2010 Lotus Evora Expert Review: Autoblog
Autoblog
In a move that would have impressed Harry Houdini, Lotus has made one thousand pounds of vehicle mass seemingly disappear – yet we still know it's there. We're high in the mountains above San Diego, challenging corners in the 2010 Lotus Evora, and the larger and more luxurious two-plus-two is emulating the moves of its lightweight race-ready Elise and Exige siblings.
What gives the Evora its supernatural powers? How does the all-new Evora fit into the Lotus lineup? And, most importantly, is this the first Lotus you can park in your garage without having to explain it to the neighbors? Find out after the jump.
Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Lotus has become synonymous with lightweight, no-frills sports cars thanks to its ass-kicking Elise roadster and Exige coupe – arguably two of the world's best driver's cars. Yet, despite their impressiveness on the track, the Elise and Exige are about as practical as a gutted Spec Miata when it comes to daily drivers.
In an effort to put more sophistication on the menu, and capture a larger market share, Lotus has rolled out its first all-new car in 15 years. Like the Elise and Exige, the Evora is a lightweight, aluminum-chassis, mid-engine sports car that puts a premium on driving dynamics. But unlike its smaller, harder siblings, the Evora offers more interior space, a host of luxury amenities, two-plus-two seating and a six-cylinder powerplant.
The chassis of the Evora is manufactured by Lotus Lightweight Structures Limited in Worcester, United Kingdom, as three main components. The main chassis – an extruded and bonded aluminum safety monocoque tub – is where the passengers and fuel tank reside. In front of that is an all-aluminum subframe containing the front suspension, cooling system and steering rack (it's bolted to the main chassis for easy repair). The rear subframe is galvanized steel and contains the rear suspension, engine and gearbox (likewise bolted to the back of main chassis). The whole assembly weighs just over 440 pounds and is more than twice as stiff as the chassis in the Elise, says Lotus. All body panels are composite, either bolted or bonded to the chassis depending on location. The curb weight comes in around 3,000 pounds with 39 percent of the mass over the front wheels and the other 61 percent hovering over the rear, nearly mirroring the weight distribution of the unflappable Elise and Exige. And just like the Elise/Exige twins, the Evora is packing a Japanese-sourced powerplant mounted amidships.
It's a Toyota 2GR-FE 3.5-liter V6 – the same engine fitted to the pedestrian Lexus RX350, Toyota Camry and Toyota Sienna – is equipped with ToMoCo's Dual VVT-i variable valve timing, putting out 268 horsepower in standard guise. Lotus adds its own engine management software to bump output to 276 hp and 258 pound-feet of torque, while increasing the redline to 7,000 RPM. The engine sits transversely in the middle of the chassis, tilted just slightly rearward for better packaging.
For now the sole gearbox is an Aisin EA60 six-speed manual, also sourced from Toyota. Lotus pulls out the range of overdrive gears (third through sixth) and replaces them with closer, custom ratios to suit the Evora. Customers may choose from either a standard-ratio 'box, or a sport-ratio transmission with shorter gearing, and for those who don't like to row their own, hold out for a six-speed automatic that's set to arrive in the near future.
The suspension is comprised of lightweight forged aluminum wishbones fitted with Eibach springs and Bilstein shocks on all four corners. Mounted to each wheel hub are oversized ventilated disc brakes (13.77-inch in front and 13.07-inch rear rotors in the rear) sporting AP Racing four-piston calipers. If you option up for the "Sport Package," ventilated rotors with cross-drilled units are available. The standard tire package is staggered in both tire width and wheel size, with the Evora kitted out with 18-inch alloys up front (225/40Z R18) and 19-inch alloys in the rear (255/35Z R19).
