In the U.S. I have yet to meet anyone who knows lotus has a modern car other than the Elise. I realize that's possibly because Lotus is very limited in the U.S. so they have no reason to market here, but I guess that's part of what I see as their sales issue. I don't know but their business model and goals are but they definitely limit their market.
Oooops, I did it again. I bought an Evora S 4 weeks ago, after owning a 2001 Esprit a few years back while in the USA. I couldn't be happier with this car. Now, I do currently live in the UAE where Lambos, Ferraris, Mclarens and Porsches are the rule but for some reason I am always drawn to doing things different. In my year living here, I have seen on the road 1 lotus, which is a shame. I considered the Cayman, the Stingray and even the MP 4-12C. But the Lotus just does things to me that the other cars cant, it is hard to explain. I am just back from my first real road trip in the car, about 1000 km over the weekend, up one of our best driving roads (Jebel Hafeet) then to Sohar Oman and back to Abu Dhabi. The drive was "spirited" but so very comfortable. I usually feel pretty beat up after a long drive in most cars, but this trip of 5+ hours non stop road time each way was somehow quite relaxing. The ride quality and interior comfort in the Evora are quite honestly amazingly good. I am loving my new Evora. This car is my daily driver as well, so it makes getting up in the morning for work just much much better. If anyone is even remotely curious about how good these cars can be, do yourself a favor and take a test drive... If you drive one, it will get into your soul. And JayEmm, thanks for all your vids, good stuff!
Had a Elise 111R for 9 years and loved it to bits , tracked it and it just went and went . Sold it with 102k miles on hetr for what i paid 9 years ago . Bought a Evora with some milage on her and she is great , has some querks but that,s Lotus ownership . Steering feel is amazing for such a big car and goes well for a heavier car than Elise . Its done 102k now and i was a bit unsure when i first bought the car with its mileage but im sold its feckin great and long may it continue ......
Yeah if you want an overpriced Mazda Miata. And you can't even compare that to a 911. A 911 Turbo S is one of the fastest cars on earth. And will eat a Ferrari or Lamborghini for lunch. I know I've Got Friends that own one. As well as a gt2rs. Porsches are just scary fucking quick. Not to mention they have a stupid high price tag. A Porsche is in a whole different level than a lotus. A Porsche 911 Turbo S or GT2 is in the level with a Lamborghini and a Ferrari or McLaren. Lotus is like buying a Corvette ZO6. But this new Lotus is ugly it doesn't have those Corners angles and wide-body and the high rear wing and it also does not have a twin-turbo V8.
@@robd1859 Oh dear. Power and speed alone do not make a good driving experience. Porsches are just so sterile, because they are designed to please - and definitely not scare off - most "sports car" buyers, i.e. scared 50+ year-old drivers.
I purchased my first lotus, a 21 Evora GT liquid yellow, I also own a 720S, a GT3, and a Ford GT500 carbon fiber track pack, and I absolutely love this lotus
I have a 2014 Evora S and I totally get what you are saying. I love the car and can forgive it's very minor issues simply because of special it is to drive and how rare it is. It's almost 2018 and the only issue I have had is with a window regulator.
I am an owner of a 400. I think lack of dealers have been a meaningful issue and JMG has clearly worked on this. I think the alternatives to that car for me would have been a Lambo but having a 2+2 for a lot less money was just perfect but i feel I am likely to be a market anomaly. The car is either too expensive for car lovers or the likely buyer does not mind paying the extra for a Lambo or a Ferrari. The price movement of the car seems to evidence that Lotus got similar feedbacks. The 400 logical closest alternative is the 911 but almost nobody buys a 911 because it is a great looking sports car. Some people buy a 911 because it is status thing, some want something a bit different from a m3, some may even buy it because they want something more common than a Ferrari. Even among lotus enthusiast, people underestimate how much of a step up the 400 is over the previous generation. They should have called it S2 like esprit used to be. The marketing of lotus is at best deficient most of the time. They got unlucky that the evora was launched as not being the successor to the esprit so despite now being more super car than the esprits have ever been, it has the wrong perception. Also Lotus does too many small edits that makes people wait for the next version. They nailed the 400 as a daily 2+2 drive but the attention on the 410 and 430 is a distraction. Lack of a critical number of identical models is also making the issue of spare parts bigger. I think Geely will get it rights by using Volvo's network and ensuring a better working capital hence better service. The car is really good so more marketing and visibility will automatically generate sales. If they could push it close to 1000 in 3 years time, that would already be a massive economic success.
I'll just say that I've learned quite a bit from your channel and am now seriously considering the Evora. Leaning more towards The 410 sport or GT430 but either I will own an Evora after I've had a chance to sample all 3 models. Thank you.
I really think Lotus has taken great steps forward in quality control. My new Exige Sport 350 is leagues - and I do mean leagues - ahead of my old Exige V6s in terms of build quality. It's beautifully made. Absolutely nothing rattles..!
Glad you kept persevering to make this video, very interesting discussion. I agree with your point that a lot of people don't take Lotus seriously and that they make little more than kit cars. In my opinion, the Evora is more special than a lot of today's sports cars and to a certain extent, you're paying the premium for the exclusivity in that they're produced in limited numbers...
There is one car in Canada (and it is an automatic), I have been waiting for a couple years for them to show up and no dealers have them. The main reason why there are none of the 400 here is because no one has any. There are a few new Evora SR 2015 cars still at dealers and I think people are waiting for the new cars to be available, and are not buying the old stock. Great video I am looking to test one when they do come to Canada.
Thanks for getting the video done...always good, always straight. There are already negative comments which back up your assertions completely. There is so much about perception related to cars and identity and lotus needs to reinvent itself in the car buying mind. Jaguar managed it over many years and the f type finally brought it the desirability status with younger buyers. In a sense Lotus has the opposite problem - its a car for enthusiasts, young people and left field thinkers but not enough of those people have the money and those that have the funds don't think its grown up enough for them. Porsche is clearly good/great but it is also a default choice. Lets hope Geely can raise the game with brand awareness.
I get that Lotus does not have the marketing budget of the big guys, but a decent website with a configurator does not cost millions and it is an essential in this day and age. I'm not knocking the brand, I have been a long term admirer of Lotus and their survival in the business. I almost bought an Exige when they first launched but decided on a TVR at the time...so I clearly did not fear the reliability issues ;-) There's no escaping that their optimistic (read expensive) pricing is preventing those who are driving other brands from even considering a test drive, which would most likely result in a sale.
Tbh now that they've been bought out by geely I think either the prices will drop slightly as they've got a financial giant behind their backs or you'll get more car for the price, the later most likely being the case. Another thing is that hopefully they'll be able to spend loads more on marketing because as far as I know geely is really wanting to push the brand in the next few years and because they want people to have more consciousness of the brand it's very likely the next car could be a premium suv
New sub here! Great channel, I've recently been obsessing over the Evora and I live in the States where these are super rare. I need to get my hands on one of these eventually. The Evora S on the used market here in the states for a clean, low mileage example is surprisingly affordable. Saw an Evora at a car meet the other day and most people flock to it but don't even know what it is. My guess that people aren't buying these because of hp figures and assume they must be expensive and cheap quality if they aren't plentiful on the streets.
@ Stirling Moss . It's not a raw experience. The Evora is quite refined over the road, more refined in many respects than a Grand Sport despite all the differences in tech. You need to drive one. It's a very different experience, and really eye opening. In every informed review of the Evora, the thing that strikes me is the surprise that is expressed. That sense of surprise is a feature of every first drive.
Great video mate (I'm in the US, but I've traveled a lot...LOL)! There's one dealer in the state I'm in. I'm just thankful that I know a salesperson that's cool and has let me sit in the 400 when I ask. Still saving for a 400.
The frustration I have for not owning one of these cars cannot be put into words. One day I will have one of these in the garage and it will be driven well, and hard. I just hope more people buy into Lotus cars to keep the brand going, and that Geely do not try and take the company down the cheap (read: built in china) route.
Brilliant videos, Jay! Thank you! Id love to buy one of these, but the price of the clutch job is simply untenable. People who don’t have supercar pockets simply won’t have this kind of money for routine maintenance, unless you’re a Kuwaiti prince or a wealthy racing team! Which is sad, as I’d love one of these!
Because they are trying to sell handling to the Playstation generation, to whom all that matters is how much power goes up when you add stage 4 turbo. How many young people are there that you would count as 'drivers'? There are plenty that enjoy racing down a straight road, but on the B-Roads, enjoying driving for driving's sake and not for the cheap thrills of racing some VXR? Very very few in my experience. Also happens to be a direct competitor to one of the best cars ever made by one of the most desirable brands, there is that.
WOAH, not cool. never would you see me in a hellcat or smt like this. power is nice yes, but I prefer nimble cars such as a exige or a elise. hence why i bought the little brother, a miata.
I’ve owned my Audi TT mk2 2006! for two and a half years now. No problems with it since I got it. Everything works, nothing has failed.. apart from the clutch (manual) and the right rear light (common problem) the rest of the car is absolutely solid.
Driven across Leeds in a 2004 carrera 's in grey. 0 people even looked at it. Was a passenger in an orange exige 's 260 cup just round small village and everyone was snapping their necks to look :D
Having owned an Evora S for 2 years, it is technically brilliant and has been reliable. This car has been superior to my previous 997 in many ways. All of that doesn't count when it comes to selling cars as their marketing and dealer network is almost non existent. When was the last time Lotus appeared on top gear (09 with the Evora, I think)? Even on the episode of British cars, Lotus was nowhere to be seen! When did a magazine last carried out a full feature review on a Lotus? Lotus are pure driver's cars and frankly there isn't any direct competition. The problem is that this market is gradually disappearing due to increasing presence of high HP, practical, dull German machinery and all youngsters are inspired to own one. Lotus will always remain a niche product unless their marketing team do something about it.
