1996 was a year that really kick-started my passion and drive for anything and everything automotive.
Late in my primary school education when trolley bags were unheard off, the daily totting of my school bag to the bus stop felt like the labourer of yesteryears carrying his burden between the wooden junks and the warehouse that we learnt so much about in our history textbooks.
And it was during one of my daily pilgrimages to the bus stop when my virgin eyes would be treated to something I had never seen before.
Walking past my estate’s multi-storey carpark, a deep and inconsistent murmuring from within the ground level had inadvertently grabbed my attention early in the morning. Having had a history of inclination towards cars for some years now, my mom realised how fruitless her efforts would be in getting me to carry on my way, but she was insistent.
The tight grip on my arm accompanied by the ramblings about how I was going to be late was enough to snap me back into the daily grind state of mind. Then the throbbing idle got louder and more pronounced, steering my eyes to the entrance of the carpark as I was dragged away from it.
And then she emerged. With the soft morning light hitting the pavement and her paint job, the front nose of a pure white Lotus Esprit S4 emerged from the carpark, slowly maneuvering over the speed hump and accelerating from it.
That sparked my love for cars. But what cemented it was that someone living in a shop house nearby my place, acquiring himself an absolutely gorgeous Lotus Exige S1 in yellow.
Late in my primary school education when trolley bags were unheard off, the daily totting of my school bag to the bus stop felt like the labourer of yesteryears carrying his burden between the wooden junks and the warehouse that we learnt so much about in our history textbooks.
And it was during one of my daily pilgrimages to the bus stop when my virgin eyes would be treated to something I had never seen before.
Walking past my estate’s multi-storey carpark, a deep and inconsistent murmuring from within the ground level had inadvertently grabbed my attention early in the morning. Having had a history of inclination towards cars for some years now, my mom realised how fruitless her efforts would be in getting me to carry on my way, but she was insistent.
The tight grip on my arm accompanied by the ramblings about how I was going to be late was enough to snap me back into the daily grind state of mind. Then the throbbing idle got louder and more pronounced, steering my eyes to the entrance of the carpark as I was dragged away from it.
And then she emerged. With the soft morning light hitting the pavement and her paint job, the front nose of a pure white Lotus Esprit S4 emerged from the carpark, slowly maneuvering over the speed hump and accelerating from it.
That sparked my love for cars. But what cemented it was that someone living in a shop house nearby my place, acquiring himself an absolutely gorgeous Lotus Exige S1 in yellow.
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So what’s next for a company that has enjoyed immense popularity, cult status of cars like the Esprit and the Elise range and reduced both grown men and young tots to mush?
Under increasing criticism for their lack of a new product for over 10 years, Lotus announced exciting news in 2006 that they’re working on three brand new projects based on a new chassis. And just as news of its developments were starting to fade, the local agent for the English sportscars, EuroSports Auto, sent me an invitation for the official launch of the Lotus Evora in June of 2009.
Billed as the world’s only mid engine 2+2, and having more luxurious appointments than its predecessors, Lotus was clearly aiming at a more lifestyle-oriented sector of the market – the bunch of people who wanted the car’s sublime handling but at the same time wanted the comfort and extensive equipment level of a grand tourer.
So how do you design something this eagerly anticipated you ask?
Well, you simply blow their minds.
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Exterior
And what a way to do it.
The low and elegantly shaped bumper with the dominating large intake in the middle and much thinner ones flanking the sides manages to lend the Evora a longer front section. As you move further back you’re instantly greeted by the long and intense trapezoid headlamps with the LED cluster placed at the corners of the lamps.
Both lamps sit on the dramatic rising line of the bonnet over the wheel arch which continues past the side-view mirrors, before dipping drastically to get in-line with the engine’s side intake. With the rising metal, the headlamps seemed to have curved inwards, borrowing the cue from the Elise and lending the car some much needed hint of aggressiveness that was lacking from the bumper section.
Deep incisions cut and carve their way on the bonnet around the two vents and also at the bottom of the sides – lines I’d be more inclined in seeing on an Italian bred car than one from Norfolk.
The wrap around cockpit glass most of us would call the windshield and windows is what really grabs your attention as you move alongside the car. With the windows being frameless, and with the A-pillar being blacked out, the wrap around effect is maximised with the large piece of glass in front raked so far back in the Evora.
