- Doors and Seats
2 doors, 4 seats
- Engine
3.5SC, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
257.5kW, 400Nm
- Fuel
Petrol 9.7L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, Unltd KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
2015 Lotus Evora S: owner review
I have a 2015 Lotus Evora S that I purchased right in the middle of this company’s darkest period.
Owner: Will
I remember a video car game from my days at school. From memory, you had a choice of five cars. A Ferrari F40, Lamborghini Countach, Chevrolet Corvette, Porsche 911 and a Lotus Esprit. Also during this period, I recall Ayrton Senna driving for the Lotus Formula One team. A Lotus Esprit was making memorable appearances in hit movies like Pretty Woman.
Fast-forward to 2023 and the Lotus brand is never mentioned in the same breath as Ferrari, Lamborghini or Porsche.
Around that earlier period, the Porsche and Lotus companies were struggling financially. Porsche pivoted and its company was saved by the Boxster, and later thrived with the Cayenne and Macan.
In contrast, Lotus has struggled immensely to the point where the British marque was bought out by Chinese automotive group Geely. I have a 2015 Lotus Evora S that I purchased right in the middle of this company’s darkest period. I can say from test-driving the Elise that Lotus has not struggled due to its products, but because of poor leadership, decision-making, brand, market research etc.
I have been lucky and privileged to have owned two Porsche Boxsters, an Aston Martin Vantage, and my current Lotus Evora S. I have always remembered the brand Lotus from my school days. Had it not been for my childhood, I probably would have bought a 911 or M3/M4, because now I need an extra two seats due to having two young kids.
I test-drove both the 911 and M3. However, the Lotus Evora intrigued me. I perused the Lotus classifieds, and then suddenly an immaculate yellow, manual Evora S emerged on the market. Against the advice of one of my clients (a car collector), who joked to me Lotus stood for ‘Lots of Trouble Until Sold’, I bought it with my heart, not my head. I just loved the look of this example, and I enjoyed the test drive I had in an Elise years earlier.
The Sydney-based Lotus distributor delivered my car to my home in the Adelaide Hills. First impressions, I loved the yellow and black contrast. I am not an attention-seeker with my cars, but I’ve always loved the look of yellow exotic cars. Where I live, I can admire the car in the garage and drive the car through the windy beautiful roads incognito.
I loved how you could see the mid-mounted engine through the rear glass – how awesome. The interior was as advertised: tight, hard to get into, but better than the Elise. The materials were decent. Seat speed-focussed. It did not have the attention to detail and workmanship the Aston had. It had a car-focused feel unlike the Porsches' functionality and Aston’s quality. This was exemplified by the stainless steel gear stick.
Turn the ignition key and it sounded good, but not as satisfying as the wonderful throatiness of the Aston or the older-model Boxster. However, bring it out to sweeping windy roads of the Adelaide Hills and I have never driven a car that is so in unison with the driver.
I recall in Pretty Woman, Julia Roberts said the Lotus she drove ‘handled like it was on rails’. Through the hills and roads, it hugged the line with such tactile precision. I was blown away by how good this car was, albeit the chassis could handle more power, even with the supercharger on this version of the Evora. The manual gearbox was good, but clunky and not up to the level of a Porsche gearbox.
Oh, the infotainment unit. It’s okay, but not as awful as the horrendous Aston unit. In saying that, technology is not what this car is about. When asked how I found the drive versus the Porsches and Aston, I said the Aston is a GT. The Porsche is a sports car. The Lotus is a race car.
For everyday use, the Porsche is the most practical. However, in my opinion, a Boxster, Cayman or 911 would be a tad too uncomfortable five days a week. I'm lucky to have a Tesla 3 for work. If you were wondering, the Tesla has all the technology the Lotus does not have. It’s significantly more comfortable. However, it is a sterile driving experience compared to the Lotus.
The specced Caymans and 911s are the incumbent choices for the sports car around this price point. They are the ones you choose with your brain. They're for the person who cares what others think when it comes to the badge and wants the safe option. However, for someone who wants a car to make them feel alive, and experience the thrilling limits of a sports car, the Lotus Evora is the car for you. So for all you people who are considering a 911, Cayman or Boxster, take a risk and try a Lotus.
From the news, Lotus may have turned the corner with the electric Eletre SUV. It appears to be an excellent product. Just like the Elise, Exige and Evora. They are all excellent products made by a company run so poorly. This Evora should be rated alongside the Porsche Caymans and 911s, and this should have been reflected in their sales.
Lotus cars are for a different person. More a driver’s car than for an executive who wants the comfort or status of driving the Porsche or Aston badge. The Porsche and Aston were great cars in their own right. The Evora is just better if you want the best raw driving experience and can handle the compromises this car has.
Owner: Will
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