I am blown away that you can write, drive, film and edit such high quality content for daily viewing and just wanted to say the effort this takes isnt lost on some of us. Keep grinding James! Okay, now I'll watch the video!!!
I recently bought a 2012 Evora and drove it home 3000km from sun up to sun down for three days, halfway across Australia, on mostly outback B roads occupied by Roadtrain tucks. When we pulled into a country town for a break everyone was staring at the car and one person asked what we were doing in a car like that out here. This journey was testament to what a fantastic GT and comfortable car the Evora is. The next week I was out on a Lotus club run through the local hills where I live, and I couldn’t get over how good the steering is and how well it handled when pushed. I have owned both a Cayman S and Elise111R and I have to say the Evora feels way more special and faster than the Cayman S. It also handles as good as the Elise. A very underrated car indeed and one I will never part with!
It's even better though, because as well as the normal clean tone you can get crackles on demand if that's the mood - just a light dab of the throttle on the overrun 👌
Hi James, I bought my first Lotus last week and it’s an Evora 410 Sport. A fantastic car which replaced a 996 Turbo S Tiptronic which had a sub par gearbox and harder ride. It was the Emira which triggered me into thinking about getting my first Lotus, but I think there will be lots of Emiras on the road in a few years’ time and the Evora will be a very rare beast for all the reasons you mention in the video. In fact it was your earlier video which pointed out the similarities between the Emira and the Evora which made me start looking for an Evora. You drove my Vanquish S auto last year; in my mind the Evora is to the Emira as the Vanquish is to the DB9. I didn’t buy it to make money but I am convinced that the rarity of the Evoras, particularly 400 and later, will make them desirable and hence valuable in the longer term. My ‘new’ Evora is definitely another keeper. Keep up the good work and thanks for getting me into an Evora.
Thanks. In no small part due to your videos, curiosity did finally get the better of me and I went to look at an Evora after I sold my 911 turbo. I've now done 5k miles in my car so far. Driven it around the Nurburgring, road tripped to Le mans, done many local drives and a couple of track days. My love for the car has grown in a way it never has for any Porsche since my original 944. The car gives me a joy when driving, every time I get in it, anywhere I drive it and at any speed that perhaps no other car I've ever owned has done for me. A lot of what you mentioned in your videos went over my head before I'd owned one, but I now fully understand. Some might think me mad for spending early Evora 400 money on the best Evora S I could find, but I stand by my reasons. 1. The seats are unquestionably better, 2. The magic carpet suspension I personally prefer to the more track focused, but ultimately more compromised, later car. 3. The early looks are more elegant and traditionally Lotus in my eyes where the later car feels more Corvette inspired, perhaps targeted at the American Market. The other thing I've noticed is that owners tend to be openly critical about the Evora in a way 911 owners don't dare to be, even when any 911 has it's fair share of faults. Things I don't like about the car 1. The rear seats are a lot less usable than in the 911, or 944, or GR86 2. The gear shift takes more focus and concentration to avoid miss shifting when driving in anger than I'd like, 3. I don't like the rev flare when you start the engine hot. Other than that, it's really magic. I don't overly care about thw value because assuming no ill change in my physical or financial health, I can't see myself selling the car. I'd like other cars perhaps, but it's the kind of car anyone on any budget would appreciate as part of their collection.
Great to see you banging the Evora drum and calling out the slightly weird Emira coverage 👍 Thanks for making my year with the 430 Scuderia experience 😆 out now on my channel in the 'Owner Stories' series
Owned numerous sports cars in the past, my absolute favorite driving car was the Evora S. It sounded bonkers with aftermarket exhaust, way better than any Camry engine should be allowed to sound. The steering feel is the best, period. Never driven anything better. The chassis tuning is typical Lotus black magic, compliant yet phenomenal in corners. And what surprised me the most? The build quality was WAY better than I expected. Every Porsche I owned prior squeaked WAY more than my Evora. The interior wasn’t super nice but it was nice enough, I daily drove it for 3 years. Only sold it because I have a list of cars I want to own. Currently in an Gen 2 R8 Competition which I like, but definitely doesn’t have the steering feel and confidence the Evora has. I’d own another Evora or Emira in a second.
A bold claim. But I picked up a 2014 Evora S SR and I've been thinking it is the perfect sports car. I've owned plenty of sports cars, inc 2 911s, but the Evora is the only car I look for any excuse to go out in. Everything you say is true, reaction of people, positive attention it gets, usable power, good reliability ownership costs and just a joy to drive in comfort
I'm currently on abroad with my Evora S and the amount of attention it gets makes it feel invisible in the UK by comparison I've taken it from the UK to Barcelona to Sardinia and I'm currently in Corsica, eventually going to Budapest and the alps. Last summer I took it all the way to Bosnia. It is great for long distance cruising, it manages bumpy roads better than other sports cars and it feels well suited to a variety of twisty roads. it has more space than an R8 and drinks less, and it's more special than that or a 997 turbo I've been waved at, beeped at, flashed, pointed at, thumbs'ed up, cat called, had pictures taken of the car, stopped many times for a chat, even when Italians spoke very little english, it was nice of them to make an effort. what is it? how many cylinders does it have? how much power? it might not be very fast but it definitely feels like a supercar and it's been a great feeling sharing the passion and seeing petrolheads happy all over Europe, especially in places not used to seeing nice cars. I'm thinking i should make a video about it but I need some gopros
I've owned a 2010 Evora before. Drives really well. Lack of storage but there is a parcel shelf/rear seats which gives it just enough space if heading out of town for a few days. The problem no one talks about is the door sensors. On almost all pre-2012 cars the mechanism constantly fails - leaving the car unable to be locked and the battery draining from the door open light. It will also constantly set off the alarm if you do get it registered as 'locked' then the door unlocks itself again. Its an incredibly annoying issue which really prevents you from using the car and the mechanism in pre 2012 cars will keep failing because the only replacement option is the same mechanism. The overall build quality is quite poor being a hand-built car from a company with limited resources, but the engine is fantastic and the gearbox is pretty decent. The steering and handling are better than a 987 Cayman S by an absolute mile. It is one of the most fun cars you can drive on a twisty road.
