What does Lotus know about handling that eludes the rest of the world? It's a question we asked ourselves after an exhilarating mountain-road romp in the new Evora. While this Lotus makes several concessions to practicality, such as a small rear seat and even cruise control, essentially it's a driver's car. And for 2011, there's nothing better on the road. Those with the means will enjoy a connection between the car and the road that borders on telepathic. The steering effort linearly increases as the cornering forces build, and the suspension impeccably keeps the tires squarely planted on the road. The result is a car with high but accessible cornering limits, a sports car that makes even novice drivers feel like heroes. Even better, the Evora smashes the notion that good handling and a supple ride are mutually exclusive—it's cushy enough to drive to work, yet incredibly entertaining on curvy roads and racetracks.
The Lutus Exige Cup 260, once again represents Lotus' most radical version of the Exige, with the track environment being its home and for 2008.A direct development of the 2007 Exige Cup Car, this year's car has a revised engine management system to take the maximum power output to 257 hp (260 PS), up by nearly 5 hp (5 PS) over last year.The Lotus Sport Exige Cup 260 is one of the quickest cars around a circuit. Key to this incredible performance is the aerodynamic package, which produces over 40 kg of downforce at 160 kmh increasing grip and stability at higher speeds. With a top speed of 247 kmh (147 mph) and a zero to 160 kmh (100 mph) in circa 9.9 seconds, 0 to 100 kmh in circa 4.1 seconds (0 to 60 mph in circa 4 seconds), the MY2008 Exige Cup 260 is the perfect partner for the serious racer. Combined Fuel Consumption is 9.1 l/100km and the CO2 emissions 216 g/km.
This is the limited edition Lotus Exige Scura, also known as the “Stealth Edition” in Japan , that will soon go on sale in the UK . Shown at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Scura is a modified Exige S, with 260bhp squeezed from its supercharged engine due to a revised ECU.
The Exige S in standard form has 220bhp while the performance pack offers 240bhp. Listed as standard on the track day special are the following: launch control, Ohlins 2-way adjustable dampers, and variable slip traction control. You may be wondering about the “Stealth” name. Special matt “Phantom Black” paint gives the Stealth its name. The weight is reduced by 10kg because carbonfiber was used on some components including sports seats, centre consol, oil cooler inlet valves and front splitter. High gloss “Phantom Black” triple stripes run the length of the car. The Scura will reach 60mph in 4sec, 100mph in 9.9sec and a top speed of 152mph. If buyers order books immediately after this week’s Tokyo motor show, the car will be priced £45,000 in the UK .
To celebrate its 40th anniversary next year, Hot Wheels approached Lotus and other world leaders in he automotive industry with the challenge for each company to produce a vehicle that embodies its own engineering philosophy and brand. The result from Lotus is a stunning open-top two seat sports car concept. Russell Carr, Head of Lotus Design said; "This was a dream job for the design team because, for many of us, when we were children, it was Hot Wheels® that first ignited our passion for cars and design.
Lotus Design's international reputation for designing visually dynamic and exhilarating sports cars perfectly fitted the brief for this programme and we relished the opportunity to design a concept that was free from the typical technical and legal constraints of a full size car. In addition the design offered unique challenges because it has to work as a toy and we therefore had to remember how specific views, features and tactile qualities of toy cars fascinated us as children. I am very proud of the final design by Steven Crijns that succeeds in being both instantly recognisable as a Lotus and a Hot Wheels Car. Steven Crijns, Design Manager at Lotus Design and creator of this concept design explained; "Hot Wheels cars are barely 75mm long, so specific attention went to create a bold shape that would work well at this scale. Another challenge was to create an exciting design that would work well as a toy. The car needed to be recognisable as a Lotus without having to turn it over to look at the badge underneath, so I took elements from the Lotus Elise and Lotus Exige such as the headlight design, the Lotus 'mouth', the pronounced wheel arches and trademark bonnet graphics. I was keen for the design to express the Lotus philosophy of performance through lightweight: the shrink wrapped body is kept to an absolute minimum to save weight. The dynamic voluptuous curves make the car look agile and fun to drive. Bold aerodynamic aids are incorporated to achieve exceptional Lotus handling. The top exit radiator at the front, a distinctive Lotus design feature, the rear diffuser and a large rear wing all provide down-force helping the vehicle stick to the road. In addition, large side air intakes and an open rear end aid engine breathing. Inside the car, the exposed centre spine is part of the structure and incorporates the switches and gear linkage and supports the rear wing."
Lotus Design has a global reputation and is responsible for the design of all Lotus cars, including Lotus Europa, Exige and iconic Elise and many designs for our engineering clients globally. The same design team who created this stunning concept is also designing our new range of cars, the first of which, codenamed Project Eagle, will go into production at the end of next year."
That’s why the Evora is so much larger—21.9 inches longer, with a 10.9-inch stretch in the wheelbase—putting it on par with more mainstream sports cars such as Porsche’s 911 and Cayman. Roughly five inches shorter than a 911, the Evora still houses a similarly sized (i.e., tiny) back seat, which is optional and seems adequate for little people and children up to 10 years old.
In front, even this six-foot-five-inch driver—Lotus’s claimed design target—had to slide the seat forward a couple of inches from its most rearward position, and the amply padded, leather Recaro seats were comfortable throughout a 250-mile drive. Easing entry and exit are narrower doorsills and a seating position that is 2.6 inches higher than the Elise’s. But the footwell is still narrow enough to require a miniature dead pedal.