Indeed! Totally under most (car) people's Radar! ;-) A nice car! Looks good, sounds good! In my oppinion a nice sporty car! My favourite one is the Evora 410S James Bond Tribute! A one-off white Evora! Looks soo good!
Hi Jay. I love your videos. I was very seriously considering purchasing a Lotus. I looked at the Exige, Elise, and Evora. I already own an S2000, WRX STi, Gen 5 Viper, and I was looking to add one last car to the collection. I just couldn't justify the cost. I ended up purchasing a brand new 2017 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 package (carbon ceramic brakes, stage 3 aero etc.) which has more tech than you can imagine, an incredible sounding supercharged 6.2L V8, 650hp/650tq, for the same price as a used Evora. I know this seems to be missing the "Lotus point", but when you get in the Z06, mash the accelerator, and do 0-60 in 2.95 seconds, with the top off, a heads up display, Bose sound system pumping out your favorite tunes, ventilated seats, and the supercharged V8 screaming with a massive "crack" when you pull the paddle shifter.....there's no comparison. My son and I immediately took the car on a 4000 km road trip to Monterey California, from Vancouver B.C., and back again with absolutely no issues......ever. Oh, and I stopped in at my Sister's little 5000 pop town and had the oil changed for free!! Yes FREE!!!! The first two years of oil changes and regular maintenance are free, and this car has a dry sump system that requires the oil to be changed at the first 500 miles, and then regular intervals thereafter. The Vette has a massive amount of storage. We had the top off, and could easily fit two pieces of luggage under the top in the back. Amazing. I'll keep watching your videos, because you do a really good job, and I still really like the Lotus brand. It just can't compete with some of the other cars in its price range.
+Lee Douglas ... in America. I love the Vette. I saw a car like yours for sale here, it was $70,000 more than my Evora 400 at the time. And the steering wheel was still on the wrong side!
0-60 in 4 flat snaps the neck good and while the ZO6 has incredible handling limits but Lotus has a magic feel. ZO6 drinks gas in a way that makes your Old BMW seem stingy
Corvettes are nice but “everybody” owns one. I prefer something that people have to look long and hard to figure out what it is. Something they very rarely see.
I agree, that Lotus should have been rewarded with more units sold, however, there is more to it. Up to about 1-2 months ago, I was actually looking at buying a used Evora S or a Porsche Cayman S. I wanted a superb-handling mid-engine sports car, that was reasonably light and reasonably powered. I had a go in both, and both hold up to the credits given by the press around the world. I do not care, which of the two is faster on the track and I am even less impressed by 0-60 figures. I buy a car for myself, not for comparison to the car next to me at a traffic light. I care less about going *fast*, I care about going *fine*. On the plus side, the Lotus comes with a phenomenal suspension and steering. Power delivery from the supercharged-V6 is resonable linear and responsive. Not having a Turbo is a big plus for me - I just hate them. The interior is enough of "well made" and far from what you would call "exotic" in friendly words, when looking at british sports cars of age. However, based on the interior, the Cayman wins hands down. If you get along with the looks, you get top notch perfect quality. Want a decent high-end sound systems? Check here. Sat-Nav? works like a charm. In the Lotus, its a Pioneer aftermarket piece and sadly, Lotus picked one of the worst. That could be fixed thou. But putting the cars next to each other explains, why Porsche (presumably) sells 100 Caymans for each Evora sold. In the Evora, you cannot read the instruments in daylight. You can hava a shave, but not read how fast you go. In the first run up to the Evora 400, all buttons are essentially hidden behind the steering wheel, which is totally unpractical. On long drives, you have no rest for your clutch foot. That has been added to the Evora 400 (at least I am told so), but longs rides without are annoying. Speaking of clutch, you don't get dual-clutch transmission, no matter how much money you offer. Ok, I want a manual anyway, but looking at the ratio, Porsche sells PDK-Caymans .vs. manual Caymans, you get the point. 9 out of 10 are PDK. With the Cayman, you only get two seats (no showstopper for me), but a usable Trunk *and* Frunk. With the Lotus, you get a second glovebox, but going for a weekend requires putting stuff on the back seats (or that space behind the front seats in a 2+0). So, you can actually use a Porsche as your only drive (which has always been a company's selling point), while getting a perfect sports car. With the Lotus, there are more compromises to be made. And I only want to own *one* car, so this applies to me. I ended up buying neither car, because I decided to put my money on something entirely different and because my current car is quite good already at checking all the boxes (BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si). Nevertheless, it would have been the Lotus. Simply because I admire Lotus for what they wanted to deliver and how they delivered with the Evora. The suspension is simply breathtaking and gives you that old-school mechanical feel to a sportscar ride, that I consider perfection. The steering is off the planet, even compared to the Porsche. All of them. And apparently the Lotus engineers went to Bosch and said: "Build the best traction control system you can possibly come up with and adapt it to this car". Never before has a traction control system been so playful and enjoying as this one. Its an engineering marvel. You can actually hool around *with* the traction control on (in sport) and still enjoy some reasonable level of safety in case you overestimate physics. Or yourself. In a perfect world. Porsche would gobble up Lotus and let them build the next cayman. Just ship parts (like the engine. Imagine a light-weight flat-6 supercharged replacing the Toyota V6. Or even flat-4. Let Porsche do the engine, control systems, electronics and the quality management. Let the Lotus guys do the rest. *Then* you have the perfect sportscar.
Great video and I remember the day I drove an Evora for the first time and wow the handling and magic carpet ride. That was is the Porsche love I did had to go. I've driven many of my friend cars and even got offered a 997 targa 4s but it just felt heavy and not sure footed over Suffolks B and A roads. On the clutch front I've just had mine replace but only due to having the gearbox out for another reason. It did 440000 no problem and had loads of life in it still.
I can buy an Elise, Evora S or C6 Z06 for the same amount. Making my decision very soon, any thoughts? Currently driving a Fiesta ST I love. Buying strictly for driving enjoyment.
I personally think it’s the marketing .. cause I never heard of this model nor have I seen it here in the US until I saw your video, and I love exotic sport cars even tho I can’t afford one lol.. looks like a beautiful car
The evora is on my list of attainable dream cars, along with a Porsche Cayman/boxster, and a C4 or C5 corvette. Out of all the evora is the one I want most.
When the first Evora came out I fell in love with it. The reason why I never bought it? In my county there was only one dealer. I remember I went there twice to look at the car. The second time we had agreed to go for a test drive. Unfortunately the dealer’s idea of a test drive was strange to say the least.. : He was the one driving it and I was sitting in the seat next to him. I used to own a Boxster at he time which I wanted to sell. However in order to get the more expensive Evora I wanted to test it in order to feel its major selling point: the driving experience. I never got to drive it so I never proceeded with the order. The guy seemed not to be so interested in selling and I couldn’t get from anywhere else. Years later I found out that a person I knew didn’t buy a Maserati from him for the exact same reason. On the contrary before buying my Boxster I had the opportunity of a 20 min test drive. Later on when they wanted to sell their first PDK model they offered one for a whole weekend to test. This is how you build customer relations.
To resume what I think (and many others mentioned it too): 1. NO marketing AT ALL. I mean, I may not be a marketing expert, but I think that having NO marketin at all is the best way to kill your own business. Unless you think you got the reputation of McLaren, Koenigseg, and the likes; which Lotus doesn't have. Manu people don't even know that the brand exist! 2. Bad reliability reputation. When people think of Lotus, they think Esprit. And since there is no marketing, when I talk about people knowing Lotus I mean educated car enthousiats. And that in turn means they are aware of the crappy reliability of Lotus (earned by the Esprit). But even worst, the rep. of all British manufacturers (Land Rover and Jaguar who year after years ends up in the bottom of all manufacturer) certainly doesn't help. If Lotus would only do some marketing, they could tell that they are using Toyota mechanic... 3. Badge. A LOT of people who buys porshes 911 buys them for the badge. Why am I saying that? Not that they are bad cars at all. But I Owned an Elise years ago and at the track, I constantly lend my car to 911, Ferrari and lambo dirver to try it out and most of the REAL car people went and buy one (911 traded their for an Elise and the richest kept their Ferarri and lambo but bought an elise for the track as it is much closer to a real racing car. So people who are not really car enthousiasts and/or knows little about real driving, own such cars as Porches for the brand to show off more than they do for the driving experience. And since Porshe have a way greater aura than Lotus, it makes sense to buy a Porshe instead. 4. Pricing strategy. You mentionned it already, it is a mystery. I know Lotus doesnt sell as that many cars so they have to make a fair profit per unit. But when that margin hurts your sales more than anything, maybe you should consider lowering the price and sell more units (which in turn will eanr you more profit in after sales maintenance and spare parts !!!). And You'll sell even more since your prices will now be attractive. Seriously, considering that there are only a very small people out here interested in doing track day to really benefit the driving experience of a Lotus, why would anyone pay the same price as a 911 for something less reliable (at least in reputation), and which much poorer service (lack of dealership and parts), and that has not even half the prestige (not counting that its gonna be hell to resale and if you manage to do it, for a very steep depreciation). That's why Lotus don't sell much Evora. I'd prefer to buy/drive an modified Exige than an Evora any day (except on a rainy day lol), and for less money.