I bought my two dream cars, the 996 and the Evora series 1 in quick succession when they were at their depths of their depreciation curves. The Evora, to this day, still delivers a superior driving experience leagues above anything else in the price range.
Thank you for this video. I put a deposit on an Evora 400 a few days ago (I'll be picking it up tomorrow) and feel even better about the purchase after watching this video.
I’ve driven a few iterations of the Evora and it never fails to impress me. It’s WAY more entertaining and rewarding to drive than a Cayman. The sound alone is delicious. The legendary Lotus ride and handling makes it hard to beat.
Completely agree with you. I was driving a Cayman S when Evora was launched. I was invited to drive it around Silverstone and it was a revelation compared with the Porsche.
Totally agree with you James in everything you said. 7 and half years of ownership and still absolutely love it, everytime I get in it....❤ 🤔...... In fact I think going for a drive right now .....😁 Another great video James.....👍😉
I see a lot of Evoras for sale at £50k+ and I feel those people must have been left holding the bag on them. That price is way too close to an Emira. The earlier Evora with the nicer seats is the sweet spot.
Having driven a 1986 Lotus turbo Esprit 30 years ago, I fell in love with the brand. Having watched this video, I want to buy a Lotus Evora today. Thanks for another honest review!!!!
I have had and Evora now for 10 years im on my 2nd its a GT 410 Sport, my first was a 2011 S, they are amazing cars the later cars 400 onwards are much better than the earlier cars, everything is just that little bit sharper but they are all fantastic. The 2bular exhausts are almost a must on the pre 400 cars.
Superb commentary... Being a one year owner of a Launch Evora can truly support your views on ride and steering.. For the Evora it's self, priceless.. Handling to performance extremely healthy.. Yes, I believe you are absolutely right..
I love how the later models had that lower body piece in black instead of matching the rest of the paint - it gave it a much more sleek, cutaway look, which really elevated the profile of the car. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they're hailed as a design classic in decades to come.
Doug is a true gent - really enjoyed filming with him a while back in my 968 Cabrio. Off to Le Mans this week to the Classic in her so fingers crossed.
I own a 2017 Evora 400... it is in a word brilliant, it drives like a gocart sounds fantastic and corners like its glued to the road. Much higher horsepower cars can not keep up with it on twisty roads because they just dont have the handling the Evora has!
F Type's ride is also compromised by really heavy standard wheels, getting some forged wheels helps. Although can't imagine it'd match a lightweight, softly sprung Evora
Great review, but the point in 9:35 is a common misconception. Weld point, if done correctly, will be stronger than the actual metal it welded on yet the material itself shouldn’t lose any of its properties. Problem is, welding requires more effort, materials, and work hours. It also make the finish product heavier because of the extra weld material, so extrusion is simpler and cheaper to make and it is also lighter
Just before we emigrated to Australia in 2009, my wife treated me to a supercar driving day at Elvington airfield in Yorkshire. On hand were a Ferrari 360, Porsche 911 GT3, Audi R8, Lamborghini Gallardo, Aston Martin DB9 and an early Lotus Elise. While all the supercars were absolutely spectacular, I probably had the most fun in the cramped, uncomfortable, creaking and rattling little Elise. Even down the long straights the supercars couldn’t pass me. Lotus’s are an absolute revelation, shame about the shitty build quality though. If their build quality was as good as Toyota, Lotus would be the most successful sports car company ever
Is maybe the lack of Evoras a sign that people are holding on to them whereas the Emira is being turned over rapidly for profit??? Emiras are sought after and that can command a premium some folks are willing to exploit.
OK, I have watched the first minute and stopped the video. James just said that after 12 years of production currently there are 19 Evoras for sale, while after ony one year of production there are 34 Emiras for sale. I will look into his opinion later, but just so that I do not get biased by his: If I read such numbers, I would never come to the conclusion, that the Emira is a more successful car. I would interpret these numbers as follows: Those who bought an Evora, will not part with it lightly, even after the successor is available. Those who bought an Emira are trying to get rid of it quite quickly. So if the Evora is a keeper and the Emira a seller, the Evora has actually killed the Emira. Now let‘s see what James has to say.
I was going to say something similar - those selling the Emira probably fall into three camps: 1) Don't want to part with it so soon, but need the cash (cost of living crisis etc.); 2) Speculators who want to cash out ASAP; and 3) Bought it, didn't enjoy it, probably looking to buy something else for similar money Those selling the Evora are fewer in number, so owners are probably hanging onto them for the most part.
This is interesting I didn’t know that. They actually didn’t mail the steering feel or suspension compliance as well in my opinion but got the pointy front end right 👍🏻
I love this video... watched it multiple times. and I still don't know if i'm going to: 1. Buy an EVORA400 - sensible choice? 2. Buy an EXIGE 380 - rawkus choice? 3. Risk it all and go with an older BMW i8 - financial gamble/investment choice?