The base price for the Lotus Evora is $72,990 for the "2+0" (two-seat) version and $73,500 for the "2+2" model. Lotus also offers three optional bundled packages. A "Premium Package" ($1,990) delivers interior accent lighting, upgraded interior trim and more extensive use of premium leathers and colors. The "Technology Package" ($2,995) includes an Alpine multimedia infotainment system designed around a seven-inch WVGA touch-sensitive screen. It also includes Bluetooth phone connectivity, satellite navigation, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), cruise control and rear parking sensors. The "Sport Upgrade Pack" ($1,275) fits the Evora with a more aggressive diffuser, titanium exhaust tailpipe, cross-drilled brake discs, engine oil cooler and a switchable ECU with sports mode that provides a sharper throttle response, increased redline and a traction control setting tuned for aggressive driving. Stand-alone options include just electric power-folding mirrors ($450), reverse camera ($495), forged alloy wheels ($2,125), sport-ratio gearbox ($1,500) and an equalizer system for the Alpine audio package ($495).
Our test car was a "2+2" model loaded up like a shopper during the holidays. Our eyes never saw an actual dealer sticker, but our guess is that the blue metallic tester would set you back about $84,000. In all honesty, we'd choose an Evora "2+2" with only the Sport Pack and sport-ratio gearbox and walk out of the showroom at $76,275 (for comparison, the Porsche Cayman S starts at $61,500 and a bare-bones Porsche 911 begins at $77,800).
Standing next to the world's only mid-engine 2+2 sports car currently in production, the Evora is bigger than it looks in pictures – much larger than the diminutive, hard-top Exige. By the tape, the Evora comes in at 170.9-inches long with a 101.4-inch wheelbase, while the smaller Exige is 149.5-inches in length sporting a 90.6-inch wheelbase. Despite all of its aluminum, the Evora is roughly the same weight and size as a Porsche Cayman S – one of its closest mid-engine competitors.
Unlike the Exige coupe, a sports car that requires acrobatic ability to enter, our six-foot two-inch frame slid easily behind the flat-bottom forged magnesium wheel of the Evora. With the seat moved forward a few clicks (yes, forward), and the steering wheel tilted and telescoped just right, our body was comfortable in the standard two-way adjustable Recaro bucket seats. There is no "dead pedal" per se – blame the left-front wheel's slight intrusion into the cockpit – so our left foot hung out awkwardly over, on or under the clutch pedal. Rearward visibility is dismal, providing a clear view of the engine cover in the rear-view mirror, but a reverse camera is included and the generously sized exterior mirrors offer a clear shot of the flanks and the surrounding traffic on each side.
Yes, there is a back seat, which Lotus says can accommodate a five-foot-tall adult. We weren't about to try. You won't either.
Twist the key (no push-button start here) and the 3.5-liter V6 springs to life and settles to a muted purr. The clutch is light and the lever throws a bit longer than we prefer, but it isn't harder to operate than a Toyota Corolla. After backing gingerly out of our parking space (thank you Mr. Reverse Camera), we drop into first gear and drive about a mile down the road.
Then it hits us hard – a sucker-punch to the face.
We drive countless cars around here. Nearly all of them, from cargo vans to exotics, take time to get acquainted with as mannerisms are absorbed, character traits are learned and faults either annoy or are overlooked. After a few hours, days or even a week, we forge judgments and opinions about vehicles and then decide if we like it. The Lotus Evora, in striking contrast, isn't one of "them."
You "get" the Evora immediately – or it goes completely over your head.
Recovering from the welcomed blow, we've got a grin on our kisser rivaling the Mazdaspeed3 within the first block. We lock the doors, snug our belt, and head for the open road in the mountains just east of San Diego.
Familiar with the Elise and Exige, both minimalist sports cars that joyously drive like oversized go-karts, we expected the power-assisted steering and extra half-ton of curb weight on the Evora to muffle the fun like a bout of asthma at a harmonica convention. Not going to happen, says the Lotus engineering team. It takes but a few turns to realize that the Evora drives with a springing lightness that defies any preconceived notions. Maybe the tires are filled with helium?
Fling the Evora into a corner above your comfort level and it responds to minute steering inputs like a well-trained Labrador retriever. Without hesitation, it loyally delivers everything asked of it and not one degree more.
Mile after mile, corner after corner, we smiled, giggled, laughed and tears of joy rolled down our cheeks (bring tissue on your test drive). We felt invincible – the same way we do when piloting the Elise and Exige.