Past the pair of side intakes behind the doors, the car takes an abrupt change in climb and rises with the inclusion of the engine. Then the third definitive element of the Evora takes its place at the rear in the form of a spoiler blended absolutely beautifully, with a strong crease flowing from the spoiler down towards the rear wheel arches, running parallel with the lower part of the bumper.
The engine bay has been given what every mid and rear engine car needs, a glass cover. There’s no point in driving such a car and handing out sound samples to fellow motorists and passersby’s without showing them where all that beautiful crooning is coming from. And that’s dramaticized with black wire mesh covering the gaping holes around the glass covering.
A pair of circular LED brake lights and even smaller reverse lamps take its place at the sides of the rear, separated by the traditional generously spaced ‘LOTUS’ brand and the ‘Evora’ model name high on the right hand side of the bumper
Surely moving away from its raw handling highlights in the Elise range, the Evora is a more comfortable take on driving and that’s very predictable from its clean and surgical precision seen in its design.
And what a way to do it.
The low and elegantly shaped bumper with the dominating large intake in the middle and much thinner ones flanking the sides manages to lend the Evora a longer front section. As you move further back you’re instantly greeted by the long and intense trapezoid headlamps with the LED cluster placed at the corners of the lamps.
Both lamps sit on the dramatic rising line of the bonnet over the wheel arch which continues past the side-view mirrors, before dipping drastically to get in-line with the engine’s side intake. With the rising metal, the headlamps seemed to have curved inwards, borrowing the cue from the Elise and lending the car some much needed hint of aggressiveness that was lacking from the bumper section.
Deep incisions cut and carve their way on the bonnet around the two vents and also at the bottom of the sides – lines I’d be more inclined in seeing on an Italian bred car than one from Norfolk.
The wrap around cockpit glass most of us would call the windshield and windows is what really grabs your attention as you move alongside the car. With the windows being frameless, and with the A-pillar being blacked out, the wrap around effect is maximised with the large piece of glass in front raked so far back in the Evora.
Past the pair of side intakes behind the doors, the car takes an abrupt change in climb and rises with the inclusion of the engine. Then the third definitive element of the Evora takes its place at the rear in the form of a spoiler blended absolutely beautifully, with a strong crease flowing from the spoiler down towards the rear wheel arches, running parallel with the lower part of the bumper.
The engine bay has been given what every mid and rear engine car needs, a glass cover. There’s no point in driving such a car and handing out sound samples to fellow motorists and passersby’s without showing them where all that beautiful crooning is coming from. And that’s dramaticized with black wire mesh covering the gaping holes around the glass covering.
A pair of circular LED brake lights and even smaller reverse lamps take its place at the sides of the rear, separated by the traditional generously spaced ‘LOTUS’ brand and the ‘Evora’ model name high on the right hand side of the bumper
Surely moving away from its raw handling highlights in the Elise range, the Evora is a more comfortable take on driving and that’s very predictable from its clean and surgical precision seen in its design.
Interior
The improved comfort and practicality of the Lotus in the Evora is apparent even before you attempt to climb into the car.
The door swings wider, and with the narrower sills and higher seating position, driver’s will find it much easier to hop in and out of the car on their daily commute without the need for a short warm-up before attempting the feat.
The taut, sporty red leather on those Recaro buckets match that on the dash and the centre console that runs from under the dash to just behind the front two seats. With the brushed aluminium buttons found around the driver’s side of the car, the pairing of metal and finely stitched leather makes for a sparingly sporty yet comfortable accommodation but could be of some concern with the sun shining off them at certain angles.
Another problem I found was with trying to hit the hardened switches that sit flushed with the aluminium panel.
The rear bench is optional in the Evora and unless you have kids or have friends and family members who are double-jointed, you’d be better off without that option box ticked.
But does it really matter?
Driving Impressions
The driving position is spot on and even though you’re stuck with manually adjustable seats and an unsophisticated air conditioning system, the Evora delivers on what the brand has always been banging on since its inception – the ability for someone to strap himself in and get on with driving the wheels off the car.
The petite steering wheel feels more relaxed then the Elise when rotating it on the move but nothing the road is communicating back to you is lost. It’s been weighted beautifully and rather than being very direct, it’s more linear and calmer in reacting to your input. You still feel every undulation on the road and the super-damped suspension helps you in ironing the more subtle imperfections out.