Spot on James regarding the Emira being in effect the "Evora Series 3" despite the spin from the Lotus PR Department about it being a new car. As soon as I saw it at launch at the 2021 Goodwood FOS I felt it was effectively a repackaged Evora. As I drove home in my Evora I got to thinking that I already owned a car with 80% of the Emira's attributes. Of course with Lotus "Version 2.0" they were determined to give the car a new name to temp new buyers in from other marques. I like both the Evora and the Emira, but the Evora has stolen my heart and is a keeper.
@austenwright7620 , well I was tempted to chop in my Evora for an Emira but instead bought an Elise to track whilst using the Evora for the road. I guess you don't own an Evora. Do you own an Emira?
Recently sold my Boxster S and that was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life! Now, the Evora is on my shortlist for the next sport car. Again starting the Alpine and the Alfa 4C.
Let's hope that they have solved the reliability issues, my manager bought an early Evora and it was a disaster, it even went back to Lotus for a body off rebuild and it came back with chronic clutch judder, in the end they bought it back.
Seen a blue evora gt430 on the road when i went to pick up my 981 cayman and couldnt help but feel like i made the wrong choice. Sure do miss my old series 1 evora.
The Evora just doesn't look like something I want to look at. It's not terrible looking I just get more of nothing the more I see it. I'm happy it's story has turned into the Emira only gripe is I wish that model would get longer run the the V6 because I think of it as a all around gem all things considered
A lotus like this Evora is one of my dream cars. However, ever since I was a wee boy (6 years old or so) I’ve loved the E46 generation in general and later, the M3 became one of my dream cars. The looks and nostalgia of the E46 M3, and also crucially being able to fit people in the back of it, means that although flawed in the confidence of driving part, and sometimes the reliability part, it is cheaper than a lotus generally and more practical. Maybe there are modifications to make the steering better on the M3? Either way, money no object, the answer is to have both.
I was SO close to buying a Evora GT but the lack of dealerships (5hr away), parts availability (windshields are something like $1400 and shipped from the UK to the US, I saw 3 months quoted for delivery, and we get a lot of stones chips/cracks here), and the INSANE insurance rate, triple other sports cars in that price range (probably due to the $$$ clamshells) scared me off. You basically have to be in the wealth bracket of buying $200,000 cars to own this around here and at that point I'd be looking at something in the $200,000 bracket lol. I ended up with an M2CS 😕
Them agreeing to not mention the Evora is probably closest to the truth. With the hype surrounding the "brand new Emira", and it being common with RUclipsrs, one has to wonder what is happening in the background.
Great video as always. Not sure I agree with your comments regarding values (having driven a 400 I totally agree with them regarding the drive). Surely Emira numbers will increase as the backlog is cleared and used values will fall. Then the 4 cylinder car will be launched at a lower price point again. Who then chooses an Evora, especially a 400/410 of similar value? Won't existing Evora owners sell up to upgrade, increasing supply?
In the USA, you see way more Evoras now than earlier on in the production. The GT sold relatively well the last two years of production and i see more of those than any other Evora.
The only thing more eye-catching than the car.. was that amazing shirt of yours James! Love the Evora... the kind of car for someone who could lick English mustard off a spoon (of the Norwich variety) without flinching... but would insist upon jam that came from Tiptree... think I might qualify...
Very compelling, what an endorsement after your deep experience owning Porsche, Ferrari, et. al. Steering, ride quality and the ability to see out are fab qualities. While I am keeping my 99 996.1 manual cab, were I to sell my Lexus GSF and get a 2+2 coupe that tweens can fit into for 7 minute rides to school, bingo. If my 996.1 was totalled, then I'd switch to a coupe 2+2 and leave the convertible action for the wife's car.
Love the nostalgia of this video. The Elvira was the car that first bought the channel to my attention. I loved the later car that James (Jay Emm) owned and would love to acquire a late model variant one day.
I remember Steve Sutcliff banging on and on about what perfect steering/suspension this original Evora had and even as recently as a few years ago he still stood by that, so last year I was lucky enough to drive an original car with only 13k original miles and he wasn’t kidding. I have owned 991/992 GT3’s, Mclaren 12C/650/570/600LT/720S, 981 GT4/718 GT4, ND Miata, FK8 Civic Type R, and an Evora 400 so I’m familiar with cars that have reputations of being great drivers cars and that Evora had about perfect suspension tuning and steering feel was as direct and unfiltered as it gets. I had heard that the original cars were even better than the 400/GT Evoras in that regard and I would actually agree that perhaps to do the slightly lighter weight, slightly softer suspension tuning, and smaller tires that it was slightly better than the 400 that I previously owned. Also impressive but not often mentioned was the stiffness of the chassis on the Evoras, no squeaks or rattles on any of the cars I’ve driven. Hoping the Emira drives with atleast some of the magic of the Evora
@@Stormy177 to be clear I haven’t owned all these cars at the same time, just a car enthusiast who enjoys all types of great drivers cars …..some expensive and exotic, and other not so much.
Hi James. Thanks for writing back. I do like the nose the series one S and preferably after 2012, along with as you say the seats. But if one willing to spend the dough and Chuck the lame Sparco seats. That makes the 400 and 410 far superior. I also found the pedals closer on the 400. Which on mine I had the rivets drill through and off to lower gas pedal and tad more room for my foot, that keep braking and hitting the gas at the same time. Sometimes Lotus botches some of the silliest stuff, yet masterful in areas like steering
For me, in the States, the Fire Red Lotus Evora GT in my garage totally blows the Emira away when it comes to driving performance. It must be love, but it also looks and sounds better too. PS: Something I don't think you have ever discussed for the Evora, is tuning. I'm in contact with a GRP recommended tuning specialist who uses a dyno to tune the car. With 510 crank HP, no one would call the Evora slow.
