Lotus Evora 3.5 IPS (A) Review
07 Oct 2011|20,037 views
The creators of sweeping automotive brands have left some of us purists rubbing our chins, thinking. From the MINI to Bentley, the creators have left behind impressions so deep that the people of today could hardly supersede their achievements. So it's naturally understandable that the creations of Colin Chapman, father of Lotus, were revolutionary. He built his first car in 1948, calling it Lotus after his beloved wife, whom he had nicknamed "Lotus Blossom".
Colin Chapman's greatest feat may be being an unusual engineer amongst his peers as it gave him an edge for looking at things from different angles. Given that he was one of the most gifted engineers of his generation, which was an incredible achievement, the founder of Lotus created cars that were fast, affordable and blessed with handling that could easily outmanoeuvre its competitors.
Twenty-eight years after his passing, Colin Chapman's creations live on, bringing his cars to the next ultimate level and providing us with the Lotus Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift). It's the first automatic on-road Lotus ever introduced that's aimed at a wider market - simply for those who aren't really into the whole manual gearbox and are still looking for driving pleasure unfound in some of the sports cars.
The Lotus Evora IPS has absolutely no shyness about screaming for the redline. Integrating comfort, convenience and driving pleasure is never an easy task and for the fact that Lotus is aimed at such a niche market with its entertaining yet back-to-basics set-up, it's considerably a tougher task for the English marque to achieve.
Colin Chapman's greatest feat may be being an unusual engineer amongst his peers as it gave him an edge for looking at things from different angles. Given that he was one of the most gifted engineers of his generation, which was an incredible achievement, the founder of Lotus created cars that were fast, affordable and blessed with handling that could easily outmanoeuvre its competitors.
Twenty-eight years after his passing, Colin Chapman's creations live on, bringing his cars to the next ultimate level and providing us with the Lotus Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift). It's the first automatic on-road Lotus ever introduced that's aimed at a wider market - simply for those who aren't really into the whole manual gearbox and are still looking for driving pleasure unfound in some of the sports cars.
The Lotus Evora IPS has absolutely no shyness about screaming for the redline. Integrating comfort, convenience and driving pleasure is never an easy task and for the fact that Lotus is aimed at such a niche market with its entertaining yet back-to-basics set-up, it's considerably a tougher task for the English marque to achieve.
 |
Exterior
Styling wise, the car is a beautiful machine, although some may beg to differ - claiming that its competitor, Porsche Cayman, has a sleeker outlook. But like the McLaren, the Lotus Evora brings about a sense of exclusivity when spotted on the roads. It neither has the kind of dominating Ferrari outlook nor a commonplace Porsche appearance. Instead, its graceful design and aggressive stance give subtle cues to onlookers that it's a car that will remain to be an assassin for visual pull. Spot the chrome orange car from the rear view mirror and slower front drivers will be scurrying out of its way in a jiffy.
There's hardly a thing to complain about the way the Evora looks. The air intakes and gaping grille are where they're supposed to be while the twin tailpipes inching out from the diffuser effortlessly complete the entire sporting package. At slightly over 1.2 metres top to bottom, the English supercar measures well against the sportiest looking cars here. It appears streamlined, with a good blend of distinct and functional design, from all angles. From muscular wheel arches embracing 18 inch rollers to prominent circular taillights, the Lotus Evora IPS exudes a fresh and sexy personality of its own.
 |
From an open standpoint, buyers of this car probably have a couple of luxury-end cars in their garages. The sexy Evora IPS is simply intended for pure driving pleasure or, to a certain extent, for the fairer sex to enjoy. Say what you may - for Lotus, it's all about giving customers what they want. We reckon it's a smart business move, widening its market with an automatic gearbox that could tempt a large number of women to their shores.
Interior
Unlike the Elise, getting in and out of the Evora doesn't require much agility thanks to the narrower side sills and larger door openings. Once inside, though, drivers will be very pleased to spot higher grade materials and sophistication that could probably sway Lotus enthusiasts themselves from the Elise and the Exige. But what really matters is the vast amounts of space to comfortably accommodate front occupants seated in those leather-swathed Recaro bucket seats.
Unlike the usual stable of Lotus cars that we've come to familiarised ourselves with, the IPS's centre console replaces the manual gearstick with a set of well-finished black buttons - R, N, D, P & Sport. It reminds one of the Tesla Roadster too, where buttons have become the next new thing for the new generation of automatic sports cars. And the controls for other main features in the car are no exception to that. Finished in brushed aluminium, the buttons that control the headlamps, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the fuel doors are located to the right of the steering wheel, giving drivers easy access to them.