All credit is directed towards the chassis and a very accurate steering system teamed with what may be the world's best suspension tuning. Any vehicle that boasts a cornering grip in excess of 1g (as the Evora does) typically rides in washboard fashion. Not in this case. Through some secret black art – and without the use of electronically-controlled dampers – the Evora corners perfectly flat, yet absorbs pavement breaks and cow crossing grates without drama. The suspension on the Evora is unequaled – perfectly compliant and beautifully composed.
Lotus boasts that the Evora's brakes are "fade free." While we never had a chance to victimize them on the track, they continued to stop short at any request and seemed to get better as we heated them up. The transmission's ratios are a perfect spread with the sport gearing (don't even consider the taller "standard" gearbox), but we did feel the throws were a bit long for such an agile sports car. Furthermore, while it's easy to shift when just poking around, the clutch prefers a full, foot-to-the-floor engagement, otherwise you'll be grinding gears or chattering your way through traffic. But don't rush things and you're rewarded with clean, smooth shifts that inspire just as much confidence as the exemplary suspension.
We consider the Evora quick on its toes, but not particularly fast. The torque-rich 3.5-liter six pulls cheerfully from all positions on the tachometer and it seemed to relish spinning to the right side of the dial – surprising for a mill pilfered from the Toyota parts bin. We only found ourselves yearning for more power on the straight, or in the taller gears while on the highway. Before you challenge that Subaru STI to a drag race at the light, keep in mind that most of the Evora's competition will outrun its claimed 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds (top speed is a drag-limited 162 mph). Bet on a forced-induction model in the future, as the chassis could easily handle more power.
In the big picture, our enthusiast-tuned taste buds say the new Lotus is one of the most enjoyable sports cars we have ever driven – standing only behind its Elise and Exige siblings when forced to get in line. Baring our soul, we'll even go so far as to say the Evora is more fun to drive than the benchmark Porsche Cayman S. Or a 911. Yeah, we said it.
But, would we choose the Lotus over a Porsche?
While the Evora is leaps and bounds more civilized, comfortable and well-rounded than anything we've seen from Lotus in recent memory (we'd gladly drive it 1,000 miles in a day), it still seems to stop short of filling that critical second slot in our own driveway. Like most limited-production sport cars, the Evora still feels too special to weather the road salt, bug guts and bird excrement that pummel our daily drivers.
Nevertheless, the all-new coupe is a remarkably more compatible mate than its aging predecessors, delivering 98% of the performance while tripling the convenience and amenities. While both the Elise/Exige are frisky cars you date, the Evora is exceptional enough to wed. And for the masses that dream of putting a Lotus in the garage, the all-new Evora is the answer to their prayers.
Photos by Michael Harley / Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.
New Car Test Drive
New mid-engine sports car is agile and seductive.
Introduction
A compelling British sports car, the Lotus Evora combines excellent performance with good fuel economy. With its 2+2 seating, mid-engine configuration and exotic styling, the Evora is a pure sports car yet it's surprisingly practical. This is the first new Lotus nameplate in 15 years, the product of an exclusive brand with a 62-year heritage.
The Evora is not the first 2+2 car Lotus ever offered, but it is the first since 1992. While the back seat is not roomy, it can accommodate a smaller person (5-feet and under) sitting behind a 6-foot, 1-inch driver.
For the Evora, like other Lotus cars, the primary focus is on pure driving dynamics. A lightweight forged-aluminum suspension provides impressive handling and side-to-side balance. Precise steering and powerful brakes that come on strong with just a light touch are also part of the formula. Because of the car's relatively light weight, a 276-horsepower V6 provides brisk acceleration. The agile Evora is capable of over 1g lateral acceleration, can hit 60 mph in 4.9 seconds, and brake from 60 mph in 100 feet. Top speed is 162 mph.
Its exotic appearance combines fluid surfaces, functional cooling ducts, and crisp lines. Most body panels are lightweight composite, and the chassis makes extensive use of aluminum. Lotus cars are built to be among the lightest on the road, and the Evora is no exception.
A greater degree of practicality distinguishes the Evora from other similarly compelling Lotus cars. Along with the back seat for small passengers, the Evora offers tolerable ride quality, more amenities, an easier-to-drive V6, and bigger storage areas. It is easier to get in and out of than the Lotus Elise, and the 2+2 configuration will likely lead to lower insurance premiums. That makes the Evora a more comfortable Lotus that can be driven daily, not just a track/weekend car.
