Evora S - Top Gear Review

Evora S - Top Gear Review

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Hedgerley

Original Poster:

620 posts

275 months

Thursday 2nd December 2010
quotequote all
Jason Barlow reviews the Evora S in the new Top Gear magazine - everything that's been said before and then some. He REALLY likes this car and is astounded how the Lotus guys have an almost 'telepathic connection with their products' that no-one else, not even Porsche, can emulate. He reckons its good enough to beat Porsche (fully optioned Cayman or base 911) in every area that matters to the enthusiastic driver and despite what 'new Lotus' says about where its new range needs to be, he says the Evora S is 'right on the money now'.

I just hope these reviews translate into decent sales.


C43

666 posts

205 months

Thursday 2nd December 2010
quotequote all
good to hear, will have to get a copy.

spend last weekend with a launch spec Evora. Drove my wife up north in rubbish weather on motorways. Tried really hard not to like the car...failed dismally! It is as good as everyones says.

parked next to a GTR at work and just cant work out why you would buy the rice rocket. The Evora looks better, handles better, rides the road and you can listen to the stereo or hold a conversation at motorway speeds. The GTR is so noisy my friend has to wear noise cancelling headphones in the car!

C43

Thorburn

2,407 posts

200 months

Thursday 2nd December 2010
quotequote all
C43 said:
parked next to a GTR at work and just cant work out why you would buy the rice rocket. The Evora looks better, handles better, rides the road and you can listen to the stereo or hold a conversation at motorway speeds. The GTR is so noisy my friend has to wear noise cancelling headphones in the car!
Probably because the Nissan is REALLY REALLY FAST. Good value for money considering the performance too.

I'd probably take the Evora though, its a lovely looking car but also the potential for things to start breaking and costing a FORTUNE on the GTR must be huge - how longs the warranty on them?

justin220

5,452 posts

211 months

Thursday 2nd December 2010
quotequote all
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.

C43

666 posts

205 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
You are right about the GTR being very very fast but people seem to have confused driving pleasure with lap time. A fast car on the Ring is not a good car to enjoy on the road. My friend uses his GTR every day to work and back including 20 miles of motor way work and he is a very quick driver, however how often to you think he even uses the car to 80% of its potential? You just can't do it on English roads any more.

The GTR is a good track car although if you are going for a track car get a proper one. I am claiming that the GTR is not the best road car in the market. Its too noisy for everyday and far too stiff for our roads.

C43

jazzyjeff

3,652 posts

266 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
justin220 said:
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.
It may be much faster on paper...but is it quicker point-to-point in real terms? scratchchin

JJ

Thorburn

2,407 posts

200 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
C43 said:
You are right about the GTR being very very fast but people seem to have confused driving pleasure with lap time. A fast car on the Ring is not a good car to enjoy on the road. My friend uses his GTR every day to work and back including 20 miles of motor way work and he is a very quick driver, however how often to you think he even uses the car to 80% of its potential? You just can't do it on English roads any more.

The GTR is a good track car although if you are going for a track car get a proper one. I am claiming that the GTR is not the best road car in the market. Its too noisy for everyday and far too stiff for our roads.

C43
Oh not disagreeing with that at all, I drive a base spec S1 Elise tongue out

When I bought it my budget would have got me into something with 400bhp+ easily, but I don't see the point for a car I use primarily on the road. Even having driven an A048 shod 111R I felt like I was having to carry too much speed to really begin to feel the car working beneath me.

Its a case of different strokes for different folks, the GTR has the numbers and the rave reviews, and by all accounts is supposed to be more involving than you might give it credit for, but I can't help but feel you could never really challenge it on the public road without deciding you are willing to lose your license in the process.

The other thing that attracted to me to the Elise is the relative low price and low wear of consumables. Less weight and less speed means less stress on the brakes and tyres which cost less to buy when you do need to replace them.
I'd imagine 3 or 4 track days in a GTR, driven hard, would cost many times what my car is worth!

Edited by Thorburn on Friday 3rd December 11:22

Thorburn

2,407 posts

200 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
jazzyjeff said:
justin220 said:
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.
It may be much faster on paper...but is it quicker point-to-point in real terms? scratchchin

JJ
Lets face it, in most cases the absolute deciding factor once you get past a certain class of car will always be how many risks the driver is willing to take. You can always save time cutting corners or on risky overtakes but eventually its not going to be a case of 'if' you're going to crash but of how many people you take out with you.

On a single lap on a track I'd bet on the GTR by a fairly large margin. If you were running for a few hours and had to account for fuel, brakes, tyres, etc then I'd bet the Evora would make an interesting tortoise to the GTR's hare.

Edited by Thorburn on Friday 3rd December 11:26

justin220

5,452 posts

211 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
C43 said:
You are right about the GTR being very very fast but people seem to have confused driving pleasure with lap time. A fast car on the Ring is not a good car to enjoy on the road. My friend uses his GTR every day to work and back including 20 miles of motor way work and he is a very quick driver, however how often to you think he even uses the car to 80% of its potential? You just can't do it on English roads any more.

C43
Totally agree. Hence why I bought the Evora. I just didn't get as much enjoyment out of the GTR as I did the Lotus.

jazzyjeff said:
justin220 said:
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.
It may be much faster on paper...but is it quicker point-to-point in real terms? scratchchin

JJ
Good point, I'm not sure. For me, lap times aren't important, or even point to point speed. I reckon the GTR would be quicker at both though

Hilti

299 posts

246 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I have heard that the gearboxes on the GTR at a bit chocolatey, something to do with the front and rear circlips falling off and distroying the gearbox!!!!!

