[Escapee]

Hi! I've just registered even though I don't own a Lotus. I'm thinking of buying an Evora S; it seems to be the perfect car for me. I just LOVE the look! However, they're really expensive in Australia, around AU$130,000 for Evora & AU$154,000 Evora S. I don't make a lot of money but I've saved hard over the years. My question is, how much better is the S model? Is it $24,000 better? I don't want to buy a used car, & I'm not planning on racing it, but I do plan on taking a few lessons re race-techniques, so I don't want to compromise on power toooo much! What do you think? Is the supercharger a 'must-have'? If I don't get the S will I regret it?

 

[PezRadar]

I guess it depends if you think .4 seconds faster to 60mph is worth it or not.

The Evora S has a different exhaust and the supercharger in the engine so it sounds a little bit more raspy and loud but I think an Evora with sports exhaust/sport mode sounds great as well.

It is all up to you. Seeing how you are mainly buying it for looks, I would save the money and just get an Evora. You also get slightly better gas mileage. I'd recommend trying both out locally if you can to make that final decision.

Can't go wrong with either!


EDIT: Oh and I guess S models do come with that carbon fiber option instead of the silver option around the console/dash area. But not sure if that means much to you. (I'm sure I'm missing other things as I'm still new to the differences but those are the items that stood out for me)

 

[Escapee]

Thanks for that information, PezRadar. I'd like to test drive both models but at this stage it hasn't been possible, as I live in a small city with few Lotuses! I'll keep trying, though!

 

[low2ground]

Just be sure to never drive one and you won't know what you're missing.

And, yes, I'd get an S if it's in your budget. The aforementioned poster makes it sound like the torque differential's negligible, but it's fairly significant if you ask me. The S has an upgraded suspension and clutch, too, in addition to the sport exhaust.

 

[Chris D.]

Seems to me that it's really about what you can afford. Buy the car you can afford.

 

[XHILR8N!]

http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f170/you-dont-have-have-s-evora-na-fine-121650/

 

[bfm01]

I absolutely love my NA...it's plenty fast for me. Besides, on the twisties, I think it's pretty much a wash. I have the Larini exhaust which sounds amazing and saves weight. Either way...enjoy!

 

[spiller]

Escapee, what city do you live in?

 

[goussama]

Just get yourself the Exige S! Same price as an NA Evora but faster than an Evora S

 

[khoa_van]

I was in a similar situation couple months ago. I’m also not rich - one income to support a family of 6. I had saved for this car over the years ever since I fell in love with my first Lotus Elise. I could have gotten an NA or a used S to save some money. However, since this is my special car, I waited another year of saving and go with my prefer options. Like other folks mentioned, it’s really depend on your budget. If you can afford an S, then go for it. Otherwise NA is also a great car. Another thing not mention here is that with the S, you don’t have to down shift to pass other cars in traffic. However, it might not be useful much where you live.

Here is my experience with the Evora:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f170/12-hours-680-miles-memorable-ride-home-my-new-evora-s-238633/

 

[Lckitty]

Go options first then s if you can afford it. For normal use n/a is great.

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Hi! I've just registered even though I don't own a Lotus. I'm thinking of buying an Evora S; it seems to be the perfect car for me. I just LOVE the look! However, they're really expensive in Australia, around AU$130,000 for Evora & AU$!54,000 Evora S. I don't make a lot of money but I've saved hard over the years. My question is, how much better is the S model? Is it $24,000 better? I don't want to buy a used car, & I'm not planning on racing it, but I do plan on taking a few lessons re race-techniques, so I don't want to compromise on power toooo much! What do you think? Is the supercharger a 'must-have'? If I don't get the S will I regret it?

If this helps, here's my experience:

I test drove an S first and notice it has more torque right off the bat. Then drove a regular Evora and, during the test drive, justified the power difference wasn't worth the price. So, I bought a regular Evora (which was a press car).

After about two months, I was not happy at all with the power of the regular Evora. Sure, it's all the power you need for street driving but then a Honda Civic has all the power you need for street driving. This isn't a practical purchase so it shouldn't be about what you need but what you want (and what you can afford).

Three months into the car, I tried to make the best of it and then spent more $$$ to get try and get more power (Radium air intake, then Kold Fire Tune, and Lotus Sports Exhaust). I also changed the diffuser to a Diflow version. I did consider just adding a supercharger to my regular Evora but, for the cost, I could just buy an S and have the warranty, extra oil cooler, bigger wheels, and S suspension.

On top of that, I don't like buying used cars either and this was the first (essentially) used car I've ever bought. It has 10,000 miles when I bought it and every time I looked at the odometer, I'd always calculate how many miles were actually mine.