That said, practical is a relative term. The console houses a shifter, not cup holders, and the seats are designed to hold the occupants firmly in place. There is a navigation system and Alpine audio system, but engine sound levels rise sharply after 3500 rpm. The Evora is, first and foremost, about the driving experience.
Visually, the Evora is evocative from every angle. Close inspection yields a race-born obsession to save weight. Even hidden pieces, like hinges on the rear hatch and armrest, are made from extruded aluminum.
Driving the Evora on public roads can be an exercise in self-control. The car rewards a confident driver with incredible levels of grip, and a nearly imperceptible amount of body roll from side to side. Less experienced drivers will find the Evora forgiving of early-apex cornering and mis-judged entries. The car loves tight, diminishing-radius turns followed by sudden twists in the opposite direction. It tolerates choppy surfaces with no apparent loss of control, and keeps tires on the pavement when a rising section of road might get another car airborne. Serious braking power is immediately available by lightly feathering the pedal. Steering is direct and linear, requiring minimal hand movement on the D-shaped, magnesium steering wheel.
Electronic stability control and ABS are standard on the Evora. The systems seem to have a very high threshold, especially with the Sport package, which tweaks the thresholds higher. They are hard to trigger, designed to function as driver aids without interfering with sportive driving. However, even these unobtrusive systems can be switched off should the driver choose.
The Evora is currently the world's only mid-engine 2+2 production car. Approximately 2000 will be built in the coming year, with about 700 earmarked for sale in North America. While there are no exact competitors, size and price range suggest the Evora might be shopped against the mid-engine two-seat Porsche Cayman S. Currently, there are 48 Lotus dealers in the United States, and three in Canada. While regular oil changes and the like could be handled practically anywhere, a buyer would need access to a Lotus dealer for proper electronic diagnosis and tuning.
Lineup
The 2010 Lotus Evora ($73,500) comes standard with the 2+2 configuration, or buyers can delete the back seat for storage space ($72,990).
Standard features include leather upholstery, Recaro black leather sport seats with recline, tilt and slide adjustments, air conditioning, flat-bottomed leather and magnesium steering wheel, manual steering column adjustments for length and height, illuminated aluminum control knobs and switches, power windows, leather shift knob and handbrake cover, remote release glove box, door storage bins and pockets, trip computer, Alpine CD/MP3 stereo with iPod dock connector and auxiliary input.
The Tech Package ($2,995) includes an upgraded stereo system, 7-inch touch-screen display, satellite navigation, Bluetooth, USB connection, cruise control, rear park sensors; rearview camera ($495). The Premium Package ($1,990) includes full leather trim for doors, center console. Also optional is a StarShield ($995) to protect paint on the leading edges.
The Sport Package ($1,275) features enhanced throttle response and rpm limit, sports traction control mode with increased yaw and slip thresholds, sports diffuser, titanium sports exhaust tailpipe, cross-drilled brake discs, black painted brake calipers, engine oil cooler. A Sports Ratio six-speed gearbox ($1,500) is optional.
Walkaround
The exterior of the Lotus Evora balances style with race-bred aerodynamic considerations such as drag, downforce and cooling. A short rear overhang and long front overhang, combined with larger wheels at the rear, create a seductive, crouching stance.
The engine, located behind the rear seat, is cooled via a top-exit radiator vent; the other vents are also functional. A floating rear wing actually produces downforce at speeds over 100 mph.
The car's remarkable presence is best appreciated in person. It's a cliche, but photographs really do not convey the elegance of the design. The Evora is more than pretty; the exposed vents, huge brakes and attention to airflow management suggest a high-strung, temperamental racecar dressed in formal evening wear.
The lines are so smoothly unified, front to rear, that the back seat is hidden. The car looks like a mid-engine sports car, but not a four-seater.