Geely is an important development that still gets brushed off when people discuss Lotus. The situation suggests directions and possibilities we could only guess at. Regardless, it's likely the 400 and cars based on its platform will be the last of their types. My ownership experience is a work in progress but I'm loving it so far. Americans are denied the benefits you detailed that are available for European/UK owners. I bought one because it's a brilliant car but I understand why it's a hard choice for some people. They haven't driven one and even if they have they'll want to consider and compare the ease of service access and parts availability. Anybody who drives one won't walk away disappointed but Lotus keeps it a secret here.
JayEmm, I live in the states and closest dealer is 500 miles away. I would buy one in a second if I could get it serviced like a Porsche. Hopefully with the new Elise that is suppose to come here, it will help Lotus sell more cars and create new dealerships.
They tried to flog me one when I was in the market for something like this. Ultimately I got the Boxster gts manual gear box and sports suspension, as it's great to drive, road and track was fun, but is also relatively practical. The roof comes up and down very quickly, was comfy, great Bose stereo and I could fit a ridiculous amount in it (have pic of huge amount I moved from storage one day though packed to the brim), my girlfriend plus kitesurfing equipment including board (behind seats) two kits and misc equip plus away bags fitted in my Boxster (just). 987 cayman I had before was slightly more practical as could fit passenger and snowboard equipment for two (driving with snow tires with tc off was easy and a lot of fun). If i want fun on the road ignoring practicality I ride a super sports bike. If I want fun with some safety (bike I always end up backing off due to inevitable uncertain road conditions) I buy a lotus Elise, like I plan in the next two weeks it would be for the light weight fun rather than touring. If the evora were more practical I'd be more interested. Regarding attracting attention like fame it seems a good proposition but in reality is a mixed bag and depending where you live can be a real negative in practice, so this isn't a pro for me although I like things that standout in concept.
Another great vid Sir! To throw my ideas into the ring - No. 1: Marketing. You just don't see advertisement for Lotus in anything like the volume as is seen for Porsche, etc... Hopefully the buy-out will inject some more budget and rectify this. No. 2: They need to absolutely nail every single car that come out of the factory in terms of build quality in order to overcome this perception of unreliability. Even though it's largely unfounded these days, in order to get past this the quality control needs to be upped so that e.g. your car didn't have wonky buttons and noisy leather... Little things but unfortunately in this day and age of Audi/VW build it matters. Again, hopefully the buy-out will sort this. No.3: Err, that's all I've got for now....
Lack of dealer support and few dealership numbers and location in the USA is a big deterrent for potential new Lotus customers. I have a rare Exige S260 in the USA and I worry about ownership since I have no dealership around me in a major metropolitan area. I have been doing the maintenance my self and sadly I am thinking of selling my Lotus for a 911 for that lack of dealership support reason.
I think the main issues are, Dealer network, Reliability reputation, Huge lack of publicity, newer generations dont have a clue what Lotus is and their racing history is mostly forgotten, Top Gear pretty much ignored Lotus for a while likely due to Lotus not willing to pay Top Gear to feature new Lotus products no 400 410 or 3-eleven was featured on Top Gear. Lack of confidence in the future of Lotus, Lotus lack an all out win at Le Mans plenty of class wins but they never went for an all out win (their original attempt was with a beefed up Elite but unfortunately the driver decided to refuse to race due to safety concerns). People in general dont know what a drivers car feels like to drive, they simply see the performance statistics, top speed aceleration, that is all people care about. Quick to spout off about cars like the GTR etc but likely never driven a Lotus, general public fails to understand that enjoyable car is not always the fastest car.
My immediate reaction when seeing an Evora for the first time was that it looked lardish compared to the Elise/Exige. The car has never grown on me as I prefer a smaller car which is why I drive an Exige. I also drive the original Elan, Elan +2 and Europa Special.
JayEmm. I had mixed feelings while watching you trying to push shit uphill with this Evora sell. I say mixed because most Lotus enthusiast/owners share your frustration with the marque. The badge has the honourable record of seven Formula 1 constructor championships yet this has never been reflected in the relevance of its car production in the way McLaren have exploited and enjoyed. Even Colin Chapman felt that same frustration, as evidenced by his abandonment of the Lotus Seven because of its perceived image of being a cheap kit car in the market place. Of course the Seven became the Caterham and the little Lotus Elan morphed into the world's best selling sports car, the Mazda Miata MX5. The baby & bathwater comes to mind. Lotus went into stasis when Chapman died as did his ambition for the Esprit; an embryonic supercar that had the potential to raise the game and the Lotus name to that plateau today occupied by the Italians and Germans. And it is the Germans who make the running when it comes to sales numbers. No good criticising Porsche for its bland looks and staid colours yet they're everywhere; the clitoris of sportcars. Not everyone wants to drive an Evora or something head-turning and resembling a design by HotWheels. Lotus needs a Moses to come down from the mountain with some new tablets with a different covenant for the future.
+von Coconut There are so many Lotus cars that never were, they have had more than their fair share of poor management. There was an Esprit plan which would have been amazing but it got axed
It is also each generations tastes and the cars that influenced them growing up. Porsche has been influencing children with its movie tie ins, advertisements and marketing since the 80s and it has been a constant. Lotus on the other hand kind of dried up after the Esprit and those buying Lotus today are drawn to them from seeing the Esprit in James Bond or playing games like Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge. The upcoming generation have no childhood "relationship" with Lotus.
I wouldnt say that people who own a porsche are a cunt, most people who have owned or do own a lotus have at one time owned or do own a porsche as well.
Another reason Lotus does not sell in the USA is that Lotus just has one model here. That usually means that the dealer mainly sells something else and does Lotus on the side. The Lotus dealer I visited mostly sold Aston Martins and not a single Lotus was on the floor. I had to ask to see the Evora and then was taken to their storage area. Would never have known they sold the car if I hadn't asked.
reliability was mentioned. Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious immediately came to mind. way expensive here in the states and not much of a support network BUT if a dealer was within 150 miles of where i live i would consider one and in a serious way. many mountain roads to play on here.
At least here in America... There are ZERO ads. There are hardly any reliable dealers. They do not promote AT ALL. Their website sucks... no configurator is a low-budget move which only hurts them. No roadster.
great video just subscribe to the channel do you have any vids of it on the track I'm really looking into a evora s or a new c7 vet but leaning towards the evora thanks to videos like this
I actually don't think its the badge at all. I see 2 big issues with the evora: First, its the interior. Yes, its pretty good, but if you want to compete with the big boys, you have to get a better interior, period. Secondly, the dealership experience. You walk into an aston/porsche/audi/BMW/mclaren dealership, and everything is modern, clean, professional. the little details help, like getting a nice bottle wine as a present from your dealer as a thank you for buying a porsche. These little touches don't exist in lotus dealerships, but need to if you want to draw significant numbers of customers. I bought my evora 3 weeks ago, and the dealer hasn't even called me once to see how I am getting along. I know these things aren't important in the grand scheme of things, but they really really help build brand loyalty and perception. When buying such an expensive sports car, you want to feel a bit special throughout the whole process, including the dealership and buying bit.
Great video as always James. I test drive a first model Evita when it came out and thought it was a great car. The reason I didn't take the plunge? I had a Lotus Excel (1988 SE red with full cream interior) for a while and whilst it was fantastic and only actually stranded me once (it fixed itself and nobody knows why to this day!) it had so many stupid issues - central locking not working / switches falling out / fuel pump issues) nothing that would leave my by the roadside, but infuriating - and it was my daily driver (as the Evora was going to be) and I just couldn't face that level of annoyance every day. It's a massively unfair comparison as Lotus cars manufacture to a far higher standard these days (especially under Jean-Marc Galles) but if you want to know what stops people buying... look at RUclipsr Number27 and his video about his Esprit. A problem no one can fix...
+Julian Carr I read your Excel comment with in interest because I used to own a 1983 Esprit S3 (NA) and ran it for a couple of years as my daily driver. I did periodic servicing myself and had cam belts done by an independent dealer. It never put a foot wrong whilst I had it. I have always hated the L.O.T.U.S. acronym as a result. My feeling is that Lotus of all era's probably need a little mechanical sympathy and 'keeping an eye on things'. It wouldn't put me off an Evora. Right now the biggest issue for me is the price of admission...
7:52 You hit the nail on the head. As an American at least, the specs for the car just don't seem to justify the cost, not even a little bit, and few people on this side of the pond have any real experience with Lotus in the past. For most of us, we know that they dominated F1 for a few years and that they mostly look pretty, but I'd be surprised if even 1% of adults in the U.S. have ever driven one. So all reviews aside, most Americans aren't really going to consider the Evora as their next car. For me, personally, when I first found your channel and saw the car I figured it was around a $50k vehicle...I was shocked when I looked more into it and discovered the actual sticker price in the U.S. is twice that figure. If you want an Evora here for $50k, you're looking at one that's at least 5 years old and/or has a serious fault. For that kind of money in a 5 year-old car here, you've got the option of Z06 Corvettes, 911 turbos, Cxx AMGs, GT-Rs, Shelby Mustangs, and of course a litany of BMWs...all performance cars which most of us are much more familiar with. The story is much the same when looking at low 6-figure new cars here.