Six months into the car, I traded it in for a new 2011 Evora S. I basically got a good trade in that just let me walk out of the normal Evora but probably paid $3-4K more than I should have on the S. But, it really came to the point were I did not enjoy the regular Evora at all.

I've had the S for 15 months now. And, while I'd always want more power, the S is fine with me. It was only in January that I added the BOE cold air intake (not so much for power but just as a precursor for when FastWorks is available).

So, my regret was not getting an S in the first place. I would have save a lot more money if I did.

 

[khoa_van]

The post above by Allan Gibbs is my main reason for buying the new S and not the NA or even an used S. I know I would regret on not getting an S initially. So I had to wait for another year of saving and it was a stressful year of waiting -eek-

 

[brgelise]

I've had both . NA car is 99% the same except for that .4 sec 0-60 improvement and suspension bits you'll never notice on the street. I'd steer you towards an NA as you want it instead of scrounging for a base "S"

 

[cornbeef]

The post above by Allan Gibbs is my main reason for buying the new S and not the NA or even an used S. I know I would regret on not getting an S initially. So I had to wait for another year of saving and it was a stressful year of waiting -eek-

I was in a similar situation couple months ago. I’m also not rich - one income to support a family of 6. I had saved for this car over the years ever since I fell in love with my first Lotus Elise. I could have gotten an NA or a used S to save some money. However, since this is my special car, I waited another year of saving and go with my prefer options. Like other folks mentioned, it’s really depend on your budget. If you can afford an S, then go for it. Otherwise NA is also a great car. Another thing not mention here is that with the S, you don’t have to down shift to pass other cars in traffic. However, it might not be useful much where you live.

Here is my experience with the Evora:
http://www.lotustalk.com/forums/f170/12-hours-680-miles-memorable-ride-home-my-new-evora-s-238633/

Seems to me that it's really about what you can afford. Buy the car you can afford.

I think all this sums it up.

If you really want it now and can afford the n/a car then get it but I'm with Khoa.

There was a stripped new 11 that I really loved, (not really sure why, but I think I liked the honest simplicity of it) but I held out and saved for the one I really wanted, a new fully loaded sips, which stickered for nearly $30000 -eek- more than the sticker on the 11. Both cars were heavily discounted and ultimately the S cost less than $20000 than what I would get the 11 for. The extra year of saving and planning for the bigger payment was worth it as was the unbelievable deal I got.

I love my S and although the n/a was most of it, I knew it would always bother me knowing it wasn't the exact one I dreamed of. The period of waiting for it was killer thoughanic:

 

[squidward]

I've had both . NA car is 99% the same except for that .4 sec 0-60 improvement and suspension bits you'll never notice on the street. I'd steer you towards an NA as you want it instead of scrounging for a base "S"

Really? I dunno.. I mean Allan went through the trouble of trading in his NA just to get that extra .4 sec... It must be a huge difference... Certainly more so than a Honda Civic! I think I'm going to sell my Evora on account of his testimonial. rotfl

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Well, if my testimonials going to sell cars rotfl, the NA can hold its own against a 2013 Mustang GT at very high speeds but gets slaughtered on the side streets. The stock S can outrun a C6 Corvette at very high speeds and also keep up with it on acceleration. So I've heard.

And, it wasn't just trouble trading it. I was A LOT of trouble from shopping around and negotiating to getting the S registered. I had to get lawyer to fight the DMV on tax issues.

 

[Julian73]

Alan is right if you thing you want an S then you will probably regret not getting one if you can afford it. And what you can not afford, you must not regret or you will ne ed be happy.

 

[squidward]

true if you don't want any doubt in your mind by all means get the best one you can afford. no one can argue that point

when I started out I wanted to wait for the S but there was no timeframe established for it and I was lied to about the supercharger upgrade kit being available very soon. so in my haste I went ahead with the NA. I wanted an Evora so bad and I'm sure you all had that feeling too at one point.

anyway, no supercharger kit. The S came and I was ticked off pretty good and my piss poor service department at Newport European only fueled my disappointment and anger.

anyway it turned out the S difference is a nominal one so I no longer had any interest in it after test driving it.

if I had to do all over again knowing what I know I'd definitely get the NA tbh, if it meant saving extra 10, 15k back in my pocket to spend on other toys.. so in the end way things did work out in my favor.

My Evora is solid and a real treat to drive and I definitely think an S would have not make any difference in my enjoyment of the car as a DD. The first few years we're all about hill climbs and canyon runs and the S would have made very little difference either. today I don't drive like that anymore. it's mostly out of my system and I enjoy the car in a more gentlemanly way could be that I hit my 40s haha

 

[Allan Gibbs]

You all know this will be moot in September when Lotus unveils the new model at the Hethel dealer meeting, right. rotfl