Lotus Evora

[MX793]

They are certainly priced that way.

There's a difference between a premium car and a luxury car.  I wouldn't consider most Porsches or Ferraris to be "luxury cars" in the traditional sense (obviously, owning such a vehicle is a luxury, but they aren't really luxurious like a Mercedes or Lexus), but they sure as heck have a premium price tag.

[NomisR]

Of the car?  Or just overall?

The pics shows exactly what 2+2 means

[TBR]

The heavy weight Espite is basically slowly increased in weight through the year especially after GM's aquisition of Lotus.  But this is not really Colin's definition of light, I'd prefer them to shed about 500lb off of the thing to make it more competitive with the Porsches.  Right now, the Elise and especially the Exige S240 can basically run circles around this car at the power to weight ratio.

Undoubtedly, but it was never a light weight and wasn't intended to be one when Chapman originally decided to make the car. But, yes, it is heavier than I'd like. I'd rather have an Elise SC.

[ChrisV]

Lotus...

Lotusessseses? I like Lotii. If purists hate it, all the better.

[nickdrinkwater]

Lotuses don't look anything like kit cars to me.  Maybe it's because they are far more common here, though.

[Nethead]

Lotuses don't look anything like kit cars to me.  Maybe it's because they are far more common here, though.

nickdrinkliquor: Not all Lotuses look like amaterishly-styled kit cars--the purposeful Lotus Elan and the sleek, angular, & beautiful Lotus Esprit come immediately to mind (And I ain't  talkin' about the Turbo Esprit with it's J.C. Whitney splitter, aprons, and wing, either! Ewwwww!!)

If the original Esprit had offered the Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter Formula One V8 it might have been the most perfect vehicle ever built.

But I digress--the Evora and the Elise look garish, with their scoops and gills and vents and wings and rice-soaked "air-extractor panels" (or whatever they may be called) between the tailpipes, yada yada yada. Raw sewage.  The Elise's aerodynamics seem to suck as a result--costing it any advantages the 240 HP version might have had in Road & Track's 10-car "Free-For-All" comparo (CarSpin has a thread about this already).  Subaru coulda come up with better looks--and better body panel fit, too... 

[NomisR]

nickdrinkliquor: Not all Lotuses look like amaterishly-styled kit cars--the purposeful Lotus Elan and the sleek, angular, & beautiful Lotus Esprit come immediately to mind (And I ain't  talkin' about the Turbo Esprit with it's J.C. Whitney splitter, aprons, and wing, either! Ewwwww!!) If the original Esprit had offered the Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter Formula One V8 it might have been the most perfect vehicle ever built.

But I digress--the Evora and the Elise look garish, with their scoops and gills and vents and wings and rice-soaked "air-extractor panels" (or whatever they may be called) between the tailpipes, yada yada yada. Raw sewage.  The Elise's aerodynamics seem to suck as a result--costing it any advantages the 240 HP version might have had in Road & Track's 10-car "Free-For-All" comparo (CarSpin has a thread about this already).  Subaru coulda come up with better looks--and better body panel fit, too... 

Elise doesn't have any wings nor does it have 240hp.  It's front clam works to add downforce and rear clam also adds additional downforce along with the assistance of the rear splitters. 

You're talking about the Exige which all of the aero components are still functional in adding additional down force.  It's all functional.

As for not liking it?  You're just old! 

[Nethead]

Elise doesn't have any wings nor does it have 240hp.  It's front clam works to add downforce and rear clam also adds additional downforce along with the assistance of the rear splitters. 
You're talking about the Exige which all of the aero components are still functional in adding additional down force.  It's all functional.
As for not liking it?  You're just old! 

NomisR:  Yep, NomisDude, the Nethead here is old, but I don't feel a day over 105!  And I meant the "Exige S 240" but said "Elise".  My bad!!  Where do they come up with these names--does GM own Lotus now? 