+rodluvan1976 As mentioned to someone else, it's a VLOG type video and that's the limitation of doing a video by yourself. There are lots of other videos of the car with drive by shots in
Interesting video and follow-up comments/discussions... if a car offers reasonable practicality and be 'fun' even at normal road speeds, then surely it is a winner - whatever the flavour?
I have worked for Lotus in the last few years on the marketing side, i have to say we tried with a small budget to spread the word regarding the massive leaps in quality and performance across the range and we were getting there but Lotus needs to invest a little more on marketing , I became intoxicated with Lotus having been to Hethel and saw how things work, the cars are awsome and the people are passionate and petrolheads around the world need to wake up and get on board! I hope Jean- Marc, Scott and Graeme read this because Lotus deserve to be right up there (Lotus Hub- Scott, Graeme)
I am looking for a car in this category. I drove the f type r awd and porsche turbo s recently. I love the look of the Evora and the "exclusivity ". Not very worried about reliability because i know they use the v6 from toyota, all cars got reliability issues except japanese cars of course :) i am just worried about quality of construction, like weird noises in the cabin, from seats, doors etc. and i am not sure if i will not miss the speed of the turbo s, when a "cheap m5 f10" pass me on the highway, i think i am not prepared for something like that :) i wish Lotus used the v8 from Toyota "Lexus"...
If 1 in 3 people who test drive an Evora, why on earth weren’t more driving days arranged by Hethell and the dealers? A day at each of the UK’s main motor racing circuits with targeted guests wouldn’t have been hard to organise.
Please could you link me to the Evora survey? I was looking at the £30,000 ones as a wildcard alternative to a Cayman 981. At around 40,000-50,000 miles it seems like one of those £4k clutches could be on the horizon and i'm certainly not up for that.
Hi jay, its 20/04/19. Are you missing the car? would you buy again? do you think the pain of lotus dealer mismanagement could pass? its like the desire for an Alfa.. .Thoughts
Good vid and thoughts Jay. For me though, they also simply don’t look nearly as good as the Elise or Exige - i think that is another material factor sadly
I’m looking to get an evora 400 this year. The reason being is I live in the us and just about everyone and there uncle owns a corvette new old doesn’t matter you literally lose count seeing them on a beautiful summer day. Also I’m a simple guy when it comes to interior, I personally think the evora looks better on the exterior then a Porsche does and I would take the looks of the exterior over the interior quality of the Porsche. Plus let’s not forget to mention that the lotus handles unbelievably well and is just stunning to drive. So due to the exclusivity, performance and looks is why I’m putting my money towards an evora 400 over the corvette and Porsche Plus I have 2 lotus service centers with in an hour from me so servicing shouldn’t be a problem but not everyone in the us has that luxury sadly
Jay, I asked this question on one of your other videos but didn't get an answer so I thought I should ask here. You previously demonstrated a problem with the car which caused a horrible clicking/cracking noise from the front wheel area when moving the car slowly on full steering lock. I take it that problem has now been resolved and can I ask what was the cause?
12:25 In my experience, the dealer's word on such things isn't worth much. My Jaguar dealer had "never heard of any transmission issues with manual F Types." Turns out Jaguar went through FOUR clutch/flywheel updates in the four years that they produced they manual version, and at this point I seriously doubt that there remains a single 2016 mt F Type with an original clutch. Granted, McLaren dealers might be different?
I had this crazy idea on using Matt Beckers connection to Lotus. Aston isn't going to manufacture their N\A V12 anymore so Lotus could pay them to keep them to keep manufacturing them making Lotus the only rwd N/A v12 supercar. They could also buy the 6 speed manual and 8 speed ZF from Aston as you said the Lotus transmissions can't handle a lot of power. It could come in a 550 version with a six speed manual 550 bhp and 430 lbs lbs of torque. The 600 version could have the 600 bhp v12 with 465 lbs of torque and ZF 8 speed from the Vanquish S. Of course Lotus could bespoke the engine as well. It could be a modified Evora or a new model with 320 mm plus rear tires and weigh 1500-1550 kg. It would be almost as fast as a 488-much cheaper 110k or so and sound ungodly with that Lotus muffler bypass thing.
There is also a larger issue which is hurting Lotus. The Evora does not fall into any particular niche. This is, in part, due to the blurring of categories between sports car, and GT cars. You can see this from some of the comments below. I'd argue that the hallmarks of a sports car are light weight and great handling. By this definition, the Evora and the 911 qualify as sports cars, The F-Type and the Mercedes GT/GT S are more GT cars given their weight. If you start blurring these categories, the Evora can seem like an under-powered, over-priced car when the truth is that light cars don't need huge amounts of horsepower. Another issue is a trend in all sports/GT cars to be chameleons. They are designed to drive like Camcords until you press a few buttons. The Evora does have those buttons, but it tends to offer a more raw experience. It is more stripped down and focused experience that runs counter to this trend about as much as a modern car can. Not sure how many people value this, but I would never want my $100,00 sports car to feel or drive like a Camcord on any setting!
Hmmm, good question and great video - I’ve been browsing through your back catalogue here. Why Lotus doesn’t sell in N America? A) I think you’re right the brand means little to nothing to anyone younger than 45 or who is not a deep supercar enthusiast. I’ve learned more about Lotus from your videos than I ever had before, and I only looked for the information because I saw one of the five in my city in person recently. B) the competition is ridiculous eg Porsche with its strong brand pull for aspirational juniors up to achievers, and McLaren or Ferrari for the true moneybags - Lotus doesn’t differentiate clearly enough if even I draw mostly a blank about it. C) Opportunity to come across a Lotus - not sure I’ve ever seen a car show stand with Lotus here, few are about, and even F1 weekend in my town, Lotus wouldn’t particularly stand out in the sea of LamboZandoFerrari. D) Value for money proposition probably drives most people away. If I want driving purity with no decent torque, a used or even beater roadster of many types would probably be just fine. That’s probably not 100% right, but the general point is that a meaningful number of little barriers probably add up to turning most customers away.
True. Here in America. The first Gen Evora only sold 1,256 cars from 2010 - 2014. It is a very unique car here and hard to find, however, the used car market price for this car is a joke. People here want them for no more than $50,000 even if they are low miles and in pristine condition. People love this car, they tell me that all the time. I have a 2013 NA IPS, black on black with every option available on it. They say they see Ferraris, Lamborghinis all the time and mine is nicer, cooler, beautiful, etc....but at the end they don't want to buy it or want it cheap.
Lotus Cars Manila We have same issue here in the Philippines, so far from the opening last 2015, 19 Cars were sold locally purchased... few people can say "oh there is a lotus here" by that you can identify yep! He is a enthusiast! I think its not the badge to blame at all, few people barely know the brand, that just it everytime i road test a lotus you get peoples attention as much as a lambo or a ferrari. They admire the looks without even knowing the brand yet
@JAYEMM is there anyroom in the rear beyond the seats just being cosmetic and somewhere to place a bag, used to have an exige which i had to ditch when the children where born...?
I’m guessing us across the pond don’t get this car as we are .... across the pond. I know we got the Elise and maybe the Exige. Never seen the latter. But I’ve seen plenty of the former with the Toyota poweplant.
My dad owns a rover people say that is a old man's car, but it has black leather seats, black dashboard, and dark grey wood people usually see a rover as cream leather and veneer , but even that doesn't seem to get rid of its reputation when people see it, it isn't slow either and it is not in an old persons colour, in fact it's in I mid range from light to dark blue, but when you stick an mg badge on like your zs even with the same engine as the rover 45 people see the zs as a performance sports car
+Elliot RSS Except they don't, look at the comments in my MG video. It's bashing the car because people decide they know what it is before they even want to learn about it
I mean the zs 180 like yours is a totally different car but they regular 1.4 1.6 and 1.8 varients are essentially the same as a 45 with an mg badge and a body, I am an mg enthusiast my self, found your channel through the zs 180, looking at getting one myself
I bought my 2013 Evora in May here in the USA. I live 300 miles from the nearest Lotus dealer. We have very good exotic car repair shops within 50 miles of here. I had a transmission light come up. None of the local repair shops here had the computer to diagnose a Lotus. So I had to trailer it to Atlanta a 16 hour round trip. It ended up needing a software update only and cost me $400 dollars. It cost me about the same amount to rent a trailer and make the trip. It's running great now and I absolutely love the car. But repairs on this car here mean a long road trip to get fixed. Check out my channel to see my videos I've posted on my car since buying it.
I like these, but I think I'd go for an exige, Seb delany (of youtube) has a great one, the open gear linkage is just so sexy. Though I'm a fan cayman s, and it's price tag.
Marketing a Lotus is very difficult - you buy them (against all common sense) because you like driving above all else, that puts you in a niche. I've been an Elise owner for 20 years and I couldn't really explain why I still have it! Once you've got the bug I think it's for life. Lotus should really concentrate on their current ownership and improve QC and dealer network in order to grow.
I suspect the reason very few people buy this brilliant car is the same reason I want this car, badly. It's hard for most people justify buying a $90K+ Camry
Correction.......no way an Evora is easier to get into than a Gallardo. I've owned an Evora and my business partner has a Gallardo. Not even close. Gallardo does not have the big door sill like Evora does, and I have a Huracan now and it doesn't either. Evora 400 is a nice car though and easier to get in.
