2010 Lotus Evora
2010 Lotus Evora
PICS COMING SOON!!!
Now yesterday is a different story. My dad received an email inviting him to go test-drive the brand new Lotus Evora. The Evora, for those of you living under a rock, is like a bigger, softer Elise, designed for grand touring, with a stop at the track in the middle.
The car itself is absolutely beautiful. The lines are smooth and flowing, and from behind, the haunches of the car look absolutely stunning. Inside, its more of the same. The Evora gives you carpets, leather, a nice audio system, and you don't even have to REQUEST power windows! The seats are deep buckets that swallow you up and offer one of best seating positions I've every felt. Power comes from the 3.5L Toyota V6 also found in the Camry, and drives the rear wheels with 276hp.
Getting in and out was MUCH easier than the Elise, and for my 5' 11" frame, it was no big deal in either. For taller people, it might become an issue, but my Dad, who is 6' 2" and as flexible as a freight train, had no issues. The stupidest part of the car, though, was the so-called 'back-seat.' I know of no person who could actually fit back there with any semblance of comfort. I climbed in to prove the point and couldn't even sit up straight. I literally had to look straight down at the floor, and with the front seat upright, it needed to be at its furthest-forward stop since I have legs. Lotus is apparently offering customers a '2+0' option which not only saves you $550, but replaces the seats with a true packing shelf...
Driving the Evora was a pleasant experience. The suspension is supple and soaks up bumps easily, but has the oomph to handle like a Lotus should. Gear changes are smooth and mechanical, and the clutch's engagement zone is a little tough to 'feel,' but is easy to get used to. Only complaints there are the dead-pedal next to the clutch is only about 2 inches wide and its difficult to NOT accidentally rest your foot on the clutch or catch your foot as you release the pedal. Further, though the actual gear changes were smooth, the throw was pretty long, the shift handle rattled a bit, and the knob was a little light for my taste. Visibility was adequate out of it. The wing mirrors are a little oversized with convex glass on it to eliminate the inevitable blind spots, but the rearview mirror is what Top Gear would call 'ambitious, but rubbish.' The view is pretty much a slight window of light, dominated by the Lotus tuned engine. I doubt you'd even be able to see the lights of the cop behind you...
Steering was out of this world though. Every time I drive a Lotus (I've driven a 60s Elan S2 and an Elise) I'm reminded how a car is supposed to drive. The Evora is light on its feet (doesn't feel like it weighs 3,000 lbs) and changes direction incredibly easily. The steering is direct and full of feedback - I asked the salesman, but he was unsure if it was even power assisted. The standard Lotus steering wheel, which is significantly smaller than the MSP's, falls naturally into hand. Not sure how to describe it, but it just feels right.
Acceleration was good, but not explosive. I guess I was expecting it to be a little faster, but my view of 'fast' has been tainted by cars such as the GT-R or my Dad's Corvette. The salesman who was with me for the drive allowed me to nail the gas a few times in all gears and I will say it was impressive how it took off and kept going. Sufficient torque seems to be available in all gears and at all points along the power curve.
My biggest complaint would probably be the brakes. The pedal was too firm and had a digital on/off feel to it almost. Very little travel and it was difficult to modulate. I think with practice it would get easier, but you tap it too hard and you're in the backseat of the car in front of you. Further, the pedal was mounted WAY too high, compared with the gas pedal, to do proper heel-toe braking, which I love to do, even on the street. I'd imagine you'd even have trouble doing it in race conditions as well...
Overall I really enjoyed the car. Considering there are only 2 of them in the United States right now, I feel pretty lucky to have driven it. That said, at $84,000 I don't think (if I had the money) I would buy it. Considering the GT-R I drove two months ago was only $2,000 more, and a 1-year old Aston Martin V8 Vantage is about the same, I think its way over-priced. In a year or two, after the depreciation has set in, it might be a little more reasonable.