Such a shame--waaaayyy back in the early 'Seventies when everything had gone to shit, only the original Esprit (which no one could afford), the original Scirocco, and the '73 Datsun PL620 pickup were fit to be seen in--unless you wore a bag over your head with eye-hole cut-outs. Oh, yeah, and the 911.   I bought the one I could afford... 

[NomisR]

NomisR:  Yep, NomisDude, the Nethead here is old, but I don't feel a day over 105!  And maybe I have the Exige and Elise mixed up (us geezers do that)--so I'm talkin' about the ugly, ugly, ugly Lotus.  Such a shame--waaaayyy back in the early 'Seventies when everything had gone to shit, only the original Esprit (which no one could afford), the original Scirocco, and the '73 Datsun PL620 pickup were fit to be seen in--unless you wore a bag over your head with eye-hole cut-outs. Oh, yeah, and the 911.   I bought the one I could afford... 

Original Esprite wasn't exactly the best looking car either, and the last versions of it made it even worse.  Elan on the other hand, that I like. 

But how can you call these cars ugly though? (aside from the painters tape)

[Nethead]

Original Esprite wasn't exactly the best looking car either, and the last versions of it made it even worse.  Elan on the other hand, that I like. 

But how can you call these cars ugly though? (aside from the painters tape)

NomisR:  It's hard to describe the Exige's styling in a complimentary way.  "Ugly" is a little harsh, perhaps--or perhaps not.  Ya had to grow up seeing these faux sportscar fiberglass bodies that Southern California was cranking out for VW Beetle chasses & running gear in the late 'Sixties--those, too, had scoops and vents and gills and whatever, although the Exige distinguishes itself from those sham "sportscar" kits by making all of these items crescent-shaped or half-mooned--or else stretched-out, pointy-ended ovals (the headlights, for instance).  It's styling is gimmicky, as was the styling of those early faux sportcar kits for VW chasses & running gear...

[Tave]

I think the Elise looks cool, but I wouldn't call it pretty. Same goes for the Modena.

[Vinsanity]

I fail to see how the Elise/Exige styling could at all be called gimmicky. IMO, it's one of the most purposeful-looking cars out there.

[Raza]

I fail to see how the Elise/Exige styling could at all be called gimmicky. IMO, it's one of the most purposeful-looking cars out there.

I agree.  It looks lean, taut, modern, and purpose-built; not four things that can be said of any other car on the market today. 

[Onslaught]

The Elise is a frak'n awesome looking car. And it is everything I'd ever want in a car too.

[Raza]

The Elise is a frak'n awesome looking car. And it is everything I'd ever want in a car too.

I think I could do with a little more trunk space.  Maybe if it were slightly deeper, you could fit some groceries in it, in case the passenger area fills up.

Seriously though, I will have one. 

[Onslaught]

Well for me it would be the ultimate toy car. I'm not sure it could be my only car.

[Nethead]

'Make mine an Elan, followed by an Esprit if no one's giving away Elans.  Else ("Else" is an English language adverb and/or adjective, depending upon context--and not the name of some Lotus) gimme the great Jim Clark's 1968 Silverstone-winning Formula One Lotus--mighta been a Lotus 49 (after four decades, who can recall?).  It was the breakthrough Formula One car of that era, and this was the race in which it debuted (and which Jim Clark won, even though a suspension member broke during the race). It was also the racing debut of the now legendary Ford-Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter V8, the winningest engine in Formula One history (and which also powered an outright over-all winner of the 24 Heures du Mans around 1975) and a big success in US Indy car racing in the 'Seventies.  One of the many masterpieces of engineering from the brilliant mind of the late, great Colin Chapman...Those were the days...

[Raza]

Well for me it would be the ultimate toy car. I'm not sure it could be my only car.

I think I could handle it unless I had a family.  It wouldn't be ideal, though. 

It would be nice to have the Elise in the garage next to a car like a GTI, SVT Focus, or any other hot hatch.