A reason for me to look at an Elise/Exige rather than an Evora is not mentioned: residual value. There where Elises tend to have a price drop after new of about 25%, the Evora sinks up to 50%, and twice as fast to it being a younger car. I'd be less tempted to buy a car of which I know will drop a lot in value, but rather one that I know gives me a lot of bang for the buck, also on a long term. I also think that the advantage of the Elise/Exige (a rocksolid, relaible Toyota engine) is something of a problem for the higher prices Evora (a mass-produced engine from a sluggish Toyota car). It's stupid I know, but people at that budget might be far less into bought-in components... Love the car though, and I'm not the only one. Last week here in Holland a blue Evora was sold within the week at the importer, so interest is still there.
I think you nailed the reasons why it doesn't sell as much as its worth. 1. Badge isn't as pretigious as other brands, for the same money/performance. So why buy a Lotus? 2. People's own ignorance. That would anwser the question in point one. Because its like riding an italian bike! Everything is in the feeling, the emotion, the sensations you can only get in a Lotus; period. 3. Lotus absolute failure to do decent publicity. I mean I understand they might not have lots of money, but fuck! It doesn't take a degree in marketing to understand that when half the planet doesn't even know your brand name, or confuses it with toilet paper, you gotta invest in marketing for a year or two instead of in research. Keep your model for 2 more years and let the people buy your already outstanding stuff. Then you'll have money enough to both do more marketing, and catch up on the research. 4. Reliability issues. I owned an Elise for a year and I beat the crap out of it like hell. I took it to the racetrack every other weekend for the whole day. And I never had any problems myself. But The rover's engine back then had a few issues that I heard of. And english engineering (mechanical) is not known to be very good (think jaguar/aston). So Lotus inherits from that. 5. That's one you didn't talk about. The few people knowing Lotus enough to rhink about buying one, may be rebuked by the fact that knowing the elise/exige, they think the evora is another uncomfortable, extreme track machine. Remember I talked about ignorance? We live in a world full of that...
@16:16 There expectations are the reality in the car business. Infinity offers a pickup service program where the car gets picked up and brought to the next dealershipt for maintainance.
Evora is really a nice car, daily drivable and fun and light. But at the end of the day, I still went with 911 for a simple reason. There are 5 porsche dealers within 30km reach and a lot at everywhere, and parts or indies who familiar with porsche can be found everywhere too. So buying porsche is like buying a toyota or bmw, if some problems happen, it can be solved easily and quickly. Lotus otherwise more like mclaren or ferrari, I just not sure keeping lotus as the single daily driving car would be a easy life. I might be wrong, and Im sure not a die hard patrol head who can fix things in their garage and willing to spend a lot of time with their cars.
I think you're over thinking this subject. People don't buy Lotus because the general perception is trouble/unreliable. Of all the manufacturers of exotic cars only TVR had a worse reputation and look what happened to them.
When i think of lotus first thing that comes in mind is Handling. Unfortunately for lotus people care more for image than pure driving. For reliability, its common sense you always trade reliability for performance, and yes even on hondas the s2000 engine known destroying big end bearings and gearbox and lsd doesn’t last if you push the car. The evos destroys rear lsd’s, Subaru gearboxes. The problem with lotus sales is that their customers bought an mx5 that they fit in and its cheaper(for elise) and for evora first its 3.5l making it forbidden for many countries, and secondly they priced it a bit too hi for the fit and finish. What lotus should do is make their cars exclusive, sell to anyone the low power models but for hi power ones demand a racing driving license, or make them attend a lotus driving school. That way it will show that lotus cars are for pure driving pleasure, and not just an other exotic in front of a coffee shop or showing off at a meet.
Lovely, desirable sports car (Evora) with Toyota reliability I'm sure. However, at least here in North America, it is way overpriced whether new or used. A 4 or 5 year old Porsche Boxster/Cayman or Corvette C5 or C6, are plenty, and so affordable for the average enthusiast, and truthfully, just as entertaining in their own unique way. I would never pay more for an Evora new or used, than a Boxster/Cayman. The German technology is outstanding, and it is a brilliant drivers car as well. Yet believe me I admire the look of the Evora, and its performance specifications as well.
+Julian Fiacconi The Corvette offers outstanding value for money although sadly that doesnt translate here. We also don't get it in RHD. The Boxster is a great car too but for me they lost my interest when they gave it a four cylinder engine
JayEmm on Cars For sure, the new Boxster engine eliminated my desire to acquire. But a used 2012-2013 Boxster here in Canada is very affordable, costing less than a new Ford Focus RS. Thank you for ur videos, most informative and balanced.
The total lack of a decent marketing (strategy) really hurts them. By now it's even worse as they even killed their press fleet. Go figure.
+PieterA That is a constant source of frustration for me, I am sure you can imagine!
In the U.S. I have yet to meet anyone who knows lotus has a modern car other than the Elise. I realize that's possibly because Lotus is very limited in the U.S. so they have no reason to market here, but I guess that's part of what I see as their sales issue. I don't know but their business model and goals are but they definitely limit their market.
An indifferent interior and high pricing also let it down. Furthermore, the looks have also divided opinion. Personally I’m not a fan of
Oooops, I did it again. I bought an Evora S 4 weeks ago, after owning a 2001 Esprit a few years back while in the USA. I couldn't be happier with this car. Now, I do currently live in the UAE where Lambos, Ferraris, Mclarens and Porsches are the rule but for some reason I am always drawn to doing things different. In my year living here, I have seen on the road 1 lotus, which is a shame. I considered the Cayman, the Stingray and even the MP 4-12C. But the Lotus just does things to me that the other cars cant, it is hard to explain. I am just back from my first real road trip in the car, about 1000 km over the weekend, up one of our best driving roads (Jebel Hafeet) then to Sohar Oman and back to Abu Dhabi. The drive was "spirited" but so very comfortable. I usually feel pretty beat up after a long drive in most cars, but this trip of 5+ hours non stop road time each way was somehow quite relaxing. The ride quality and interior comfort in the Evora are quite honestly amazingly good. I am loving my new Evora. This car is my daily driver as well, so it makes getting up in the morning for work just much much better. If anyone is even remotely curious about how good these cars can be, do yourself a favor and take a test drive... If you drive one, it will get into your soul. And JayEmm, thanks for all your vids, good stuff!
Don Meese in
that was beautiful thank you.
In the UAE your Evora looks like a Mondeo in the UK lol.
Car spotting at Dubai mall having a coffee is an awesome day out
Still in UAE? Was it a 2014 gray lotus ips?
I'd say the Evora is definitely just as good as any 911 or Cayman, it's one of the best sports cars money can buy, I wouldn't mind having one myself!
Had a Elise 111R for 9 years and loved it to bits , tracked it and it just went and went . Sold it with 102k miles on hetr for what i paid 9 years ago . Bought a Evora with some milage on her and she is great , has some querks but that,s Lotus ownership . Steering feel is amazing for such a big car and goes well for a heavier car than Elise . Its done 102k now and i was a bit unsure when i first bought the car with its mileage but im sold its feckin great and long may it continue ......
Yeah if you want an overpriced Mazda Miata. And you can't even compare that to a 911. A 911 Turbo S is one of the fastest cars on earth. And will eat a Ferrari or Lamborghini for lunch. I know I've Got Friends that own one. As well as a gt2rs. Porsches are just scary fucking quick. Not to mention they have a stupid high price tag. A Porsche is in a whole different level than a lotus. A Porsche 911 Turbo S or GT2 is in the level with a Lamborghini and a Ferrari or McLaren. Lotus is like buying a Corvette ZO6.
But this new Lotus is ugly it doesn't have those Corners angles and wide-body and the high rear wing and it also does not have a twin-turbo V8.
@@robd1859 Oh dear. Power and speed alone do not make a good driving experience. Porsches are just so sterile, because they are designed to please - and definitely not scare off - most "sports car" buyers, i.e. scared 50+ year-old drivers.
I purchased my first lotus, a 21 Evora GT liquid yellow, I also own a 720S, a GT3, and a Ford GT500 carbon fiber track pack, and I absolutely love this lotus
I have a 2014 Evora S and I totally get what you are saying. I love the car and can forgive it's very minor issues simply because of special it is to drive and how rare it is. It's almost 2018 and the only issue I have had is with a window regulator.
I am an owner of a 400. I think lack of dealers have been a meaningful issue and JMG has clearly worked on this. I think the alternatives to that car for me would have been a Lambo but having a 2+2 for a lot less money was just perfect but i feel I am likely to be a market anomaly. The car is either too expensive for car lovers or the likely buyer does not mind paying the extra for a Lambo or a Ferrari. The price movement of the car seems to evidence that Lotus got similar feedbacks.
The 400 logical closest alternative is the 911 but almost nobody buys a 911 because it is a great looking sports car. Some people buy a 911 because it is status thing, some want something a bit different from a m3, some may even buy it because they want something more common than a Ferrari.
Even among lotus enthusiast, people underestimate how much of a step up the 400 is over the previous generation. They should have called it S2 like esprit used to be. The marketing of lotus is at best deficient most of the time. They got unlucky that the evora was launched as not being the successor to the esprit so despite now being more super car than the esprits have ever been, it has the wrong perception. Also Lotus does too many small edits that makes people wait for the next version. They nailed the 400 as a daily 2+2 drive but the attention on the 410 and 430 is a distraction. Lack of a critical number of identical models is also making the issue of spare parts bigger.
I think Geely will get it rights by using Volvo's network and ensuring a better working capital hence better service. The car is really good so more marketing and visibility will automatically generate sales. If they could push it close to 1000 in 3 years time, that would already be a massive economic success.