I think the Evora’s interior is better as well, I can’t stand the digital screens in the Evora, the main gauge cluster looks cool but it can randomly blank out then it has the generic tablet glued to the center dash all you see is fingerprints in your peripherals
I'm now in a position where I could stretch myself for one of these or an Exige V6, extremely tempted! A difficult choice though, I don't need the back seats/room of an Evora and I prefer the looks of the Exige but it'd be my only car, so an Evora sounds more sensible. Although I work from home and do very minimal miles per year 🤔
"get a friend that has one" ...previously in the video "6000 cars sold worldwide"... I tried to get a test drive for some time but they are all so far away that I just gave up. It's even worse than the emira, which I drove and was disappointed by the steering. People on the reddit claim it was broken but idk
I love Lotuses and as a Cayman owner, I am right in the path of their target demo but I just can’t get over how awkwardly small they are. I hope to have a go in one one day to change my impression of them.
Love my 14 Evora S. Personally, I love the rawness of it compared to the more luxurious focused emira. I also like the front and rear end better (GTE bumper) than the emira. The side profile does go to the emira imho.
Another great review. But stop it, James, just stop it. I have an Elise 111S and don't need to be reminded of my long-running desire for an early Evora :)
I imagine that there are many JayEmm subscribers (like me) who also subscribe to channels like The Straight Pipes, savagegeese, etc. I'd like to see the subscriber count here grow substantially if only as further recognition of its quality and, of course, James's choice of shirts.
nice video and interesting to go back to the predecessor after having some time to reflect... I've gone an odd journey with Lotus.. first drove Emira, bought an Elise S3... now looking at and thinking the Evora could be the sweetspot... quite rare (like you, don't want to own something I see every 5 minutes...), all the Lotus DNA, a bit grown up/practical enough... I wonder what your take on the IPS Evora variants is like? I've only known manual Lotus
I am watching this again, and if lotus made 6,117 EVORA's and using basic math the production rate over 12 years was one car every 1.4 hours V 17 minutes for the Emira. it will only have taken 72 day to surpass the EVORA total production
Bit biased as own 2 400s and S1 couldn't agree more. Only reason im getting Emira eventually is for a S/R version 4cyl but still keeping 1 Evora. Will never own any Lotus without ICE but that's a whole different topic. Now can we get some more St205 content eventually. My 205 WRC gets neglected because of Evoras but never selling it. Thank you for great content and shining light on cars that most RUclipsrs wouldn't dare.
Danny Bahar pretty much single handedly killed the Evora at birth. With his Tupperware line up of cars that were to replace the Evora a couple of years after it’s introduction. Also, the often promised soft top / targa top version never appeared.
I am blown away that you can write, drive, film and edit such high quality content for daily viewing and just wanted to say the effort this takes isnt lost on some of us. Keep grinding James! Okay, now I'll watch the video!!!
I recently bought a 2012 Evora and drove it home 3000km from sun up to sun down for three days, halfway across Australia, on mostly outback B roads occupied by Roadtrain tucks. When we pulled into a country town for a break everyone was staring at the car and one person asked what we were doing in a car like that out here. This journey was testament to what a fantastic GT and comfortable car the Evora is.
The next week I was out on a Lotus club run through the local hills where I live, and I couldn’t get over how good the steering is and how well it handled when pushed.
I have owned both a Cayman S and Elise111R and I have to say the Evora feels way more special and faster than the Cayman S. It also handles as good as the Elise. A very underrated car indeed and one I will never part with!
We are here for it, the last clean exhaust in the game. No crackle pop tune.
Thank goodness for that
Pretty sure its not 🤣
pop and bang shit is just so obnoxious and sorry ass excuse for not having a decent exhaust note in all this lame modern turbo lump
My exhaust does that without a dedicated map. It's great, it's not a Lotus though....lol
It's even better though, because as well as the normal clean tone you can get crackles on demand if that's the mood - just a light dab of the throttle on the overrun 👌
This channel is my escape from everyday problems.
Sorry for your troubles but I am glad to be a help :)
Own a 2010 for 6.5 years, now 67k miles and it’s still awesome every time I get in.
Hi James, I bought my first Lotus last week and it’s an Evora 410 Sport. A fantastic car which replaced a 996 Turbo S Tiptronic which had a sub par gearbox and harder ride. It was the Emira which triggered me into thinking about getting my first Lotus, but I think there will be lots of Emiras on the road in a few years’ time and the Evora will be a very rare beast for all the reasons you mention in the video. In fact it was your earlier video which pointed out the similarities between the Emira and the Evora which made me start looking for an Evora. You drove my Vanquish S auto last year; in my mind the Evora is to the Emira as the Vanquish is to the DB9. I didn’t buy it to make money but I am convinced that the rarity of the Evoras, particularly 400 and later, will make them desirable and hence valuable in the longer term. My ‘new’ Evora is definitely another keeper. Keep up the good work and thanks for getting me into an Evora.
Thanks. In no small part due to your videos, curiosity did finally get the better of me and I went to look at an Evora after I sold my 911 turbo.
I've now done 5k miles in my car so far. Driven it around the Nurburgring, road tripped to Le mans, done many local drives and a couple of track days. My love for the car has grown in a way it never has for any Porsche since my original 944. The car gives me a joy when driving, every time I get in it, anywhere I drive it and at any speed that perhaps no other car I've ever owned has done for me. A lot of what you mentioned in your videos went over my head before I'd owned one, but I now fully understand.
Some might think me mad for spending early Evora 400 money on the best Evora S I could find, but I stand by my reasons.
1. The seats are unquestionably better,
2. The magic carpet suspension I personally prefer to the more track focused, but ultimately more compromised, later car.
