Lotus Evora

It’s finally here! The Evora, the first all-new Lotus for 13 years, is ready to take its place at the head of the British firm’s line-up.

Designed to offer more day-to-day usability than the Elise, but retain the same driver involvement, the newcomer uses a 3.5-litre 276bhp V6 Toyota-sourced engine and hides a unique 2+2 seating layout beneath its racy lines.

Inside, the cabin features lots of leather, metal and a driver-focused layout. The rear seats are tiny and only usable for children, as the space is little more than a luggage area.

The first 450 cars will be equipped with Tech, Sport and Premium option packs. These add sat-nav, extra cabin luxury, a rear diffuser and sport button to adjust throttle response – in fact, our fully equipped car cost nearly £60,000! This seems steep, but the newcomer’s handling doesn’t disappoint.

Thanks to a super-stiff chassis and Lotus’s famed ability for tuning suspension, it has retained the agile balance of the Elise, but with improved ride quality and refinement.

Fluid, responsive steering, faultless body control and lots of grip ensure this grown-up Lotus excels in corners. And with less road noise filtering into the cabin, it’s a decent cruiser, too. The engine delivers enough performance to make the model feel like a serious sports car; if only it had more character.

The package is completed by strong brakes and standard traction control – to leave you in no doubt that the Evora has been well worth the wait.

Rival: Cayman S
The sweet-handling Porsche is now available with the quick-shifting twin-clutch PDK gearbox – although we still prefer the manual with optional limited slip differential, to enhance traction.