Interior
Unlike the Elise, getting in and out of the Evora doesn't require much agility thanks to the narrower side sills and larger door openings. Once inside, though, drivers will be very pleased to spot higher grade materials and sophistication that could probably sway Lotus enthusiasts themselves from the Elise and the Exige. But what really matters is the vast amounts of space to comfortably accommodate front occupants seated in those leather-swathed Recaro bucket seats.
Unlike the usual stable of Lotus cars that we've come to familiarised ourselves with, the IPS's centre console replaces the manual gearstick with a set of well-finished black buttons - R, N, D, P & Sport. It reminds one of the Tesla Roadster too, where buttons have become the next new thing for the new generation of automatic sports cars. And the controls for other main features in the car are no exception to that. Finished in brushed aluminium, the buttons that control the headlamps, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the fuel doors are located to the right of the steering wheel, giving drivers easy access to them.
Since there isn't a stick shift for drivers to play around with, paddle shifters are connected to the wheel and the buttons on the centre console. Unlike other paddle shifters we've come across, the black paddle shifters are made from high-quality aluminium and they feel rock solid to the touch - such attention to detail simply never lets you forget that you're handling something exceptional.
But there is one issue - due to the engine placement and steeply raked rear window, rear visibility is almost zilch. You could hardly see anything out of that small, small glass, but these are minor complaints for a car that's made to focus on the front more than the back since you'll be travelling at illegal speeds most of the time.
But there is one issue - due to the engine placement and steeply raked rear window, rear visibility is almost zilch. You could hardly see anything out of that small, small glass, but these are minor complaints for a car that's made to focus on the front more than the back since you'll be travelling at illegal speeds most of the time.
 |
The Drive
And it isn't exactly a difficult thing to achieve. Powering this mid-engine sports athlete is a 3.5-litre V6 that can achieve a stealthy acceleration that demolishes the 0 to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds flat. Although the IPS takes 0.4 seconds more than its manual brethren to complete the century sprint, the test car felt a lot faster than what the paper suggested. Peak power and torque from this strapping V6 powerplant bring outputs up to 276bhp and 350Nm respectively and allows this 1.4 tonne car to reach a top speed of 250km/h.
Although it's a tough job trying to floor the accelerator along highways while the sun is shining hard on us, drivers of the Lotus Evora IPS will, nonetheless, enjoy giving it their full force on the right pedal whenever they find themselves on clear roads. Punch the IPS off the line in Sport mode and it'll thrust forward with real gusto, accompanied by a rich and animalistic roar that will stir your stomach to the very core. Such aural delight, however, does not come standard for the Evora IPS. The exhaust on the test car has been tweaked for a more brutalised experience and customers are able to opt for the exhaust should they find themselves enjoying the blend of loud snarls and cracks.
When driven like a samaritan on 'D' mode, the car manages to retain its superb and relentless throttle response as you would expect from a car of its stature. But where the Lotus really rises to the occasion is round the curves and twisties. The car obeys the driver at all times, going exactly where you point it to with poise and limited roll while riding all manner of bumps with great composure. The gearshifts are smooth, though we reckon that the extra oomph from the engine is best enjoyed with a good old stick shift.
And it isn't exactly a difficult thing to achieve. Powering this mid-engine sports athlete is a 3.5-litre V6 that can achieve a stealthy acceleration that demolishes the 0 to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds flat. Although the IPS takes 0.4 seconds more than its manual brethren to complete the century sprint, the test car felt a lot faster than what the paper suggested. Peak power and torque from this strapping V6 powerplant bring outputs up to 276bhp and 350Nm respectively and allows this 1.4 tonne car to reach a top speed of 250km/h.
Although it's a tough job trying to floor the accelerator along highways while the sun is shining hard on us, drivers of the Lotus Evora IPS will, nonetheless, enjoy giving it their full force on the right pedal whenever they find themselves on clear roads. Punch the IPS off the line in Sport mode and it'll thrust forward with real gusto, accompanied by a rich and animalistic roar that will stir your stomach to the very core. Such aural delight, however, does not come standard for the Evora IPS. The exhaust on the test car has been tweaked for a more brutalised experience and customers are able to opt for the exhaust should they find themselves enjoying the blend of loud snarls and cracks.