I'll just say that I've learned quite a bit from your channel and am now seriously considering the Evora. Leaning more towards The 410 sport or GT430 but either I will own an Evora after I've had a chance to sample all 3 models. Thank you.
Nice to take a drive around Halstead & Hedingham again... I quite fancy an Evora too!
I really think Lotus has taken great steps forward in quality control. My new Exige Sport 350 is leagues - and I do mean leagues - ahead of my old Exige V6s in terms of build quality. It's beautifully made. Absolutely nothing rattles..!
380 000 have seen the Smoking Tires very glowing review of the Evora 400. Dude seriously wants one for himself.
Glad you kept persevering to make this video, very interesting discussion. I agree with your point that a lot of people don't take Lotus seriously and that they make little more than kit cars. In my opinion, the Evora is more special than a lot of today's sports cars and to a certain extent, you're paying the premium for the exclusivity in that they're produced in limited numbers...
Please keep reviewing these... you’re amazing bro!
There is one car in Canada (and it is an automatic), I have been waiting for a couple years for them to show up and no dealers have them. The main reason why there are none of the 400 here is because no one has any. There are a few new Evora SR 2015 cars still at dealers and I think people are waiting for the new cars to be available, and are not buying the old stock. Great video I am looking to test one when they do come to Canada.
Thanks for getting the video done...always good, always straight. There are already negative comments which back up your assertions completely. There is so much about perception related to cars and identity and lotus needs to reinvent itself in the car buying mind. Jaguar managed it over many years and the f type finally brought it the desirability status with younger buyers. In a sense Lotus has the opposite problem - its a car for enthusiasts, young people and left field thinkers but not enough of those people have the money and those that have the funds don't think its grown up enough for them. Porsche is clearly good/great but it is also a default choice. Lets hope Geely can raise the game with brand awareness.
You're absolutely right. I don't think I've ever seen one on the road, unfortunately!
I get that Lotus does not have the marketing budget of the big guys, but a decent website with a configurator does not cost millions and it is an essential in this day and age. I'm not knocking the brand, I have been a long term admirer of Lotus and their survival in the business. I almost bought an Exige when they first launched but decided on a TVR at the time...so I clearly did not fear the reliability issues ;-) There's no escaping that their optimistic (read expensive) pricing is preventing those who are driving other brands from even considering a test drive, which would most likely result in a sale.
Tbh now that they've been bought out by geely I think either the prices will drop slightly as they've got a financial giant behind their backs or you'll get more car for the price, the later most likely being the case. Another thing is that hopefully they'll be able to spend loads more on marketing because as far as I know geely is really wanting to push the brand in the next few years and because they want people to have more consciousness of the brand it's very likely the next car could be a premium suv
New sub here! Great channel, I've recently been obsessing over the Evora and I live in the States where these are super rare. I need to get my hands on one of these eventually. The Evora S on the used market here in the states for a clean, low mileage example is surprisingly affordable. Saw an Evora at a car meet the other day and most people flock to it but don't even know what it is. My guess that people aren't buying these because of hp figures and assume they must be expensive and cheap quality if they aren't plentiful on the streets.
+Stirling Moss That's basically it. They go why have that when I can get a Corvette with more HP for less $$
JayEmm on Cars Too many people just aren't spirited drivers as well. They will never understand until they were to drive something that raw.
@ Stirling Moss . It's not a raw experience. The Evora is quite refined over the road, more refined in many respects than a Grand Sport despite all the differences in tech. You need to drive one. It's a very different experience, and really eye opening. In every informed review of the Evora, the thing that strikes me is the surprise that is expressed. That sense of surprise is a feature of every first drive.
Great video mate (I'm in the US, but I've traveled a lot...LOL)! There's one dealer in the state I'm in. I'm just thankful that I know a salesperson that's cool and has let me sit in the 400 when I ask. Still saving for a 400.
The frustration I have for not owning one of these cars cannot be put into words. One day I will have one of these in the garage and it will be driven well, and hard. I just hope more people buy into Lotus cars to keep the brand going, and that Geely do not try and take the company down the cheap (read: built in china) route.
Brilliant videos, Jay! Thank you! Id love to buy one of these, but the price of the clutch job is simply untenable. People who don’t have supercar pockets simply won’t have this kind of money for routine maintenance, unless you’re a Kuwaiti prince or a wealthy racing team! Which is sad, as I’d love one of these!
Because they are trying to sell handling to the Playstation generation, to whom all that matters is how much power goes up when you add stage 4 turbo. How many young people are there that you would count as 'drivers'? There are plenty that enjoy racing down a straight road, but on the B-Roads, enjoying driving for driving's sake and not for the cheap thrills of racing some VXR? Very very few in my experience.
Also happens to be a direct competitor to one of the best cars ever made by one of the most desirable brands, there is that.
WOAH, not cool. never would you see me in a hellcat or smt like this. power is nice yes, but I prefer nimble cars such as a exige or a elise. hence why i bought the little brother, a miata.
btw, i´m 19
Hhh
Fighting a loosing battle James !! Let's keep this a secret for as long as we can 👍this car is awesome 🇬🇧
Well done
I’ve owned my Audi TT mk2 2006! for two and a half years now. No problems with it since I got it. Everything works, nothing has failed.. apart from the clutch (manual) and the right rear light (common problem) the rest of the car is absolutely solid.
Driven across Leeds in a 2004 carrera 's in grey. 0 people even looked at it. Was a passenger in an orange exige 's 260 cup just round small village and everyone was snapping their necks to look :D
Sounds right!
Having owned an Evora S for 2 years, it is technically brilliant and has been reliable. This car has been superior to my previous 997 in many ways. All of that doesn't count when it comes to selling cars as their marketing and dealer network is almost non existent. When was the last time Lotus appeared on top gear (09 with the Evora, I think)? Even on the episode of British cars, Lotus was nowhere to be seen! When did a magazine last carried out a full feature review on a Lotus? Lotus are pure driver's cars and frankly there isn't any direct competition. The problem is that this market is gradually disappearing due to increasing presence of high HP, practical, dull German machinery and all youngsters are inspired to own one. Lotus will always remain a niche product unless their marketing team do something about it.
Indeed! Totally under most (car) people's Radar! ;-) A nice car! Looks good, sounds good! In my oppinion a nice sporty car! My favourite one is the Evora 410S James Bond Tribute! A one-off white Evora! Looks soo good!
Hi Jay. I love your videos. I was very seriously considering purchasing a Lotus. I looked at the Exige, Elise, and Evora. I already own an S2000, WRX STi, Gen 5 Viper, and I was looking to add one last car to the collection. I just couldn't justify the cost. I ended up purchasing a brand new 2017 Corvette Z06 with the Z07 package (carbon ceramic brakes, stage 3 aero etc.) which has more tech than you can imagine, an incredible sounding supercharged 6.2L V8, 650hp/650tq, for the same price as a used Evora. I know this seems to be missing the "Lotus point", but when you get in the Z06, mash the accelerator, and do 0-60 in 2.95 seconds, with the top off, a heads up display, Bose sound system pumping out your favorite tunes, ventilated seats, and the supercharged V8 screaming with a massive "crack" when you pull the paddle shifter.....there's no comparison. My son and I immediately took the car on a 4000 km road trip to Monterey California, from Vancouver B.C., and back again with absolutely no issues......ever. Oh, and I stopped in at my Sister's little 5000 pop town and had the oil changed for free!! Yes FREE!!!! The first two years of oil changes and regular maintenance are free, and this car has a dry sump system that requires the oil to be changed at the first 500 miles, and then regular intervals thereafter. The Vette has a massive amount of storage. We had the top off, and could easily fit two pieces of luggage under the top in the back. Amazing. I'll keep watching your videos, because you do a really good job, and I still really like the Lotus brand. It just can't compete with some of the other cars in its price range.
+Lee Douglas ... in America.
I love the Vette. I saw a car like yours for sale here, it was $70,000 more than my Evora 400 at the time. And the steering wheel was still on the wrong side!
0-60 in 4 flat snaps the neck good and while the ZO6 has incredible handling limits but Lotus has a magic feel. ZO6 drinks gas in a way that makes your Old BMW seem stingy
Corvettes are nice but “everybody” owns one. I prefer something that people have to look long and hard to figure out what it is. Something they very rarely see.
I agree, that Lotus should have been rewarded with more units sold, however, there is more to it.
Up to about 1-2 months ago, I was actually looking at buying a used Evora S or a Porsche Cayman S. I wanted a superb-handling mid-engine sports car, that was reasonably light and reasonably powered. I had a go in both, and both hold up to the credits given by the press around the world. I do not care, which of the two is faster on the track and I am even less impressed by 0-60 figures. I buy a car for myself, not for comparison to the car next to me at a traffic light. I care less about going *fast*, I care about going *fine*.
On the plus side, the Lotus comes with a phenomenal suspension and steering. Power delivery from the supercharged-V6 is resonable linear and responsive. Not having a Turbo is a big plus for me - I just hate them. The interior is enough of "well made" and far from what you would call "exotic" in friendly words, when looking at british sports cars of age.
