Lotus Evora S

PREVIEW

SPECIFICATIONS

1. Thanks to a supercharged version of the Evora's 3.5L V6, the S model makes 345-hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, and increase of 69-hp and 37 lb-ft. 2. With a 0-60 mph time of 4.3 seconds it's a half second faster than a Porsche 911 Carrera. 3. If you're interested in practicality, the Evora does have 6 cu-ft of trunk space and gets 17/26-mpg. 4. At $76,000 it's $12,000 more than a non-supercharged Evora.

The single most important fact about the new Lotus Evora S isn't its supercharged V6 engine or its improved suspension. No, it's the price.

Starting at $76,000 the Evora S may seem like an unreasonable price hike of $12,000 over the standard Evora, but that's only because Lotus has dropped the MSRP of the base car by $8,000 since it first hit our shores.

For comparison's sake, take the cost of the car's most direct competitor, the Porsche 911 Carrera. It starts at $79,000. Both cars make an identical 345-hp, and if stop-light drag racing sits high on your list of qualities a sports car should have then the Evora S edges out the 911 with its lower curb weight, translating to a 4.3 second 0-60 mph time – roughly half a second faster than the 911. The Carrera S will deliver similar straight-line performance, but that model edges north of the 90K mark.

INTERIOR

With all this performance comes a surprising level of comfort. Lotus credits its solid chassis, allowing for softer spring rates than you'd expect in a sports car of this caliber. Also helping are rather comfy, yet nicely bolstered seats.

Still, this isn't a Porsche, and while easily overlooked from the driver's seat, our brief time spent sitting shotgun in a cream colored Recaro fit for a trophy wife revealed even less appreciation for its daily driving characteristics. From a performance perspective, however, the car remains composed even when the road surface begins to degrade.

Lotus says the car is easier to get into and out of than the Elise, but that's like Dick Cheney telling you how much more pleasant waterboarding is than other forms torture. Is it easier? Yes. Is it easy? No!

To give Lotus credit it's a quiet ride when you want it to be and the interior is a bespoke work of art. The solid metal buttons and controls are like jewelry, their old world feel juxtaposed with the laser red displays on the side of the gauges. There's also plenty of room inside once you get there. But don't be fooled about that 2+2 badge, the only children you'll be fitting in the back two seats are ones that haven't been conceived yet.

Still, the gauges themselves look to be lifted directly from the Elise (from 1996), the ergonomics are brutal (the side mirror adjustment in particular) and the view out the rear is so minimal you might as well rip off the rear view mirror to improve the lines of sight out the front.

To help draw in buyers accustomed to higher levels of luxury than a Lotus is known to afford, there is a Premium Package ($2,500) with added leather, heated seats and an armrest. A Tech Package ($2,995) is also available with a 7-inch touch screen with Navigation, as well as iPod and Bluetooth connectivity, an upgraded audio system and rear parking sensors.

                                       

UNDER THE HOOD

While the standard Evora lacks some of the real thrust you'd expect for a car that looks so exotic, the S won't leave you wanting in the acceleration department – even if it looks that way on paper. Strapping a supercharger to the Toyota-sourced V6 engine adds just 69-hp and 37 lb-ft of torque, but that small increase is much more noticeable on a car that weighs just 3,168 lbs. (A 120-lb increase over the Evora). Peak numbers don't tell the whole story either, with the S model making as much torque at just 2000 rpm as the naturally aspirated engine delivers at its peak 4700 rpm, meaning there's plenty of added power to blast you our of the corners and onto the straights.

Also helping is an electronic differential as well as a sports ratio transmission. Optional on the Evora, S models get it standard. The same can be said of a Sport mode button; but more on that soon.

Out on the track at Laguna Seca during our first drive of the Evora S the car continues a Lotus tradition of perfectly matching power with the chassis – thanks to numerous small changes. In particular, revised suspension geometry makes for a 12 percent reduction in front and a 19 percent reduction in rear camber loss during cornering. Pair that with the optional 235/35/19 and 275/30/20 Pirelli P Zero Corsa tires on light weight forged aluminum wheels and there's more grip going into, through and out of the corners.