The roofline is just 48 inches off the ground, so bystanders look down on a curvaceous body with wide, muscular shoulders. Mirrors are small but functional. Two different wheel sizes are used: 18x8 inches at the front, and larger, wider 19x9.5 inches at the rear. Standard wheels are cast alloy; three other wheel designs are available, including forged alloy wheels. Ardent Red and British Racing Green are standard, with 18 metallic and premium colors available. Since cars can be ordered from the factory, a customer could theoretically have practically any color they desire.
Trunk space is limited, big enough for one golf bag or a few bags of groceries. To carry more stuff, there is the back seat.
Interior
The interior of the Evora is at the same time sparse and sophisticated, appearing not manufactured, but crafted. Our test unit had the Premium Package, which includes leather covering the lower dash, door panel, door pockets, side panels, center console, and center armrest. Practically every interior surface is trimmed in fragrant, soft leather.
Controls and switches are illuminated. Unlike some Lotus cars, there are floor mats, accent lighting, and electric mirrors. Air conditioning and power windows are standard. The steering wheel tilts and telescopes. The rear window is made from insulated, double-glazed glass, filled with Argon gas, and it has a defroster.
Entry and exit are made easier compared with the Elise by a lower sill and a wider door opening, although the seat is definitely low to the ground. Seats are firm but not hard, with appropriately wide side bolsters. The seats are adjustable, unlike those in the Elise. Brief door storage bins have small recesses that might serve as cup holders.
There is a surprising amount of front legroom and headroom. As a 50th percentile male, I had to adjust the seat well forward to reach the clutch bottom.
Our test unit had the Technology Package, which includes an upgraded Alpine audio system with additional amplification. Two 6.25-inch two-way speakers, dash-mounted tweeters, and a separately amplified 150-watt subwoofer deliver sound. We have to admit, we never thought about turning it on, although we did drive with the map illuminated on the Navigation System screen. Full connectivity for iPod touch, Nano and other models is standard with a dock connector, and there is also a standard Aux input. Bluetooth wireless and USB jacks are part of the optional Technology Package.
Even though the above equipment transforms the interior into a more refined, everyday driving space, it does add weight. The Evora is about 1000 pounds heavier than the smaller, spartan Elise two-seater. But the Evora interior doesn't look unfinished, or like a car that someone tore everything out of to make a faster autocrosser. Nor does it look like a kit car. It has the look of a premium car, hand built, by people who care about what they are doing.
Driving Impression
Our route took us from downtown San Diego, California, along a mix of highways and mountain byways, including County Highway 1, known in that region as the Sunrise Highway. Along the way we saw rough surfaces, smooth surfaces, tight turns and wide-open superhighways.
It takes a little effort to swing down into the driver's seat, but there is no need to be a contortionist. The instrument panel is front and center, dominated by a 9000-rpm tach and 180-mph speedometer with red needles against a charcoal background. Adjusting the mirrors is a bit awkward, but it only takes a second and we're off.
The Evora looks racy enough to be intimidating, but happily, driving it is a playful experience. Once on the move, the car is a sweetheart, easy to shift, easy to steer, and ready to go along with whatever you have in mind. It's not fussy or temperamental at all.
That said, the Evora can be intoxicating, and will reward forays into higher rpm levels. The engine bursts into full song just above 3500 rpm. With the sport transmission in Sport mode, there is a sweet spot at about 4000 rpm, and the engine pulls strongly all the way up to 6700, where it bumps into the rev limiter. Its 3.5-liter engine is a Toyota V6, the optional engine in the Camry, but with Lotus tuning and Lotus engine management, it revs a little higher and makes a little more power. The Evora is so much lighter than a Camry, and some 450 pounds lighter than a Porsche 911, that the car responds to throttle with a pleasing, potentially addictive rush.
There are two choices of gearbox: standard and Sport-ratio. After driving on the Sport gearbox, we think it's the best choice for North American roads. Ratios in the Sport gearbox are a little lower than those in the standard gearbox, starting with third gear. It's probably the gearbox the Evora should have for American roads and American speed limits, lending itself to better acceleration and reducing the need for shifting. The standard gearbox, with its much taller overdrive sixth gear, might be best for high-speed European highways and European drivers who love to shift. According to Lotus testing, the Sport gearbox is actually the better transmission for fuel economy. In short, the Sport gearbox results in a quicker and more fuel-efficient Evora, so it gets our vote.