[omicron]

nickdrinkliquor: Not all Lotuses look like amaterishly-styled kit cars--the purposeful Lotus Elan and the sleek, angular, & beautiful Lotus Esprit come immediately to mind (And I ain't  talkin' about the Turbo Esprit with it's J.C. Whitney splitter, aprons, and wing, either! Ewwwww!!) If the original Esprit had offered the Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter Formula One V8 it might have been the most perfect vehicle ever built.

But I digress--the Evora and the Elise look garish, with their scoops and gills and vents and wings and rice-soaked "air-extractor panels" (or whatever they may be called) between the tailpipes, yada yada yada. Raw sewage.  The Elise's aerodynamics seem to suck as a result--costing it any advantages the 240 HP version might have had in Road & Track's 10-car "Free-For-All" comparo (CarSpin has a thread about this already).  Subaru coulda come up with better looks--and better body panel fit, too... 

One less Esprit Turbo in Mr. Nethead's garage means one more Esprit Turbo in Omi's garage!



A wonderful car; equally as wonderful as the 1972 original:



The thought of that silver car with the Cosworth DFV 3.0-liter Formula One V8 as you mentioned is almost painfully arousing. There, I said it.

[Tave]

It would be nice to have the Elise in the garage next to a car like a GTI, SVT Focus, or any other hot hatch.

Wouldn't you want something with a little more space if you already had an Elise?

I'd park my Lotus next to a XJR, thank you very much.

[Raza]

Wouldn't you want something with a little more space if you already had an Elise?

I'd park my Lotus next to a XJR, thank you very much.

Space for what?  The hatches have plenty of space for cargo, and enough space for passengers. 

[Soup DeVille]

Wouldn't you want something with a little more space if you already had an Elise?

I'd park my Lotus next to a XJR, thank you very much.

Any one of those hatches would have more usable passenger and cargo space than an XJR. Although I can't blame you for choosing one over a GTI, it wouldn't be for a practical reason.

[Raza]

Any one of those hatches would have more usable passenger and cargo space than an XJR. Although I can't blame you for choosing one over a GTI, it wouldn't be for a practical reason.

You think they would have more usable passenger space?  Depending on what generation XJR he's talking about, they could be quite spacious (or, indeed quite small). 

If I needed a luxury car, or had room and money for a third car, a nice used Jag would be the obvious choice.  Endless class, plummeting residual values; definitely the way to go.  But I'd pick up an XK8 or XKR. 

[Soup DeVille]

You think they would have more usable passenger space?  Depending on what generation XJR he's talking about, they could be quite spacious (or, indeed quite small). 

If I needed a luxury car, or had room and money for a third car, a nice used Jag would be the obvious choice.  Endless class, plummeting residual values; definitely the way to go.  But I'd pick up an XK8 or XKR. 

All the XJs I've ever been in were somewhat on the snug side. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Vinsanity]

The perfect complimentary vehicle to a Lotus Elise?

[Onslaught]

You think they would have more usable passenger space?  Depending on what generation XJR he's talking about, they could be quite spacious (or, indeed quite small). 

If I needed a luxury car, or had room and money for a third car, a nice used Jag would be the obvious choice.  Endless class, plummeting residual values; definitely the way to go.  But I'd pick up an XK8 or XKR. 

Better know a good mechanic too.

[Raza]

Better know a good mechanic too.

I think preventative maintenance goes a long way on cars like that, unless you get one of those electrical problems that just pop up.  Apparently they had some problems with the older Mercedes box, but the ZF unit is pretty good. 

Evo just did a buying guide on XKRs.  I could take a look at it and report the trouble spots.

[Raza]

All the XJs I've ever been in were somewhat on the snug side. Maybe I'm wrong.

I find the newer models (even the SWBs, like the XJR) to be pretty roomy.  But if you go older, then yes; a contemporary 5 series or E class would be noticeably roomier.

[Tave]

All the XJs I've ever been in were somewhat on the snug side. Maybe I'm wrong.

Well, I suppose I could go through the trouble of listing the interior room of a Focus versus several full-size luxury models, but I'm not going to.

[Tave]

Better know a good mechanic too.

It's not like VW's reputation is completely spotless.