a little pinched and small in comparison to the rest of the car.

Enjoying the racing and a beer with my two year old son...

Aedo · 07-08-2009, 01:26 AM

You lucky lucky bastard

Redback · 07-08-2009, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aedo

You lucky lucky bastard

+1

Lucky, lucky, lucky bastard!!

Thanks for the report.

Nice to hear from someone who's actually been around a track in the car, not just looked at the specs and made judgements based on figures and assumed price.

clopi2000 · 07-08-2009, 06:25 AM

I'm glad to read the car corners. On other -video- reviews, including the ones from the Hethel track, everyone drifted the Evora

...m... · 07-08-2009, 06:41 AM

...i think all the video reviews show the car drifting because it's a dramatic image, not because they didn't test its proper handling abilities...

...it's funny: i think the tail is the car's best feature, and everything forward of the doors still needs work...

EliseAtLeast · 07-08-2009, 06:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by iwilson

This is a car for those who appreciate the experience of driving rather than showing their status in life aka the majority of 911 and Ferrari owners (present company excluded).

I'm sure the Evora will get more attention from people than Porsche or Ferrari.

...m... · 07-08-2009, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EliseAtLeast

I'm sure the Evora will get more attention from people than Porsche or Ferrari.

...it might get more attention in a region where porsches are commonplace, but the evora's presence takes some time to grow, and i'm skeptical that it'll win out over the 911's iconic form to the unacclimated layperson...for similar-yet-much-more-pronounced reasons, i seriously doubt that the evora will garner more attention than a ferrari amongst the uninitiated - we'll have to wait until the new esprit for that...

shay2nak · 07-09-2009, 07:43 PM

when you say the rear end is not all there. I'd attribute it to the small separate reverse lights. Only part that looks weird to me. Other than that, the car looks much better than a Porsche and I think the first sight of it will pull people in to at least check it out. Interior looks way better than Porsche's as well.

ggelise · 07-09-2009, 08:22 PM

Great Day! Thanks for sharing.

the1sen · 07-10-2009, 12:04 AM

YOU ARE SOOOO LUCKY!

I saw the Evora next to the 911's

The 911 is timeless. Yes. Beautiful. The Evora was much more appealing to me - and I was in a room full of folks who thought the same way.

I wish the rear deck was closed when I shot these... DAMN IT!!!

The Evora exudes BALLS. Great, big, hairy, frothing BALLS. I was thoroughly impressed by the entire design and how well it flowed from front to back. Admittedly, the lighter color didn't look quite as spot on as the black one.

ads_green · 07-10-2009, 01:34 AM

I was at a Lotus Silverstone trackday where the new Silverstone Lotus dealer took along an Evora for open testdrives (not on track though). Spent a long time driving around a mix of roads from twisty single track roads to fast motorways.

It's a seriously good machine - I apologised to the saleman first before saying "feels like a proper car". The ride when you're just driving A - B is stunning. No bumps, no squeaks and no suspension crash on bad surfaces. It soaks up the bumps without feeling like it's going to knock you into orbit like the Elise. But importantly it has the "chuckability" factor that the ellise has. You find yourself turning into corners exactly where and how you want to. It's no lightweight elise (certainly coming from the 211) but it will hold it's own. Damn lot better than a cayman's ride quality.

The car had the standard long ratio box and would hit 70 in 6th at 2k rpm - very comfortable for long cruising. 2nd is good for 60 and the torque is great so once in 2nd just press the pedal and go. The noise is great - sounds like a tuned porsche once it gets going. Certainly nothing like the 4cyl engines.

Rear view mirror is like a world war II submarine periscope but functions ok.

Overall it's a great car and just trying to choose between white or black... oh and the price... This was a fully loaded launch edition so in the UK pushing GBP60k which is alot for the car.

07-08-2009, 12:55 AM	#1 (permalink)
iwilson Registered User Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Pukekohe, New Zealand Posts: 484	My impressions of the Evora on track Just back in New Zealand from a six week break in Europe. Timed the trip to ensure I could catch up with some old mates at a big race meet at Snetterton. One of those mates is Paul Golding the organiser of the highly successful Elise Trophy race series and the Lotus Cup Europe series. The safely car for the weekend was an Evora supplied by Lotus. A quick word with Paul and the next thing you know he's on the blower to race control telling them the safety car would be going out for a couple of laps between races with me as a passenger. Impressions - looks much better in the flesh particularly in darker colours (the safety car was white but there were a couple floating around in darker colours). The rear end is still not quite there imho. Interior - uncluttered and doesn't look like a parts bin special, real seats OK for kids but that's about it. Luggage space, small but no problem if you have a washing machine at the other end. Driving - breathtaking, unbelievable levels of grip and I'm coming from 12 years of Elise ownership. I was stunned at the effortless ability of the Evora to tackle the circuit at trackday speeds without so much as a squeak from the tires - the driver was an old mate of mine and is no Micheal Schumacker but he was made to look very good in the Evora. The ride was soft compared to an Elise yet cornering didn't seem to be compromised. The engine pulled like a train and made the right noises for a car of its class. For an early car it appeared very well screwed together, running over the kerbing which exposes all sorts of rattles and squeaks in an Elise was barely noticeable in the Evora. Does a BMW M3 represent better value - on paper absolutely, but better value only enters the equation for the masses to whom a car is a only a method of delivering them from A to B. So in summary, massively impressed with the driving experience, they got the front right but the rear end needs more work imho. Is Porsche worried, probably not. Will they sell - yes, but not to as wide an audience as they hoped. This is a car for those who appreciate the experience of driving rather than showing their status in life aka the majority of 911 and Ferrari owners (present company excluded). If one of these fills your rear view mirror on a track day be afraid, very afraid! The show car which a mate of mine apparently bought on the day! Rear end - which seems a little pinched and small in comparison to the rest of the car. Enjoying the racing and a beer with my two year old son...

