Lotus Evora 400 sets new performance standard

A Lotus Evora 400 has lapped the test track at Hethel in a time of 1:32, six seconds faster than the previous best posted by the Evora S.

It's vindication of Lotus's faith in the new Evora variant, which is lighter, more powerful and better handling, the company says. The vehicle, tested by Gavan Kershaw, Technical Manager for Lotus Motorsport, was a pre-production model, but running standard engine specs, standard suspension and road tyres.

"Internally, we all knew that the Evora 400 would be capable of exceeding expectations," said Jean-Marc Gales, Group Lotus CEO.

"Our initial pre-production tests provided immense confidence and a SIX seconds lap time advantage at Hethel. The previous best time achieved in the Evora S model was 1 minute 38 seconds; the new lap time set by Gavan is 1 minute 32 seconds.

"Our commitment to reducing weight to create a lightweight and efficient supercar has paid off. The extra 55 hp in conjunction with the 22 kg weight reduction and the tremendous traction from the Limited Slip Differential (LSD) lead to benchmark handling. We are delighted that our customers will soon feel the benefits, when the first examples are delivered in August of this year."

According to the manufacturer, the majority of the Evora 400 is new, including the 300kW 3.5-litre supercharged V6, which produces 410Nm. The aluminium chassis is new, as is the interior, and the composite body shell has been significantly revised, front and rear.

Production commences during the northern hemisphere summer, with deliveries to European markets scheduled for August, and North America to follow not long after. Other markets around the world – including Australia – will not see the Evora 400 before next year at the earliest.