Lotus has announced that the first Evora 400 sports cars destined for customers and dealers have driven off the assembly line and are soon to arrive at dealerships across the U.K. and mainland Europe.

The fastest production Lotus sports car to date, the 2016 Evora 400 produces 400bhp and 410Nm of torque from its supercharged, charge-cooled mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine. And weighing in at just 1,395kg (42kg lighter than the previous Evora S), the new Evora 400 combines high performance with the legendary Lotus benchmark handling.

Standard specification for the Evora 400 include 370mm composite two piece brake discs from AP Racing, a Limited Slip Differential, automatic air-conditioning and infotainment system including satellite navigation. In addition to this, the options list includes automatic transmission, cruise control, Alcantara or Leather trim upgrades and metallic paint.

A 'Black Pack' option provides a distinctive look, with selected exterior panels including the roof, sills and centre section of the three-element rear wing in gloss black and a dark headlining in the interior. Lightweight forged alloy wheels can be specified along with optional yellow or black brake callipers.

North American markets and China will receive the Evora 400 as a 2017 model year in early 2016.