3. The early looks are more elegant and traditionally Lotus in my eyes where the later car feels more Corvette inspired, perhaps targeted at the American Market.
The other thing I've noticed is that owners tend to be openly critical about the Evora in a way 911 owners don't dare to be, even when any 911 has it's fair share of faults.
Things I don't like about the car
1. The rear seats are a lot less usable than in the 911, or 944, or GR86
2. The gear shift takes more focus and concentration to avoid miss shifting when driving in anger than I'd like,
3. I don't like the rev flare when you start the engine hot.
Other than that, it's really magic. I don't overly care about thw value because assuming no ill change in my physical or financial health, I can't see myself selling the car. I'd like other cars perhaps, but it's the kind of car anyone on any budget would appreciate as part of their collection.
Great to see you banging the Evora drum and calling out the slightly weird Emira coverage 👍
Thanks for making my year with the 430 Scuderia experience 😆 out now on my channel in the 'Owner Stories' series
Owned numerous sports cars in the past, my absolute favorite driving car was the Evora S. It sounded bonkers with aftermarket exhaust, way better than any Camry engine should be allowed to sound. The steering feel is the best, period. Never driven anything better. The chassis tuning is typical Lotus black magic, compliant yet phenomenal in corners. And what surprised me the most? The build quality was WAY better than I expected. Every Porsche I owned prior squeaked WAY more than my Evora. The interior wasn’t super nice but it was nice enough, I daily drove it for 3 years. Only sold it because I have a list of cars I want to own. Currently in an Gen 2 R8 Competition which I like, but definitely doesn’t have the steering feel and confidence the Evora has. I’d own another Evora or Emira in a second.
Man you keep getting better and better. Your presentations are clear, concise, and on point without any real "drama". Thanks.
Jay. I have mine since 10 years now and I am fully with you. The Evora is simply brilliant.
A bold claim. But I picked up a 2014 Evora S SR and I've been thinking it is the perfect sports car. I've owned plenty of sports cars, inc 2 911s, but the Evora is the only car I look for any excuse to go out in. Everything you say is true, reaction of people, positive attention it gets, usable power, good reliability ownership costs and just a joy to drive in comfort
I'm currently on abroad with my Evora S and the amount of attention it gets makes it feel invisible in the UK by comparison
I've taken it from the UK to Barcelona to Sardinia and I'm currently in Corsica, eventually going to Budapest and the alps.
Last summer I took it all the way to Bosnia.
It is great for long distance cruising, it manages bumpy roads better than other sports cars and it feels well suited to a variety of twisty roads.
it has more space than an R8 and drinks less, and it's more special than that or a 997 turbo
I've been waved at, beeped at, flashed, pointed at, thumbs'ed up, cat called, had pictures taken of the car, stopped many times for a chat, even when Italians spoke very little english, it was nice of them to make an effort.
what is it? how many cylinders does it have? how much power?
it might not be very fast but it definitely feels like a supercar and it's been a great feeling sharing the passion and seeing petrolheads happy all over Europe, especially in places not used to seeing nice cars.
I'm thinking i should make a video about it but I need some gopros
Came from an Elise a couple years ago to an Evora S. Have not regretted it for one second. I love my car. Better go for a rip right now!
I've owned a 2010 Evora before. Drives really well. Lack of storage but there is a parcel shelf/rear seats which gives it just enough space if heading out of town for a few days.
The problem no one talks about is the door sensors. On almost all pre-2012 cars the mechanism constantly fails - leaving the car unable to be locked and the battery draining from the door open light. It will also constantly set off the alarm if you do get it registered as 'locked' then the door unlocks itself again. Its an incredibly annoying issue which really prevents you from using the car and the mechanism in pre 2012 cars will keep failing because the only replacement option is the same mechanism.
The overall build quality is quite poor being a hand-built car from a company with limited resources, but the engine is fantastic and the gearbox is pretty decent. The steering and handling are better than a 987 Cayman S by an absolute mile. It is one of the most fun cars you can drive on a twisty road.
I bought my two dream cars, the 996 and the Evora series 1 in quick succession when they were at their depths of their depreciation curves. The Evora, to this day, still delivers a superior driving experience leagues above anything else in the price range.
Absolutely thrilled to see the Lotus Emira preserving the legacy of the Evora.
Thank you for this video. I put a deposit on an Evora 400 a few days ago (I'll be picking it up tomorrow) and feel even better about the purchase after watching this video.
I’ve driven a few iterations of the Evora and it never fails to impress me. It’s WAY more entertaining and rewarding to drive than a Cayman. The sound alone is delicious. The legendary Lotus ride and handling makes it hard to beat.
Completely agree with you. I was driving a Cayman S when Evora was launched. I was invited to drive it around Silverstone and it was a revelation compared with the Porsche.
I actually prefer the looks of the Evora. It is its own thing and looks like a Lotus. To me the Emira looks like a mash up of Ferrari's greatest hits.
Totally agree with you James in everything you said. 7 and half years of ownership and still absolutely love it, everytime I get in it....❤
🤔...... In fact I think going for a drive right now .....😁
Another great video James.....👍😉
I see a lot of Evoras for sale at £50k+ and I feel those people must have been left holding the bag on them. That price is way too close to an Emira. The earlier Evora with the nicer seats is the sweet spot.
Having driven a 1986 Lotus turbo Esprit 30 years ago, I fell in love with the brand. Having watched this video, I want to buy a Lotus Evora today. Thanks for another honest review!!!!
I have had and Evora now for 10 years im on my 2nd its a GT 410 Sport, my first was a 2011 S, they are amazing cars the later cars 400 onwards are much better than the earlier cars, everything is just that little bit sharper but they are all fantastic. The 2bular exhausts are almost a must on the pre 400 cars.