The car feels spritely and even though you get torque maxed out early in mid-range, the Evora reacts to your throttle inputs accurately, accelerating hard from 2,000 rpm. The 6-speed manual was surprisingly easy to handle with half clutches being really easy to engage and shifts made with the least amount of effort.
The improved comfort and practicality of the Lotus in the Evora is apparent even before you attempt to climb into the car.
The door swings wider, and with the narrower sills and higher seating position, driver’s will find it much easier to hop in and out of the car on their daily commute without the need for a short warm-up before attempting the feat.
The taut, sporty red leather on those Recaro buckets match that on the dash and the centre console that runs from under the dash to just behind the front two seats. With the brushed aluminium buttons found around the driver’s side of the car, the pairing of metal and finely stitched leather makes for a sparingly sporty yet comfortable accommodation but could be of some concern with the sun shining off them at certain angles.
Another problem I found was with trying to hit the hardened switches that sit flushed with the aluminium panel.
The rear bench is optional in the Evora and unless you have kids or have friends and family members who are double-jointed, you’d be better off without that option box ticked.
But does it really matter?
Driving Impressions
The driving position is spot on and even though you’re stuck with manually adjustable seats and an unsophisticated air conditioning system, the Evora delivers on what the brand has always been banging on since its inception – the ability for someone to strap himself in and get on with driving the wheels off the car.
The petite steering wheel feels more relaxed then the Elise when rotating it on the move but nothing the road is communicating back to you is lost. It’s been weighted beautifully and rather than being very direct, it’s more linear and calmer in reacting to your input. You still feel every undulation on the road and the super-damped suspension helps you in ironing the more subtle imperfections out.
The car feels spritely and even though you get torque maxed out early in mid-range, the Evora reacts to your throttle inputs accurately, accelerating hard from 2,000 rpm. The 6-speed manual was surprisingly easy to handle with half clutches being really easy to engage and shifts made with the least amount of effort.
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The sports mode on the car sharpens the throttle response on the Evora, and with the help of the optioned Lotus sports exhaust fitted, the flat footed driver and the lucky people standing nearby are generously rewarded with a deep and throaty engine note that left me in awe. When I asked how much difference the exhaust system made from the stock unit, the guys at Lotus said it was like night and day.
Should you buy it?
With the Evora, Lotus is hoping to capture a market that they feel hasn’t been tapped before. So with the only 2+2 mid engine car on the market, they’re trying to draw drivers who have been scared away by the hardcore and raw driving experience from the Elise and Exige, into something more comfortable and practical to use on a daily basis.
From a short exchange with company Director Mr K.C. Chong, it’s disheartening to find out that eager customers have been put off by the car only coming in manual trim, with no intention from Lotus to fit automatics in.
Should you buy it?
With the Evora, Lotus is hoping to capture a market that they feel hasn’t been tapped before. So with the only 2+2 mid engine car on the market, they’re trying to draw drivers who have been scared away by the hardcore and raw driving experience from the Elise and Exige, into something more comfortable and practical to use on a daily basis.
From a short exchange with company Director Mr K.C. Chong, it’s disheartening to find out that eager customers have been put off by the car only coming in manual trim, with no intention from Lotus to fit automatics in.
And I can sympathise with interested customers. With a more mature car, they’re looking to take things easy on drives, not to be swapping cogs repeatedly between lights.
But we might be missing the point here.
It’s a Lotus. It has always been the ultimate driving machine that doesn’t compromise both road and track performance (at a reasonable price point) and will continue to have that in its DNA no matter what form it takes.
So if you’re in the market for an exotic and find yourself half-heartedly staring at the various Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s and Maserati’s you’ve seen plying our roads a thousand times in bore, you might want to head down to Lotus’s Teban showroom to check the Evora out.
And I don’t just mean “see see, look look”. If you’re seriously considering an exotic, I strongly suggest you take it out for a spin.
But we might be missing the point here.
It’s a Lotus. It has always been the ultimate driving machine that doesn’t compromise both road and track performance (at a reasonable price point) and will continue to have that in its DNA no matter what form it takes.
So if you’re in the market for an exotic and find yourself half-heartedly staring at the various Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s and Maserati’s you’ve seen plying our roads a thousand times in bore, you might want to head down to Lotus’s Teban showroom to check the Evora out.
And I don’t just mean “see see, look look”. If you’re seriously considering an exotic, I strongly suggest you take it out for a spin.