When driven like a samaritan on 'D' mode, the car manages to retain its superb and relentless throttle response as you would expect from a car of its stature. But where the Lotus really rises to the occasion is round the curves and twisties. The car obeys the driver at all times, going exactly where you point it to with poise and limited roll while riding all manner of bumps with great composure. The gearshifts are smooth, though we reckon that the extra oomph from the engine is best enjoyed with a good old stick shift.
Given that the IPS version we tested here is a full automatic, the gearbox changes back to its own devices if the manual paddle shifters have been left on its own for ten seconds. But once the Sport mode has been selected, drivers will be in full control of manual mode with absolutely no interference.
Although the Evora IPS lost a pedal, its gear changes, even in manual mode, can certainly be as lightning quick or slick as you wish them to be. Power flows from the engine to the wheels in a relatively seamless and predictable fashion. And with all that happening in a manner of seconds, drivers will be thankful for the decisive and well-calibrated brakes that can put this powerful machine to a complete stop without experiencing the 'diving motion'.
Conclusion
It's a brave move by Lotus, to be stepping out of its comfort zone and creating new heroes such as the IPS version of the Evora. We were very sceptical of an automatic Lotus. But after giving it a good drive, we realised that it doesn't really matter if it's a torque convertor or not - the presence of Lotus DNA is dominant in this car.
Whilst other supercars are way too in-your-face, the Evora communicates individuality without being too showy. At its pure essence, there's absolutely nothing complicated about the car.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Although the Evora IPS lost a pedal, its gear changes, even in manual mode, can certainly be as lightning quick or slick as you wish them to be. Power flows from the engine to the wheels in a relatively seamless and predictable fashion. And with all that happening in a manner of seconds, drivers will be thankful for the decisive and well-calibrated brakes that can put this powerful machine to a complete stop without experiencing the 'diving motion'.
Conclusion
It's a brave move by Lotus, to be stepping out of its comfort zone and creating new heroes such as the IPS version of the Evora. We were very sceptical of an automatic Lotus. But after giving it a good drive, we realised that it doesn't really matter if it's a torque convertor or not - the presence of Lotus DNA is dominant in this car.
Whilst other supercars are way too in-your-face, the Evora communicates individuality without being too showy. At its pure essence, there's absolutely nothing complicated about the car.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
The creators of sweeping automotive brands have left some of us purists rubbing our chins, thinking. From the MINI to Bentley, the creators have left behind impressions so deep that the people of today could hardly supersede their achievements. So it's naturally understandable that the creations of Colin Chapman, father of Lotus, were revolutionary. He built his first car in 1948, calling it Lotus after his beloved wife, whom he had nicknamed "Lotus Blossom".
Colin Chapman's greatest feat may be being an unusual engineer amongst his peers as it gave him an edge for looking at things from different angles. Given that he was one of the most gifted engineers of his generation, which was an incredible achievement, the founder of Lotus created cars that were fast, affordable and blessed with handling that could easily outmanoeuvre its competitors.
Twenty-eight years after his passing, Colin Chapman's creations live on, bringing his cars to the next ultimate level and providing us with the Lotus Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift). It's the first automatic on-road Lotus ever introduced that's aimed at a wider market - simply for those who aren't really into the whole manual gearbox and are still looking for driving pleasure unfound in some of the sports cars.
The Lotus Evora IPS has absolutely no shyness about screaming for the redline. Integrating comfort, convenience and driving pleasure is never an easy task and for the fact that Lotus is aimed at such a niche market with its entertaining yet back-to-basics set-up, it's considerably a tougher task for the English marque to achieve.
Colin Chapman's greatest feat may be being an unusual engineer amongst his peers as it gave him an edge for looking at things from different angles. Given that he was one of the most gifted engineers of his generation, which was an incredible achievement, the founder of Lotus created cars that were fast, affordable and blessed with handling that could easily outmanoeuvre its competitors.
Twenty-eight years after his passing, Colin Chapman's creations live on, bringing his cars to the next ultimate level and providing us with the Lotus Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift). It's the first automatic on-road Lotus ever introduced that's aimed at a wider market - simply for those who aren't really into the whole manual gearbox and are still looking for driving pleasure unfound in some of the sports cars.