Superb commentary... Being a one year owner of a Launch Evora can truly support your views on ride and steering.. For the Evora it's self, priceless.. Handling to performance extremely healthy.. Yes, I believe you are absolutely right..
Woop my Emira features in this video :) Great video as always James.
I love how the later models had that lower body piece in black instead of matching the rest of the paint - it gave it a much more sleek, cutaway look, which really elevated the profile of the car. I wouldn't be at all surprised if they're hailed as a design classic in decades to come.
I love hearing your perspectives on Lotus and British cars in general
I went from an Elise K20 to an Evora S, I love it 😍
Doug is a true gent - really enjoyed filming with him a while back in my 968 Cabrio. Off to Le Mans this week to the Classic in her so fingers crossed.
watched your video, took a ride in my Evora in 2nd and 3rd gear: happy😊
I for one would prefer the evora to an emira. Great vid James as always - bit of audio duplication regarding the rear seats at the beginning.
I own a 2017 Evora 400... it is in a word brilliant, it drives like a gocart sounds fantastic and corners like its glued to the road. Much higher horsepower cars can not keep up with it on twisty roads because they just dont have the handling the Evora has!
You have excellent taste 😉 let me know if you might enjoy starring in a driving video with it..
Thanks J. always good to see an Evora! Buyers should note the SC version CR gearbox will get about 25mpg on a run, 20mpg pottering about.
Jay, I was one of ur subscribers because of ur love of Lotus. Keep it up!
I own an Evora S and agree with everything you mentioned! Lovely video and it's more reason not to upgrade myself to an Emira.
F Type's ride is also compromised by really heavy standard wheels, getting some forged wheels helps. Although can't imagine it'd match a lightweight, softly sprung Evora
Man, you picked the perfect day and roads for this car. Beautiful.
Great review, but the point in 9:35 is a common misconception. Weld point, if done correctly, will be stronger than the actual metal it welded on yet the material itself shouldn’t lose any of its properties. Problem is, welding requires more effort, materials, and work hours. It also make the finish product heavier because of the extra weld material, so extrusion is simpler and cheaper to make and it is also lighter
Peak JayEmm for this Lotus Evora lover.
Just before we emigrated to Australia in 2009, my wife treated me to a supercar driving day at Elvington airfield in Yorkshire. On hand were a Ferrari 360, Porsche 911 GT3, Audi R8, Lamborghini Gallardo, Aston Martin DB9 and an early Lotus Elise. While all the supercars were absolutely spectacular, I probably had the most fun in the cramped, uncomfortable, creaking and rattling little Elise. Even down the long straights the supercars couldn’t pass me. Lotus’s are an absolute revelation, shame about the shitty build quality though. If their build quality was as good as Toyota, Lotus would be the most successful sports car company ever
Surely if there are only 19 Evora's for sale, it is because the owners like them enough to keep them.
I didn’t realise your local dealer is Stratton! I live in Wymondham and am hopefully getting my Emira I4 in October - waited 30 years for that car.
Is maybe the lack of Evoras a sign that people are holding on to them whereas the Emira is being turned over rapidly for profit??? Emiras are sought after and that can command a premium some folks are willing to exploit.
Love your content. Love your opinions about cars. Thank you. Don't change
If one could frame a video and hang it on the wall to look at every day, this would be the one!❤
OK, I have watched the first minute and stopped the video. James just said that after 12 years of production currently there are 19 Evoras for sale, while after ony one year of production there are 34 Emiras for sale.
I will look into his opinion later, but just so that I do not get biased by his: If I read such numbers, I would never come to the conclusion, that the Emira is a more successful car. I would interpret these numbers as follows:
Those who bought an Evora, will not part with it lightly, even after the successor is available. Those who bought an Emira are trying to get rid of it quite quickly. So if the Evora is a keeper and the Emira a seller, the Evora has actually killed the Emira.
Now let‘s see what James has to say.
EXACTLY
I was going to say something similar - those selling the Emira probably fall into three camps:
1) Don't want to part with it so soon, but need the cash (cost of living crisis etc.);
2) Speculators who want to cash out ASAP; and
3) Bought it, didn't enjoy it, probably looking to buy something else for similar money
Those selling the Evora are fewer in number, so owners are probably hanging onto them for the most part.
Jayemm and Harry's garage are my go to guys for informative car reviews 😊 Matt Farrah from across the pond is the american equivalent 😊
Ferrari famously used an Evora to benchmark the ride and handling on the 458. Says enough, doesn't it.
This is interesting I didn’t know that. They actually didn’t mail the steering feel or suspension compliance as well in my opinion but got the pointy front end right 👍🏻
I love this video... watched it multiple times.
and I still don't know if i'm going to:
1. Buy an EVORA400 - sensible choice?
2. Buy an EXIGE 380 - rawkus choice?
3. Risk it all and go with an older BMW i8 - financial gamble/investment choice?
Spot on James regarding the Emira being in effect the "Evora Series 3" despite the spin from the Lotus PR Department about it being a new car. As soon as I saw it at launch at the 2021 Goodwood FOS I felt it was effectively a repackaged Evora. As I drove home in my Evora I got to thinking that I already owned a car with 80% of the Emira's attributes.
Of course with Lotus "Version 2.0" they were determined to give the car a new name to temp new buyers in from other marques.
I like both the Evora and the Emira, but the Evora has stolen my heart and is a keeper.
Hmmmm only a Evora owner could really think that…..
@austenwright7620 , well I was tempted to chop in my Evora for an Emira but instead bought an Elise to track whilst using the Evora for the road.
I guess you don't own an Evora. Do you own an Emira?