C43

666 posts

205 months

Friday 3rd December 2010
quotequote all
I have a tweaked Europa with A048s on and although its great on the track its not that easy to slide on the road, mostly because the thing has so much grip and the power delivery is abrupt in the wet.

The Evora seems very easy to slide and still with good grip. Also the alternative throttle map is a great tool for slippery conditions. Was also very impressed with the TC on the Evora, as most say the Lotus system is spot on.

C43

bobo

1,710 posts

285 months

Saturday 4th December 2010
quotequote all
hi, does anyone do extened test drives of evoras ? ie for more than a day ? its the only way to be sure really .....

C43

666 posts

205 months

Sunday 5th December 2010
quotequote all
I have had extended test drives with B&C and Silverstone Lotus. I would have thought if they think you are serious it should be possible to work out an extended test drive with any dealer.

C43

MB 1

525 posts

192 months

Sunday 5th December 2010
quotequote all
Not sure about all the GTR comparissons. Price might be the same but they are polar opposites really.

For me it's an Evora S or a used 997 GT3.

And that I think is still a very tough choice. Having driven an NA Evora, it's still the best car i've driven (and i've owned an Exige S and all sorts of other stuff)

I just think they priced both Evora models about £5k too high.

£65k for an optioned Evora S is right into some very tasty territory.

And a used Evora for 45k and a 20k Exige is a more tempting option biggrin

jazzyjeff

3,652 posts

266 months

Monday 6th December 2010
quotequote all
Thorburn said:
jazzyjeff said:
justin220 said:
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.
It may be much faster on paper...but is it quicker point-to-point in real terms? scratchchin

JJ
On a single lap on a track I'd bet on the GTR by a fairly large margin. If you were running for a few hours and had to account for fuel, brakes, tyres, etc then I'd bet the Evora would make an interesting tortoise to the GTR's hare.

Edited by Thorburn on Friday 3rd December 11:26
Sorry, I should have clarified - I meant point to point on the road (in real world driving).

I don't doubt a GTR would be quicker on a track. But if I wanted a track car (and could afford the luxury) I'd probably take an Atom or XTR2 wink

JJ

Thorburn

2,407 posts

200 months

Monday 6th December 2010
quotequote all
jazzyjeff said:
Thorburn said:
jazzyjeff said:
justin220 said:
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.
It may be much faster on paper...but is it quicker point-to-point in real terms? scratchchin

JJ
On a single lap on a track I'd bet on the GTR by a fairly large margin. If you were running for a few hours and had to account for fuel, brakes, tyres, etc then I'd bet the Evora would make an interesting tortoise to the GTR's hare.

Edited by Thorburn on Friday 3rd December 11:26
Sorry, I should have clarified - I meant point to point on the road (in real world driving).

I don't doubt a GTR would be quicker on a track. But if I wanted a track car (and could afford the luxury) I'd probably take an Atom or XTR2 wink

JJ
Hence the bit you cut off. If you had a closed road/psychopath who didn't care if he lived or died driving then I'd still bet on the GTR. In any 'quick' cars point to point on the public road is all about the risks and assumptions the driver is willing to take.

jazzyjeff

3,652 posts

266 months

Tuesday 7th December 2010
quotequote all
Thorburn said:
jazzyjeff said:
Thorburn said:
jazzyjeff said:
justin220 said:
The GTR loud? I didn't think it was when i drove one. Also, it's horrendously fast compared to the Evora..

The two are so different IMO.
It may be much faster on paper...but is it quicker point-to-point in real terms? scratchchin

JJ
On a single lap on a track I'd bet on the GTR by a fairly large margin. If you were running for a few hours and had to account for fuel, brakes, tyres, etc then I'd bet the Evora would make an interesting tortoise to the GTR's hare.

Edited by Thorburn on Friday 3rd December 11:26
Sorry, I should have clarified - I meant point to point on the road (in real world driving).

I don't doubt a GTR would be quicker on a track. But if I wanted a track car (and could afford the luxury) I'd probably take an Atom or XTR2 wink

JJ
Hence the bit you cut off. If you had a closed road/psychopath who didn't care if he lived or died driving then I'd still bet on the GTR. In any 'quick' cars point to point on the public road is all about the risks and assumptions the driver is willing to take.
Fair enough. But if your rational assessment of "real world" driving is by a psychopath on a closed road then remind me to steer clear of you when you're out and about drivingwink

JJ

Thorburn

2,407 posts

200 months

Tuesday 7th December 2010
quotequote all
jazzyjeff said:
Fair enough. But if your rational assessment of "real world" driving is by a psychopath on a closed road then remind me to steer clear of you when you're out and about drivingwink

JJ
That's not my rational of 'real world' driving, just saying that on the road you couldn't use the full potential of either car without putting yourself, others, or at very least your license, at risk.

jazzyjeff

3,652 posts

266 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Thorburn said:
jazzyjeff said:
Fair enough. But if your rational assessment of "real world" driving is by a psychopath on a closed road then remind me to steer clear of you when you're out and about drivingwink

JJ
That's not my rational of 'real world' driving, just saying that on the road you couldn't use the full potential of either car without putting yourself, others, or at very least your license, at risk.
Fine. In which case you've just undermined your own argument..?

JJ

The Pits

4,290 posts

247 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
GTR has giant killing pace. For a very heavy car it's relatively capable on the track (ie still rubbish).

Evora majors on feel, poise, balance and driver involvement.

The Evora S should have the best of both. Of course still not as rapid as the GTR but a genuine giant 'scarer' if not an outright killer.

I absolutely agree, an Elise R is plenty quick enough these days. But too much performance is always nice if you can get it.