Lotus unveils the all-new Evora 400 ahead of its Geneva Motor Show debut
[Not a valid template]What you’re looking at here is Lotus’ answer to the Porsche 911 Carrera S, the new Evora 400 supercar. And let’s not mess around here, it packs 400hp (obviously) from its 3.5-litre supercharged V6 and 302lb ft of torque, enough to hit a 300kph top speed and 0-100kph in 4.2 seconds. In short, the new Evora 400 is the fastest and most powerful production Lotus ever built.
Let’s break that down a little further. At 400hp, the Evora 400 is 55hp more powerful than the current Evora S, thanks largely to an upgraded supercharger. Torque has also risen by 7lb ft, which – despite not sounding an impressive amount – is now available from lower down the rev range for more aggressive launches. Power is sent to the 20-inch rear wheels clad in Michelin Pilot Super Sport rubber via an updated manual transmission – hurrah! – though an automatic is also available. There’s also some enormous new stoppers ready to throw out the anchors at pace.
The mid-mounted V6 though is just one of several developments. It’s not quite a clean sheet of paper, but more than two thirds of the Evora 400 brand new. The all-new chassis for example is made from aluminium for extra rigidity and to carry a lighter-weight composite body. Official figures haven’t been released yet, but the new 400 is 22kg lighter than the previous Evora, which was hardly a fathead calf to begin with. Expect the new 400 to weigh just slightly less than an HB pencil.
Alongside the lightweight cast alloys wheels, key changes to the pretty stunning look include new bumpers with larger air intakes, a three-way rear wing and a new diffuser. Oh, and a new wing mirror design. Lotus fans may also be particularly interested in the very un-Lotus (ready ‘modern’) interior re-design: there’s leather seats, haptic controls and everything.
As well as melting the face of anyone who drives it, the Evora 400 is also the headline act for Group Lotus’ expansion. With 168 dealerships worldwide already, the company hopes to have 200 nailed before the end of the year.