The Lotus Evora IPS has absolutely no shyness about screaming for the redline. Integrating comfort, convenience and driving pleasure is never an easy task and for the fact that Lotus is aimed at such a niche market with its entertaining yet back-to-basics set-up, it's considerably a tougher task for the English marque to achieve.
|
Exterior
Styling wise, the car is a beautiful machine, although some may beg to differ - claiming that its competitor, Porsche Cayman, has a sleeker outlook. But like the McLaren, the Lotus Evora brings about a sense of exclusivity when spotted on the roads. It neither has the kind of dominating Ferrari outlook nor a commonplace Porsche appearance. Instead, its graceful design and aggressive stance give subtle cues to onlookers that it's a car that will remain to be an assassin for visual pull. Spot the chrome orange car from the rear view mirror and slower front drivers will be scurrying out of its way in a jiffy.
There's hardly a thing to complain about the way the Evora looks. The air intakes and gaping grille are where they're supposed to be while the twin tailpipes inching out from the diffuser effortlessly complete the entire sporting package. At slightly over 1.2 metres top to bottom, the English supercar measures well against the sportiest looking cars here. It appears streamlined, with a good blend of distinct and functional design, from all angles. From muscular wheel arches embracing 18 inch rollers to prominent circular taillights, the Lotus Evora IPS exudes a fresh and sexy personality of its own.
|
From an open standpoint, buyers of this car probably have a couple of luxury-end cars in their garages. The sexy Evora IPS is simply intended for pure driving pleasure or, to a certain extent, for the fairer sex to enjoy. Say what you may - for Lotus, it's all about giving customers what they want. We reckon it's a smart business move, widening its market with an automatic gearbox that could tempt a large number of women to their shores.
Interior
Unlike the Elise, getting in and out of the Evora doesn't require much agility thanks to the narrower side sills and larger door openings. Once inside, though, drivers will be very pleased to spot higher grade materials and sophistication that could probably sway Lotus enthusiasts themselves from the Elise and the Exige. But what really matters is the vast amounts of space to comfortably accommodate front occupants seated in those leather-swathed Recaro bucket seats.
Unlike the usual stable of Lotus cars that we've come to familiarised ourselves with, the IPS's centre console replaces the manual gearstick with a set of well-finished black buttons - R, N, D, P & Sport. It reminds one of the Tesla Roadster too, where buttons have become the next new thing for the new generation of automatic sports cars. And the controls for other main features in the car are no exception to that. Finished in brushed aluminium, the buttons that control the headlamps, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the fuel doors are located to the right of the steering wheel, giving drivers easy access to them.
Interior
Unlike the Elise, getting in and out of the Evora doesn't require much agility thanks to the narrower side sills and larger door openings. Once inside, though, drivers will be very pleased to spot higher grade materials and sophistication that could probably sway Lotus enthusiasts themselves from the Elise and the Exige. But what really matters is the vast amounts of space to comfortably accommodate front occupants seated in those leather-swathed Recaro bucket seats.
Unlike the usual stable of Lotus cars that we've come to familiarised ourselves with, the IPS's centre console replaces the manual gearstick with a set of well-finished black buttons - R, N, D, P & Sport. It reminds one of the Tesla Roadster too, where buttons have become the next new thing for the new generation of automatic sports cars. And the controls for other main features in the car are no exception to that. Finished in brushed aluminium, the buttons that control the headlamps, Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and the fuel doors are located to the right of the steering wheel, giving drivers easy access to them.
Since there isn't a stick shift for drivers to play around with, paddle shifters are connected to the wheel and the buttons on the centre console. Unlike other paddle shifters we've come across, the black paddle shifters are made from high-quality aluminium and they feel rock solid to the touch - such attention to detail simply never lets you forget that you're handling something exceptional.
But there is one issue - due to the engine placement and steeply raked rear window, rear visibility is almost zilch. You could hardly see anything out of that small, small glass, but these are minor complaints for a car that's made to focus on the front more than the back since you'll be travelling at illegal speeds most of the time.
But there is one issue - due to the engine placement and steeply raked rear window, rear visibility is almost zilch. You could hardly see anything out of that small, small glass, but these are minor complaints for a car that's made to focus on the front more than the back since you'll be travelling at illegal speeds most of the time.
|
The Drive
And it isn't exactly a difficult thing to achieve. Powering this mid-engine sports athlete is a 3.5-litre V6 that can achieve a stealthy acceleration that demolishes the 0 to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds flat. Although the IPS takes 0.4 seconds more than its manual brethren to complete the century sprint, the test car felt a lot faster than what the paper suggested. Peak power and torque from this strapping V6 powerplant bring outputs up to 276bhp and 350Nm respectively and allows this 1.4 tonne car to reach a top speed of 250km/h.