Recently sold my Boxster S and that was the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life!
Now, the Evora is on my shortlist for the next sport car. Again starting the Alpine and the Alfa 4C.
Let's hope that they have solved the reliability issues, my manager bought an early Evora and it was a disaster, it even went back to Lotus for a body off rebuild and it came back with chronic clutch judder, in the end they bought it back.
Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious
@@Emira_75 Very accurate, sadly this is true of most so called super cars.
Tha Aston Martin Vantage that the Evora replaced was just as unreliable.
@@BarbarapapeTrue enough. They make good ornaments and hideous vehicles.
@@jamesrobert4106 Their reputation hasn't improved over the years, i have to agree that these cars
are for collectors that will never drive them.
The Evora 400 & GT are more reliable than the ones before
In America, the reason for its failure was simply lack of dealerships and support for existing costumer.
Seen a blue evora gt430 on the road when i went to pick up my 981 cayman and couldnt help but feel like i made the wrong choice. Sure do miss my old series 1 evora.
Hi from Australia. Still miss mine, had a titanium exhaust that sounded amazing.
I used to never see any Lotus cars around. Since the Emira has come out, I now regularly see 2 of them in my small town. Funny, that, isn't it?
The Evora just doesn't look like something I want to look at. It's not terrible looking I just get more of nothing the more I see it. I'm happy it's story has turned into the Emira only gripe is I wish that model would get longer run the the V6 because I think of it as a all around gem all things considered
Looks better in person
Very clean and sounds great. Wouldn't mind driving one.
A lotus like this Evora is one of my dream cars. However, ever since I was a wee boy (6 years old or so) I’ve loved the E46 generation in general and later, the M3 became one of my dream cars. The looks and nostalgia of the E46 M3, and also crucially being able to fit people in the back of it, means that although flawed in the confidence of driving part, and sometimes the reliability part, it is cheaper than a lotus generally and more practical. Maybe there are modifications to make the steering better on the M3? Either way, money no object, the answer is to have both.
I was SO close to buying a Evora GT but the lack of dealerships (5hr away), parts availability (windshields are something like $1400 and shipped from the UK to the US, I saw 3 months quoted for delivery, and we get a lot of stones chips/cracks here), and the INSANE insurance rate, triple other sports cars in that price range (probably due to the $$$ clamshells) scared me off. You basically have to be in the wealth bracket of buying $200,000 cars to own this around here and at that point I'd be looking at something in the $200,000 bracket lol. I ended up with an M2CS 😕
Ooo nice choice. I love my rs3 but want a manual again.
I literally cannot ever remember whether Evora or Emira or Emoja or Embina or Enaya is the newest old Lotus.
I wasn't a fan of how the early model looked, but when the updated version was released I started to like it... Not the new model, the early one
Them agreeing to not mention the Evora is probably closest to the truth. With the hype surrounding the "brand new Emira", and it being common with RUclipsrs, one has to wonder what is happening in the background.
Amazing video.
Great video as always. Not sure I agree with your comments regarding values (having driven a 400 I totally agree with them regarding the drive). Surely Emira numbers will increase as the backlog is cleared and used values will fall. Then the 4 cylinder car will be launched at a lower price point again. Who then chooses an Evora, especially a 400/410 of similar value? Won't existing Evora owners sell up to upgrade, increasing supply?
In the USA, you see way more Evoras now than earlier on in the production. The GT sold relatively well the last two years of production and i see more of those than any other Evora.
One of your best videos.
The only thing more eye-catching than the car.. was that amazing shirt of yours James! Love the Evora... the kind of car for someone who could lick English mustard off a spoon (of the Norwich variety) without flinching... but would insist upon jam that came from Tiptree... think I might qualify...
@richardharrold9736 Actually so is the mustard... 🤣
Very compelling, what an endorsement after your deep experience owning Porsche, Ferrari, et. al. Steering, ride quality and the ability to see out are fab qualities. While I am keeping my 99 996.1 manual cab, were I to sell my Lexus GSF and get a 2+2 coupe that tweens can fit into for 7 minute rides to school, bingo. If my 996.1 was totalled, then I'd switch to a coupe 2+2 and leave the convertible action for the wife's car.
Love the nostalgia of this video. The Elvira was the car that first bought the channel to my attention.
I loved the later car that James (Jay Emm) owned and would love to acquire a late model variant one day.
Lol I'd take a ride in an Elvira but I'm not sure I'm her type
I remember Steve Sutcliff banging on and on about what perfect steering/suspension this original Evora had and even as recently as a few years ago he still stood by that, so last year I was lucky enough to drive an original car with only 13k original miles and he wasn’t kidding. I have owned 991/992 GT3’s, Mclaren 12C/650/570/600LT/720S, 981 GT4/718 GT4, ND Miata, FK8 Civic Type R, and an Evora 400 so I’m familiar with cars that have reputations of being great drivers cars and that Evora had about perfect suspension tuning and steering feel was as direct and unfiltered as it gets. I had heard that the original cars were even better than the 400/GT Evoras in that regard and I would actually agree that perhaps to do the slightly lighter weight, slightly softer suspension tuning, and smaller tires that it was slightly better than the 400 that I previously owned. Also impressive but not often mentioned was the stiffness of the chassis on the Evoras, no squeaks or rattles on any of the cars I’ve driven. Hoping the Emira drives with atleast some of the magic of the Evora
Gonna have to ask what you do for a living - I'm earning good money but your list makes me think I've missed a trick...
@@Stormy177 to be clear I haven’t owned all these cars at the same time, just a car enthusiast who enjoys all types of great drivers cars …..some expensive and exotic, and other not so much.