However, based on the interior, the Cayman wins hands down. If you get along with the looks, you get top notch perfect quality. Want a decent high-end sound systems? Check here. Sat-Nav? works like a charm. In the Lotus, its a Pioneer aftermarket piece and sadly, Lotus picked one of the worst. That could be fixed thou. But putting the cars next to each other explains, why Porsche (presumably) sells 100 Caymans for each Evora sold. In the Evora, you cannot read the instruments in daylight. You can hava a shave, but not read how fast you go. In the first run up to the Evora 400, all buttons are essentially hidden behind the steering wheel, which is totally unpractical. On long drives, you have no rest for your clutch foot. That has been added to the Evora 400 (at least I am told so), but longs rides without are annoying. Speaking of clutch, you don't get dual-clutch transmission, no matter how much money you offer. Ok, I want a manual anyway, but looking at the ratio, Porsche sells PDK-Caymans .vs. manual Caymans, you get the point. 9 out of 10 are PDK. With the Cayman, you only get two seats (no showstopper for me), but a usable Trunk *and* Frunk. With the Lotus, you get a second glovebox, but going for a weekend requires putting stuff on the back seats (or that space behind the front seats in a 2+0). So, you can actually use a Porsche as your only drive (which has always been a company's selling point), while getting a perfect sports car. With the Lotus, there are more compromises to be made. And I only want to own *one* car, so this applies to me.
I ended up buying neither car, because I decided to put my money on something entirely different and because my current car is quite good already at checking all the boxes (BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0si). Nevertheless, it would have been the Lotus. Simply because I admire Lotus for what they wanted to deliver and how they delivered with the Evora. The suspension is simply breathtaking and gives you that old-school mechanical feel to a sportscar ride, that I consider perfection. The steering is off the planet, even compared to the Porsche. All of them. And apparently the Lotus engineers went to Bosch and said: "Build the best traction control system you can possibly come up with and adapt it to this car". Never before has a traction control system been so playful and enjoying as this one. Its an engineering marvel. You can actually hool around *with* the traction control on (in sport) and still enjoy some reasonable level of safety in case you overestimate physics. Or yourself.
In a perfect world. Porsche would gobble up Lotus and let them build the next cayman. Just ship parts (like the engine. Imagine a light-weight flat-6 supercharged replacing the Toyota V6. Or even flat-4. Let Porsche do the engine, control systems, electronics and the quality management. Let the Lotus guys do the rest. *Then* you have the perfect sportscar.
This was very well articulated. Well done 👌🏻
Great video and I remember the day I drove an Evora for the first time and wow the handling and magic carpet ride. That was is the Porsche love I did had to go. I've driven many of my friend cars and even got offered a 997 targa 4s but it just felt heavy and not sure footed over Suffolks B and A roads. On the clutch front I've just had mine replace but only due to having the gearbox out for another reason. It did 440000 no problem and had loads of life in it still.
+Tom Weller Wasn't at Silverstone was it?
Nope Stratton
I can buy an Elise, Evora S or C6 Z06 for the same amount. Making my decision very soon, any thoughts? Currently driving a Fiesta ST I love. Buying strictly for driving enjoyment.
Lotus does not market their product in the USA, yes they are available but only if you know where to look.
I personally think it’s the marketing .. cause I never heard of this model nor have I seen it here in the US until I saw your video, and I love exotic sport cars even tho I can’t afford one lol.. looks like a beautiful car
Great video Jay learning and respecting Lotus more and more, and it's British!
The evora is on my list of attainable dream cars, along with a Porsche Cayman/boxster, and a C4 or C5 corvette. Out of all the evora is the one I want most.
I would buy one if i had the money :D Maybe one day i will get a used Lotus Evora S (something under 50k €)
When the first Evora came out I fell in love with it. The reason why I never bought it? In my county there was only one dealer. I remember I went there twice to look at the car. The second time we had agreed to go for a test drive. Unfortunately the dealer’s idea of a test drive was strange to say the least.. : He was the one driving it and I was sitting in the seat next to him. I used to own a Boxster at he time which I wanted to sell. However in order to get the more expensive Evora I wanted to test it in order to feel its major selling point: the driving experience. I never got to drive it so I never proceeded with the order. The guy seemed not to be so interested in selling and I couldn’t get from anywhere else. Years later I found out that a person I knew didn’t buy a Maserati from him for the exact same reason. On the contrary before buying my Boxster I had the opportunity of a 20 min test drive. Later on when they wanted to sell their first PDK model they offered one for a whole weekend to test. This is how you build customer relations.
To resume what I think (and many others mentioned it too):
1. NO marketing AT ALL. I mean, I may not be a marketing expert, but I think that having NO marketin at all is the best way to kill your own business. Unless you think you got the reputation of McLaren, Koenigseg, and the likes; which Lotus doesn't have. Manu people don't even know that the brand exist!
2. Bad reliability reputation. When people think of Lotus, they think Esprit. And since there is no marketing, when I talk about people knowing Lotus I mean educated car enthousiats. And that in turn means they are aware of the crappy reliability of Lotus (earned by the Esprit). But even worst, the rep. of all British manufacturers (Land Rover and Jaguar who year after years ends up in the bottom of all manufacturer) certainly doesn't help. If Lotus would only do some marketing, they could tell that they are using Toyota mechanic...
3. Badge. A LOT of people who buys porshes 911 buys them for the badge. Why am I saying that? Not that they are bad cars at all. But I Owned an Elise years ago and at the track, I constantly lend my car to 911, Ferrari and lambo dirver to try it out and most of the REAL car people went and buy one (911 traded their for an Elise and the richest kept their Ferarri and lambo but bought an elise for the track as it is much closer to a real racing car. So people who are not really car enthousiasts and/or knows little about real driving, own such cars as Porches for the brand to show off more than they do for the driving experience. And since Porshe have a way greater aura than Lotus, it makes sense to buy a Porshe instead.
4. Pricing strategy. You mentionned it already, it is a mystery. I know Lotus doesnt sell as that many cars so they have to make a fair profit per unit. But when that margin hurts your sales more than anything, maybe you should consider lowering the price and sell more units (which in turn will eanr you more profit in after sales maintenance and spare parts !!!). And You'll sell even more since your prices will now be attractive. Seriously, considering that there are only a very small people out here interested in doing track day to really benefit the driving experience of a Lotus, why would anyone pay the same price as a 911 for something less reliable (at least in reputation), and which much poorer service (lack of dealership and parts), and that has not even half the prestige (not counting that its gonna be hell to resale and if you manage to do it, for a very steep depreciation).
That's why Lotus don't sell much Evora. I'd prefer to buy/drive an modified Exige than an Evora any day (except on a rainy day lol), and for less money.
Geely is an important development that still gets brushed off when people discuss Lotus. The situation suggests directions and possibilities we could only guess at. Regardless, it's likely the 400 and cars based on its platform will be the last of their types. My ownership experience is a work in progress but I'm loving it so far. Americans are denied the benefits you detailed that are available for European/UK owners. I bought one because it's a brilliant car but I understand why it's a hard choice for some people. They haven't driven one and even if they have they'll want to consider and compare the ease of service access and parts availability. Anybody who drives one won't walk away disappointed but Lotus keeps it a secret here.
JayEmm, I live in the states and closest dealer is 500 miles away. I would buy one in a second if I could get it serviced like a Porsche. Hopefully with the new Elise that is suppose to come here, it will help Lotus sell more cars and create new dealerships.
Duane Denning But you don't have to get it serviced at a Lotus dealer
They tried to flog me one when I was in the market for something like this. Ultimately I got the Boxster gts manual gear box and sports suspension, as it's great to drive, road and track was fun, but is also relatively practical. The roof comes up and down very quickly, was comfy, great Bose stereo and I could fit a ridiculous amount in it (have pic of huge amount I moved from storage one day though packed to the brim), my girlfriend plus kitesurfing equipment including board (behind seats) two kits and misc equip plus away bags fitted in my Boxster (just). 987 cayman I had before was slightly more practical as could fit passenger and snowboard equipment for two (driving with snow tires with tc off was easy and a lot of fun). If i want fun on the road ignoring practicality I ride a super sports bike. If I want fun with some safety (bike I always end up backing off due to inevitable uncertain road conditions) I buy a lotus Elise, like I plan in the next two weeks it would be for the light weight fun rather than touring. If the evora were more practical I'd be more interested. Regarding attracting attention like fame it seems a good proposition but in reality is a mixed bag and depending where you live can be a real negative in practice, so this isn't a pro for me although I like things that standout in concept.
Jay, what's your thoughts on the Emira? Are you getting one?
Another great vid Sir! To throw my ideas into the ring -
No. 1: Marketing. You just don't see advertisement for Lotus in anything like the volume as is seen for Porsche, etc... Hopefully the buy-out will inject some more budget and rectify this.
No. 2: They need to absolutely nail every single car that come out of the factory in terms of build quality in order to overcome this perception of unreliability. Even though it's largely unfounded these days, in order to get past this the quality control needs to be upped so that e.g. your car didn't have wonky buttons and noisy leather... Little things but unfortunately in this day and age of Audi/VW build it matters. Again, hopefully the buy-out will sort this.
No.3: Err, that's all I've got for now....
Lack of dealer support and few dealership numbers and location in the USA is a big deterrent for potential new Lotus customers. I have a rare Exige S260 in the USA and I worry about ownership since I have no dealership around me in a major metropolitan area. I have been doing the maintenance my self and sadly I am thinking of selling my Lotus for a 911 for that lack of dealership support reason.
I think the main issues are, Dealer network, Reliability reputation, Huge lack of publicity, newer generations dont have a clue what Lotus is and their racing history is mostly forgotten, Top Gear pretty much ignored Lotus for a while likely due to Lotus not willing to pay Top Gear to feature new Lotus products no 400 410 or 3-eleven was featured on Top Gear. Lack of confidence in the future of Lotus, Lotus lack an all out win at Le Mans plenty of class wins but they never went for an all out win (their original attempt was with a beefed up Elite but unfortunately the driver decided to refuse to race due to safety concerns). People in general dont know what a drivers car feels like to drive, they simply see the performance statistics, top speed aceleration, that is all people care about.
