Los Angeles, CA -- Unveiled at the London Motor Show last summer the first totally new Lotus in 13 years, the mid-engined 2+2 Evora, slated for production in the Spring of 2009, made its North American debut at the recent LA Auto Show.
The Evora is powered by a Toyota-made 3.5L V6 engine that receives a full complement of enhancements from Louts to produce 276 hp and deliver an estimated 0-60 time in under 5 seconds.
Evora is larger and more luxurious than the other vehicles in the current Lotus line. In order to bring more customers to Lotus the company made sure the Evora was roomier and easier to use.
The car comes with wider, taller door apertures and narrower sills making getting in and out of the cabin a less arduous undertaking than it is in Lotus’s smaller sports cars (the Elise, Exige, Europa and 2-Eleven). The interior design will accommodate two 99th percentile (6ft 5in tall) American males in the front seats.
“We are, very proud that we have been able to use technical and user functionality to positively drive the design in key areas and create some of the car’s most distinctive features,” says Head of Design Russell Carr. “Ingress and egress, for example, dictated a minimal “step-over” to get into the Evora. We simply cut away the surface under the door and created a unique and dramatic piece of sculpture that enhances the stance of the car as well as its useability.”
The rear seats of 2+2 versions of the Evora are intended for children and smaller adults. There will also be a two-seater derivative with a luggage shelf in the back. To maximize comfort in the rear, there’s a decent amount of foot-room under the seats in front, while both back seats feature mountings for secure child seat fitment.
When unoccupied, the rear seats provide a storage area, which should add to the Evora’s appeal as an everyday car. The 160 litre boot, features a fresh air cooling system to reduce the effect of any heat ingress from the engine bay, can also accommodate a full set of golf clubs.
The ‘convenience factor’ of the Evora extends to less obvious areas of the car. Underneath the skin the entire front-end structure is a high tech aluminum modular unit, attached to the main extruded aluminum tub. This modular unit is designed to deform for maximum safety, and reduce repair costs in the event of a frontal impact.
“The Evora is the biggest milestone Lotus has achieved since the Elise was born 13 years ago and is part of our bold five year strategic plan, which includes the introduction of new cars and technologies to many more markets around the world,” said Mike Kimberley, CEO of Group Lotus plc.”
The Evora has been designed with an eye on global automotive regulations and markets. The 2+2 coupe is the evolution of the flexible platform design, called the Low Volume Versatile Vehicle Architecture (VVA) from the Lotus APX concept vehicle previously seen at the Geneva Motorshow. The VVA allows for the development of a range of vehicles up to a gross vehicle weight of 1,900 kg but future models are planed, including a convertible. This should give the company the ability to meet global demand with a broader range of vehicles.
The platform can be extended in width, length and height. The strength and stiffness of the low volume chassis can be modified by varying the wall thickness of the extrusions, without altering the exterior dimensions. The ability to lengthen or shorten extrusions with the option to tailor the chassis stiffness, vastly increases the number of vehicles that can be developed from this vehicle architecture. Front and mid engine installations have been considered, as well as hybrid and Electric Vehicle (EV) applications.
The new Evora is hand crafted and built on a dedicated new assembly line within Lotus’s manufacturing facility at Hethel in the east of England; but capacity limitations will restrict production to approximately 2000 cars a year. While possibly disappointing to some potential buyers this should ensure that the fetching new sports car remains a rare and exclusive sight on the road which sets it apart from its more mass produced sports car cousins from other brands.
“Looking to the future, we will continue to research, develop and produce lighter, more efficient vehicles which are linked to our extensive and well-regarded work on all aspects of future fuels, alternative engines and electric and hybrid vehicle solutions for the future. We all have an environmental responsibility to future generations and the Evora is another example where Lotus is seen to make significant steps towards improving the efficiency and sustainability of the motorcar keeping Britain at the forefront of the high technology motor industry.”
While green powerplants may be future options the Evora’s V6 Engine -dual VVT-i (‘intelligent’ variable valve timing) promises to deliver terrific performance today while getting about 30mpg. Final mileage testing is still underway.
By the time the Evora reaches the Lotus showrooms in the Spring 2009, it will be the most thoroughly tested Lotus car in the history of Lotus. The company is taking orders in the UK and across Europe, with markets around the world to start taking orders in due course.
“This year Lotus celebrates its 60th anniversary and it is fitting that 2008 is also the birth of the Lotus Evora, a fantastic addition to the Lotus range,” said Mike Kimberley. “The Lotus Evora represents Group Lotus, a company that is at the forefront of the automotive industry, in a changing world where priorities of efficiency, economy and environmental impact go hand in hand with performance, design and individuality. I think Colin Chapman would have approved.”
If you like Lotus handling and the unsurpassable driving pleasure that speed and agility brings -- this may be the car for you.
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