@@jameswillard1 Even owning one McLaren/GT3/GT4 at any given time suggests you're doing pretty well!
Hopefully you still have the 992 gt3!
Hi James. Thanks for writing back. I do like the nose the series one S and preferably after 2012, along with as you say the seats. But if one willing to spend the dough and Chuck the lame Sparco seats. That makes the 400 and 410 far superior. I also found the pedals closer on the 400. Which on mine I had the rivets drill through and off to lower gas pedal and tad more room for my foot, that keep braking and hitting the gas at the same time. Sometimes Lotus botches some of the silliest stuff, yet masterful in areas like steering
For me, in the States, the Fire Red Lotus Evora GT in my garage totally blows the Emira away when it comes to driving performance. It must be love, but it also looks and sounds better too. PS: Something I don't think you have ever discussed for the Evora, is tuning. I'm in contact with a GRP recommended tuning specialist who uses a dyno to tune the car. With 510 crank HP, no one would call the Evora slow.
big cope
@@sklyrovka I've driven the Emira, the 400, and the GT. Have you?
I think the Evora’s interior is better as well, I can’t stand the digital screens in the Evora, the main gauge cluster looks cool but it can randomly blank out then it has the generic tablet glued to the center dash all you see is fingerprints in your peripherals
I'm now in a position where I could stretch myself for one of these or an Exige V6, extremely tempted!
A difficult choice though, I don't need the back seats/room of an Evora and I prefer the looks of the Exige but it'd be my only car, so an Evora sounds more sensible. Although I work from home and do very minimal miles per year 🤔
People daily motorbikes, get the exige
"get a friend that has one" ...previously in the video "6000 cars sold worldwide"... I tried to get a test drive for some time but they are all so far away that I just gave up. It's even worse than the emira, which I drove and was disappointed by the steering. People on the reddit claim it was broken but idk
I saw an Emira on the back of a recovery truck the other day...Old habbits die hard eh Ha!!
I love Lotuses and as a Cayman owner, I am right in the path of their target demo but I just can’t get over how awkwardly small they are. I hope to have a go in one one day to change my impression of them.
@richardharrold9736 it’s more of a perception thing with regards to the exterior for me 🤷♂️
The numbers you cite at the start could also mean owners like their Evoras and are reluctant to sell. Also why so may Emira for sale? It’s a new car.
Love my 14 Evora S. Personally, I love the rawness of it compared to the more luxurious focused emira. I also like the front and rear end better (GTE bumper) than the emira. The side profile does go to the emira imho.
The Camry's supercharged engine sounds better than any Porsche flat six and is more reliable. Enough
Just a simple comment : THANK YOU JAMES! Fully agree, can't wait to have my Evora 400....maybe soon ;)
This is my favourite.
On the extremely rare occasion I see one driving past i'm blown away
Great video J 👏
I find myself battling between the evora and v6 exige everytime I consider either.
Probably just going to have to drive both.
Great content as always.
Enjoy both!
I think the series 3 Exige is easily better looking than the Evora. It looks like it might be a bit of a track toy though.
@@EvoraGT430 unfortunately I'm not rich enough to enjoy both 😂
You will have to drive both, very different cars.
Same. Ended up with the Exige… bigger smile in that for me and 12 year old son…
The prefacelift with the small front gril opening looks quite awkward. The looks and performance if the 400 and above models is a lot better.
Your kidding yourself if you think it's the same as an Emira! Things move on in quality alone ! Don't even compare the looks , & I love the evora ❤
The Emira is terribly built too
You're falling for the interior-quality-is-everything trap.
@@EvoraGT430 no that's mechanical quality too
@richardharrold9736floppy tub? It has more torsional rigidity than an Exige and that doesn’t seem to attract any complaints
Another great review. But stop it, James, just stop it. I have an Elise 111S and don't need to be reminded of my long-running desire for an early Evora :)
I imagine that there are many JayEmm subscribers (like me) who also subscribe to channels like The Straight Pipes, savagegeese, etc. I'd like to see the subscriber count here grow substantially if only as further recognition of its quality and, of course, James's choice of shirts.
nice video and interesting to go back to the predecessor after having some time to reflect... I've gone an odd journey with Lotus.. first drove Emira, bought an Elise S3... now looking at and thinking the Evora could be the sweetspot... quite rare (like you, don't want to own something I see every 5 minutes...), all the Lotus DNA, a bit grown up/practical enough... I wonder what your take on the IPS Evora variants is like? I've only known manual Lotus
The later 400 automatic is a much better box, responds quite well actually
I am watching this again, and if lotus made 6,117 EVORA's and using basic math the production rate over 12 years was one car every 1.4 hours V 17 minutes for the Emira. it will only have taken 72 day to surpass the EVORA total production
I wonder if the Evora ever offered an option for a removable roof panel?
Little audio hiccup at 3:27 with the repeat of your sentence on back seats however, another good one on a Lotus 👌
Bit biased as own 2 400s and S1 couldn't agree more. Only reason im getting Emira eventually is for a S/R version 4cyl but still keeping 1 Evora. Will never own any Lotus without ICE but that's a whole different topic. Now can we get some more St205 content eventually. My 205 WRC gets neglected because of Evoras but never selling it. Thank you for great content and shining light on cars that most RUclipsrs wouldn't dare.
I love your style James keep it up !
Great car….Great video….Great Person…..
Late Evoras will probably end up being more expensive than early Emiras, which are dropping £15k to £20k within a few months
Danny Bahar pretty much single handedly killed the Evora at birth. With his Tupperware line up of cars that were to replace the Evora a couple of years after it’s introduction. Also, the often promised soft top / targa top version never appeared.