Lotus Evora 400 2016 Review

Lotus Evora 400
Road Test

Lotus has released a new iteration of the Evora in Australia, the 400. The recipient of an additional 41kW over the ‘garden-variety’ Evora S, the 400 (designating 400 horsepower) also promises better handling courtesy of a 42kg weight cull, larger AP Racing brakes and the fitment of a limited-slip differential and quality Michelin rubber. So, now we’ve established this as one of finer Lotus offerings on paper, how does it stack up against modern rivals on the road?

Purchasing a dedicated sports car can be a difficult assignment nowadays.

With car manufacturers constantly juggling the demands of tightening emissions targets, a falling demand for manual transmissions and a general consumer shift towards one-size-fits-all sporty offerings, finding a hard-core track specialist that can double as a road car is particularly troublesome – especially when your showroom budget is under $200,000.

Enter the Lotus Evora 400. Like all of the British marque’s two-door sports cars, here is a vehicle that isn’t afraid to show off its mechanical roots. However, unlike similarly-priced and better known contemporaries (Porsche’s Cayman springs to mind), the Evora 400 trades little in the way of everyday mod cons. In all fairness this lends a degree of uniqueness to the English-built two-door.

The Evora tops the Lotus range in Australia – at least until a higher specification Evora 410 lands in the coming months.

Pricing for the new model starts at $184,900 (plus on-road costs) in six-speed manual guise, the optional six-speed automatic driven here adding a further $10,000. That positions Lotus’ fastest ever offering in the same price bracket as the flagship Cayman GT4, Jaguar’s supercharged V6 F-TYPE and Nissan’s dominant GT-R. All big name cars.

There are some Lotus-isms about the 400 that are commonplace among smaller, niche manufacturers. One example is the lack of an independent crash rating, though Lotus does point to the car’s fitment of anti-lock brakes and traction control.

Even so, thanks to an enriched 3.5-litre supercharged V6 engine that traces its origins back to Toyota – specifically the Aurion and Tarago – the Evora 400 brings plenty of punch to this segment.

The engine is mid-mounted, offering 298kW/410Nm. A larger Edelbrock supercharger is the most major treatment in endowing the 400 with a 41kW power jump over the regular Evora S. A water-to-air charge cooler, freer-flowing exhaust and re-mapped ECU have also contributed to the gains.

In addition, larger AP brakes, Michelin Pilot Sport rubber, an electronic rear differential and a 42kg weight loss program position the Lotus strongly from a facts and figures point of view. There’s also a Quaife limited-slip differential on offer, the caveat being that it’s only fitted with the manual transmission.

Inside, the 2+2 layout is easier to get in and out than before, courtesy of re-designed side sills. But the internals are small and devoid of many usual creature comforts such as storage and cupholders.

The dearth of storage options is partly redeemed by door pockets, though, along with child anchor points for the otherwise unusable rear seats. Bluetooth phone and audio streaming, sat-nav, rear parking sensors, a reversing camera and heated front seats are all standard fare on the Evora. Strangely enough, Lotus asks you to pay an additional $899 for cruise control, but you can delete the air-conditioning at no cost if you wish.

Even with a $7499 leather trim pack fitted, the Evora’s internal styling just doesn’t live up to the price tag. Sure, the bold red leather with contrasting white stitching lends a sporting vibe, but the switchgear lacks polish and finesse. Ditto the aftermarket-looking Alpine stereo and its sub-par speakers.

The front Sparco buckets bring fore and aft adjustment, but no up or down movement, and the front windscreen is narrow with a limited outlook – a feature essentially mirrored by the rear outlook.

Another sign of the little Lotus’ ageing underpinnings is in the two-step start-up process. Once you have turned the ignition on with a key, it is then time to depress the brake and fire the dash-mounted starter button. A small foible, yes, but one absent from rival offerings.

Anyway, enough of all that. It’s soon forgotten once you’ve cranked over the V6, which emits a prominent and raucous growl even at idle; an entrée of sorts into the almost maniacal upper echelons of the rev range.

The engine feels visceral and raw, an apt broader description for this sleek two-door.

There is a clear mechanical link between the driver’s foot and the six-pot, to the point where you can visually see the throttle linkage slinking away through the rear-view mirror.

On the road the engine is notably softer and elastic in the lower echelons, instead piling on its speed smoothly and progressively, a rewarding feature in stop-start traffic. Rather it is in middling to upper revs, specifically from the torque peak at 3500rpm, that the Toyota-sourced powertrain finds its mumbo.

A proficient but hardly cutting-edge six-speed automatic performs shifting duties on our test car, which boasts a 0-100km/h time of 4.2sec. It will auto-blip on downshifts and feels lively in sports mode – but truth is it’s off the pace when compared with Porsche’s seamless PDK.

There’s little surprise in finding the Sport button – located on the dashboard centre fascia – is well worn on our test example. It is really the key to unlocking both the Evora’s engine potential and sound, which is truly scintillating. Do so, and you’ll be looking for any excuse to explore the upper reaches in the nearest geographically-located tunnel.

On that note, you’ll also want a good selection of smooth, winding roads regularly at your disposal with the Evora 400. The standard Michelin Pilot Sport rubber offers loads of lateral adhesion, endowing the 1400kg coupe with an on-rails driving sensation in such a setting.

Even without the fitment of the manual car’s limited-slip differential, there is adequate grip out of corners, too – on the road at least. We figure the most telling place to pick apart the electronic unit would be the track.

The steering is predictably sharp and mechanical, without making the car feel too flighty. But because of its size, the Evora is quite sensitive to inputs at speed, so best not to make any mid-corner steering adjustments.

Slow things down and the steering becomes heavy, especially at car park speeds; hardly a problem given the Evora’s 4300mm length. Similarly, the AP brakes are equally adept in either stop-start traffic or continuous high-speed applications.

Away from the twisting stuff, the Evora is surprisingly easy to live with from a ride sense.

Firmer Eibach springs and Bilstein dampers have had little effect on everyday ride comfort, which is sporty and firm but resists crashing over all but the sharpest of bumps.
The liveable ride imbues the 400 with a softer edge that may not appear present at first.

But with no independent crash safety rating, some interior foibles and a relatively steep asking price, it is clear this is a car that will fit the brief, but only for a select few.
And for those who want a dedicated sports car, that suits just fine.

2016 Lotus Evora 400 pricing and specifications:
Price: $184,900/$194,990 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 3.5-litre six-cylinder supercharged-petrol
Output: 298kW/410Nm
Transmission: Six-speed manual/Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.7L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 225g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Not tested

Also consider:
>> Porsche Cayman GT4 (from $189,900 plus ORCs)
>> Jaguar F-TYPE V6 S (from $152,165 plus ORCs)
>> Nissan GT-R (from $172,000 plus ORCs)