The 2011 Evora will be offered with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters. We hope there won't be many takers. We found the manual six-speed easy to shift, with short throw and light clutch pressure. Most of the roads we traveled allowed us to shift between second and third most of the time, with short straights that could prompt a shift into fourth gear when we really wanted to hustle. But a great deal of shifting and downshifting is really not required. The engine has a broad range of operation, and the Sport gearing is such that operating speeds between 20 and 80 mph can be maintained without much shifting at all.
Even with the Sport gearbox in our test unit, we found it possible to cruise quietly at legal highway speeds in fourth gear, without engine stress or undue vibration. In sixth gear, a 0.861 overdrive, the engine is relaxed and noise levels are unremarkable. Even at 80 mph, there is just 3000 rpm showing on the tachometer, well below the torque peak. In fourth gear, 80 mph arrives at 4000 rpm, at which point the engine begins to wake up and smell the coffee.
Tires, Z-rated Pirelli P-Zero ultra-high performance radials, seem to have more adhesion than the car requires. As hard as we drove, we were never able to hear any noise or howl through corners, but the tires do feel the road well, with slight changes in pitch as the surface changes. Pavement irregularities come through to the seats and wheel, but the suspension is supple enough to take the edge off the bigger inputs, so it's more like a thrill ride and less like a beating. In short, this car has more grip than we were willing to use on public roads.
Steering is delightfully precise. It's hydraulically assisted, tuned by Lotus. We can't recall a car with a smoother turn-in, or more poise on difficult turns. Brakes consist of ventilated discs, 13.8 inches at the front and 13.1 at the rear, with four-piston AP Racing aluminum alloy calipers. These are bigger brakes, and better, than what would normally come with an 8500-pound diesel tow truck.
The car is weighted 39/61 percent front to rear, but 50/50 side to side, so the moment of inertia during hard-right-to-hard-left transitions is practically invisible. The car stays flat, the tires stay quiet, and we stay firmly planted in our Recaro seats. The steering wheel barely moves, hardly any effort is expended, and actual road speed becomes difficult to judge. At one point, we looked down to see 80 mph on a 35 mph mountain road.
On a wide-open highway, pure straight-ahead speed is still impressive but not explosive. The V6 pulls strongly, but in the taller gears, acceleration comes on steadily, not with a bang. In a 50- to 100-mph roll-on contest, a Corvette would pull away. The Evora's performance, and good mileage for that matter, is based on lightness, rather than sheer engine power. It is incredibly quick, agile, and undeniably fast, but not a burnout machine like a muscle car.
We found getting out of the Evora was harder than getting in. By driving, we had become part of the car. Breaking that connection, limb by limb, does take a moment. One does not just hop out. And the world, when you stand up and look around, seems different.
Summary
Easy on the eyes, and easy to drive fast without noise, drama or protest. We're sure there are limits to this car's handling, but it might take some time at the track to discover them. If we owned a Lotus Evora, we would drive it every day, and every trip to the grocery store would be an occasion.
NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent John Stewart filed this report after his test drive of the Evora near San Diego.
Model Lineup
Lotus Evora 2+2 ($73,500); two-seat version ($72,990).
Assembled In
Hethel, Norfolk, England.
Options As Tested
Sport Package ($1,275) includes switchable sport mode programming for enhanced throttle response and rpm limit, a sports traction control mode with increased yaw and slip thresholds, a sports diffuser, titanium exhaust tailpipe, cross-drilled brake discs and black painted brake calipers; Sports ratio 6-speed manual gearbox ($1,500); Premium Package ($1,990) with full leather interior, accent lighting, arm rest; Technology Package ($2,995) with 7-inch touch screen, Satellite Navigation, upgraded Alpine speakers, 8-inch Subwoofer and additional Amplifier, Bluetooth and MP3 cable connections, Cruise Control, rear parking sensors; StarShield paint protection ($995); Electric power-folding mirrors ($450).
Model Tested
Lotus Evora 2+2 ($73,500).
2010 Lotus Evora Information
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