Although it's a tough job trying to floor the accelerator along highways while the sun is shining hard on us, drivers of the Lotus Evora IPS will, nonetheless, enjoy giving it their full force on the right pedal whenever they find themselves on clear roads. Punch the IPS off the line in Sport mode and it'll thrust forward with real gusto, accompanied by a rich and animalistic roar that will stir your stomach to the very core. Such aural delight, however, does not come standard for the Evora IPS. The exhaust on the test car has been tweaked for a more brutalised experience and customers are able to opt for the exhaust should they find themselves enjoying the blend of loud snarls and cracks.
When driven like a samaritan on 'D' mode, the car manages to retain its superb and relentless throttle response as you would expect from a car of its stature. But where the Lotus really rises to the occasion is round the curves and twisties. The car obeys the driver at all times, going exactly where you point it to with poise and limited roll while riding all manner of bumps with great composure. The gearshifts are smooth, though we reckon that the extra oomph from the engine is best enjoyed with a good old stick shift.
And it isn't exactly a difficult thing to achieve. Powering this mid-engine sports athlete is a 3.5-litre V6 that can achieve a stealthy acceleration that demolishes the 0 to 100km/h in 5.5 seconds flat. Although the IPS takes 0.4 seconds more than its manual brethren to complete the century sprint, the test car felt a lot faster than what the paper suggested. Peak power and torque from this strapping V6 powerplant bring outputs up to 276bhp and 350Nm respectively and allows this 1.4 tonne car to reach a top speed of 250km/h.
Although it's a tough job trying to floor the accelerator along highways while the sun is shining hard on us, drivers of the Lotus Evora IPS will, nonetheless, enjoy giving it their full force on the right pedal whenever they find themselves on clear roads. Punch the IPS off the line in Sport mode and it'll thrust forward with real gusto, accompanied by a rich and animalistic roar that will stir your stomach to the very core. Such aural delight, however, does not come standard for the Evora IPS. The exhaust on the test car has been tweaked for a more brutalised experience and customers are able to opt for the exhaust should they find themselves enjoying the blend of loud snarls and cracks.
When driven like a samaritan on 'D' mode, the car manages to retain its superb and relentless throttle response as you would expect from a car of its stature. But where the Lotus really rises to the occasion is round the curves and twisties. The car obeys the driver at all times, going exactly where you point it to with poise and limited roll while riding all manner of bumps with great composure. The gearshifts are smooth, though we reckon that the extra oomph from the engine is best enjoyed with a good old stick shift.
Given that the IPS version we tested here is a full automatic, the gearbox changes back to its own devices if the manual paddle shifters have been left on its own for ten seconds. But once the Sport mode has been selected, drivers will be in full control of manual mode with absolutely no interference.
Although the Evora IPS lost a pedal, its gear changes, even in manual mode, can certainly be as lightning quick or slick as you wish them to be. Power flows from the engine to the wheels in a relatively seamless and predictable fashion. And with all that happening in a manner of seconds, drivers will be thankful for the decisive and well-calibrated brakes that can put this powerful machine to a complete stop without experiencing the 'diving motion'.
Conclusion
It's a brave move by Lotus, to be stepping out of its comfort zone and creating new heroes such as the IPS version of the Evora. We were very sceptical of an automatic Lotus. But after giving it a good drive, we realised that it doesn't really matter if it's a torque convertor or not - the presence of Lotus DNA is dominant in this car.
Whilst other supercars are way too in-your-face, the Evora communicates individuality without being too showy. At its pure essence, there's absolutely nothing complicated about the car.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Although the Evora IPS lost a pedal, its gear changes, even in manual mode, can certainly be as lightning quick or slick as you wish them to be. Power flows from the engine to the wheels in a relatively seamless and predictable fashion. And with all that happening in a manner of seconds, drivers will be thankful for the decisive and well-calibrated brakes that can put this powerful machine to a complete stop without experiencing the 'diving motion'.
Conclusion
It's a brave move by Lotus, to be stepping out of its comfort zone and creating new heroes such as the IPS version of the Evora. We were very sceptical of an automatic Lotus. But after giving it a good drive, we realised that it doesn't really matter if it's a torque convertor or not - the presence of Lotus DNA is dominant in this car.
Whilst other supercars are way too in-your-face, the Evora communicates individuality without being too showy. At its pure essence, there's absolutely nothing complicated about the car.
What do you think? Jot down your opinions at the comment box below.
Photos by Julian Kho & Siddiq
Thank You For Your Subscription.