07-08-2009, 06:25 AM	#4 (permalink)
clopi2000 Graphite rocks Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Montreal Posts: 269 Images: 2	I'm glad to read the car corners. On other -video- reviews, including the ones from the Hethel track, everyone drifted the Evora __________________ 06 GG Elise 08 GTI

07-08-2009, 06:41 AM	#5 (permalink)
...m... Denuo Volatilis Join Date: Jun 2008 Posts: 2,715	...i think all the video reviews show the car drifting because it's a dramatic image, not because they didn't test its proper handling abilities... ...it's funny: i think the tail is the car's best feature, and everything forward of the doors still needs work... __________________ 2005 Federal Elise \| Touring \| Storm Titanium ...73,000 miles and aging beautifully... 2000 New Beetle \| Turbo \| Reflex Silver ...107,000 miles of steadfast service...

07-09-2009, 07:43 PM	#8 (permalink)
shay2nak I <3 chicken, I <3 liver Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Land of da 1000 Oaks, CA Posts: 15,042	when you say the rear end is not all there. I'd attribute it to the small separate reverse lights. Only part that looks weird to me. Other than that, the car looks much better than a Porsche and I think the first sight of it will pull people in to at least check it out. Interior looks way better than Porsche's as well. __________________ save ~10 lbs gain 1 hp EQ: Y=(190X) / (1984-X) where Y is (HP) and X is (lbs) '07 EXIGE S * MY CAR ** VIDEOS! '08 ACURA TSX 6-speed http://www.makeNYNYagain.com

07-10-2009, 12:04 AM	#10 (permalink)
the1sen The Azteks are coming! Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: In The Ghetto... Ghetto of Phoenix AZ Posts: 1,566	YOU ARE SOOOO LUCKY! I saw the Evora next to the 911's The 911 is timeless. Yes. Beautiful. The Evora was much more appealing to me - and I was in a room full of folks who thought the same way. I wish the rear deck was closed when I shot these... DAMN IT!!! The Evora exudes BALLS. Great, big, hairy, frothing BALLS. I was thoroughly impressed by the entire design and how well it flowed from front to back. Admittedly, the lighter color didn't look quite as spot on as the black one. Attached Images __________________ The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. F The System - ChuforiaGraffix.com SweetDaddyDelicious(at)hotmail(dot)com

07-08-2009, 01:26 AM	#2 (permalink)
Aedo anglophile in exile Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Oz Posts: 2,561 Images: 88	You lucky lucky bastard

07-09-2009, 08:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
ggelise Registered User Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 193	Great Day! Thanks for sharing.

07-10-2009, 01:34 AM	#11 (permalink)
ads_green Registered User Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 348	I was at a Lotus Silverstone trackday where the new Silverstone Lotus dealer took along an Evora for open testdrives (not on track though). Spent a long time driving around a mix of roads from twisty single track roads to fast motorways. It's a seriously good machine - I apologised to the saleman first before saying "feels like a proper car". The ride when you're just driving A - B is stunning. No bumps, no squeaks and no suspension crash on bad surfaces. It soaks up the bumps without feeling like it's going to knock you into orbit like the Elise. But importantly it has the "chuckability" factor that the ellise has. You find yourself turning into corners exactly where and how you want to. It's no lightweight elise (certainly coming from the 211) but it will hold it's own. Damn lot better than a cayman's ride quality. The car had the standard long ratio box and would hit 70 in 6th at 2k rpm - very comfortable for long cruising. 2nd is good for 60 and the torque is great so once in 2nd just press the pedal and go. The noise is great - sounds like a tuned porsche once it gets going. Certainly nothing like the 4cyl engines. Rear view mirror is like a world war II submarine periscope but functions ok. Overall it's a great car and just trying to choose between white or black... oh and the price... This was a fully loaded launch edition so in the UK pushing GBP60k which is alot for the car.

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