Quick to spout off about cars like the GTR etc but likely never driven a Lotus, general public fails to understand that enjoyable car is not always the fastest car.
Great video. very informative. I'm amazed you could drive around Suffolk/Essex at more the 28 MPH.
+Del Johnson All a matter of timing!
This is one of my dream cars 😍
My immediate reaction when seeing an Evora for the first time was that it looked lardish compared to the Elise/Exige. The car has never grown on me as I prefer a smaller car which is why I drive an Exige. I also drive the original Elan, Elan +2 and Europa Special.
I live in a well to do area with many eye candy cars. You are correct there is not 1 Evora. Your videos make me want to change that.
Thanks Curt! They genuinely get the attention of a serious exotic, at sensible money
JayEmm. I had mixed feelings while watching you trying to push shit uphill with this Evora sell. I say mixed because most Lotus enthusiast/owners share your frustration with the marque. The badge has the honourable record of seven Formula 1 constructor championships yet this has never been reflected in the relevance of its car production in the way McLaren have exploited and enjoyed. Even Colin Chapman felt that same frustration, as evidenced by his abandonment of the Lotus Seven because of its perceived image of being a cheap kit car in the market place. Of course the Seven became the Caterham and the little Lotus Elan morphed into the world's best selling sports car, the Mazda Miata MX5. The baby & bathwater comes to mind. Lotus went into stasis when Chapman died as did his ambition for the Esprit; an embryonic supercar that had the potential to raise the game and the Lotus name to that plateau today occupied by the Italians and Germans. And it is the Germans who make the running when it comes to sales numbers. No good criticising Porsche for its bland looks and staid colours yet they're everywhere; the clitoris of sportcars. Not everyone wants to drive an Evora or something head-turning and resembling a design by HotWheels. Lotus needs a Moses to come down from the mountain with some new tablets with a different covenant for the future.
+von Coconut There are so many Lotus cars that never were, they have had more than their fair share of poor management. There was an Esprit plan which would have been amazing but it got axed
It is also each generations tastes and the cars that influenced them growing up. Porsche has been influencing children with its movie tie ins, advertisements and marketing since the 80s and it has been a constant. Lotus on the other hand kind of dried up after the Esprit and those buying Lotus today are drawn to them from seeing the Esprit in James Bond or playing games like Lotus Esprit Turbo Challenge. The upcoming generation have no childhood "relationship" with Lotus.
What on Earth do you mean ' the clitoris of sportscars'? Are you trying to be witty?
I wouldnt say that people who own a porsche are a cunt, most people who have owned or do own a lotus have at one time owned or do own a porsche as well.
von Coconut in
Another reason Lotus does not sell in the USA is that Lotus just has one model here. That usually means that the dealer mainly sells something else and does Lotus on the side. The Lotus dealer I visited mostly sold Aston Martins and not a single Lotus was on the floor. I had to ask to see the Evora and then was taken to their storage area. Would never have known they sold the car if I hadn't asked.
reliability was mentioned.
Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious immediately came to mind. way expensive here in the states and not much of a support network BUT if a dealer was within 150 miles of where i live i would consider one and in a serious way. many mountain roads to play on here.
At least here in America...
There are ZERO ads.
There are hardly any reliable dealers.
They do not promote AT ALL.
Their website sucks... no configurator is a low-budget move which only hurts them.
No roadster.
Nice pass. That thing's "got a lot of poke" - G.Hill
No; the world's most underrated car, is the 90's Lotus Elan M100 S2
great video just subscribe to the channel do you have any vids of it on the track I'm really looking into a evora s or a new c7 vet but leaning towards the evora thanks to videos like this
+Strife racing No videos sadly when I can I will
It's a very different car to the C7
JayEmm on Cars I've driven a few c7 great car but I'm a mid engine guy i race in a mr2 and my nsx so naturally the evora has my attention
I actually don't think its the badge at all. I see 2 big issues with the evora: First, its the interior. Yes, its pretty good, but if you want to compete with the big boys, you have to get a better interior, period. Secondly, the dealership experience. You walk into an aston/porsche/audi/BMW/mclaren dealership, and everything is modern, clean, professional. the little details help, like getting a nice bottle wine as a present from your dealer as a thank you for buying a porsche. These little touches don't exist in lotus dealerships, but need to if you want to draw significant numbers of customers. I bought my evora 3 weeks ago, and the dealer hasn't even called me once to see how I am getting along. I know these things aren't important in the grand scheme of things, but they really really help build brand loyalty and perception. When buying such an expensive sports car, you want to feel a bit special throughout the whole process, including the dealership and buying bit.
+Michael Panayi I think you have two valid points
Great video, I'm hooked. Now to actually drive an Ebora!
Be warned, test drives are expensive
Great video as always James. I test drive a first model Evita when it came out and thought it was a great car. The reason I didn't take the plunge? I had a Lotus Excel (1988 SE red with full cream interior) for a while and whilst it was fantastic and only actually stranded me once (it fixed itself and nobody knows why to this day!) it had so many stupid issues - central locking not working / switches falling out / fuel pump issues) nothing that would leave my by the roadside, but infuriating - and it was my daily driver (as the Evora was going to be) and I just couldn't face that level of annoyance every day. It's a massively unfair comparison as Lotus cars manufacture to a far higher standard these days (especially under Jean-Marc Galles) but if you want to know what stops people buying... look at RUclipsr Number27 and his video about his Esprit. A problem no one can fix...
+Julian Carr Like you say though, you're using a car designed in the 1970s as a reference...
Also his problem was fixed!
+Julian Carr I read your Excel comment with in interest because I used to own a 1983 Esprit S3 (NA) and ran it for a couple of years as my daily driver. I did periodic servicing myself and had cam belts done by an independent dealer. It never put a foot wrong whilst I had it. I have always hated the L.O.T.U.S. acronym as a result. My feeling is that Lotus of all era's probably need a little mechanical sympathy and 'keeping an eye on things'. It wouldn't put me off an Evora. Right now the biggest issue for me is the price of admission...
Lotus Excel in 1998? i assume that is when you bought it and not when it was built because as far as im aware they ended production in 1992.
sam newman - duly edited...
7:52 You hit the nail on the head. As an American at least, the specs for the car just don't seem to justify the cost, not even a little bit, and few people on this side of the pond have any real experience with Lotus in the past. For most of us, we know that they dominated F1 for a few years and that they mostly look pretty, but I'd be surprised if even 1% of adults in the U.S. have ever driven one. So all reviews aside, most Americans aren't really going to consider the Evora as their next car.
For me, personally, when I first found your channel and saw the car I figured it was around a $50k vehicle...I was shocked when I looked more into it and discovered the actual sticker price in the U.S. is twice that figure. If you want an Evora here for $50k, you're looking at one that's at least 5 years old and/or has a serious fault. For that kind of money in a 5 year-old car here, you've got the option of Z06 Corvettes, 911 turbos, Cxx AMGs, GT-Rs, Shelby Mustangs, and of course a litany of BMWs...all performance cars which most of us are much more familiar with. The story is much the same when looking at low 6-figure new cars here.
I just bought an Evora GTE in Germany, what do you think of that ?
Awesome!!!
so a 20+ min car video without a single shot of it (beyond a side pod)?
+rodluvan1976 As mentioned to someone else, it's a VLOG type video and that's the limitation of doing a video by yourself. There are lots of other videos of the car with drive by shots in
Interesting video and follow-up comments/discussions... if a car offers reasonable practicality and be 'fun' even at normal road speeds, then surely it is a winner - whatever the flavour?
+Mr Marrow You'd think wouldn't You?
I have worked for Lotus in the last few years on the marketing side, i have to say we tried with a small budget to spread the word regarding the massive leaps in quality and performance across the range and we were getting there but Lotus needs to invest a little more on marketing , I became intoxicated with Lotus having been to Hethel and saw how things work, the cars are awsome and the people are passionate and petrolheads around the world need to wake up and get on board! I hope Jean- Marc, Scott and Graeme read this because Lotus deserve to be right up there (Lotus Hub- Scott, Graeme)
I am looking for a car in this category. I drove the f type r awd and porsche turbo s recently.
I love the look of the Evora and the "exclusivity ". Not very worried about reliability because i know they use the v6 from toyota, all cars got reliability issues except japanese cars of course :) i am just worried about quality of construction, like weird noises in the cabin, from seats, doors etc. and i am not sure if i will not miss the speed of the turbo s, when a "cheap m5 f10" pass me on the highway, i think i am not prepared for something like that :) i wish Lotus used the v8 from Toyota "Lexus"...
If 1 in 3 people who test drive an Evora, why on earth weren’t more driving days arranged by Hethell and the dealers? A day at each of the UK’s main motor racing circuits with targeted guests wouldn’t have been hard to organise.
Please could you link me to the Evora survey? I was looking at the £30,000 ones as a wildcard alternative to a Cayman 981. At around 40,000-50,000 miles it seems like one of those £4k clutches could be on the horizon and i'm certainly not up for that.
I have an Evora S IPS - happy to not be waiting for the clutch service.
Hi jay, its 20/04/19. Are you missing the car? would you buy again? do you think the pain of lotus dealer mismanagement could pass? its like the desire for an Alfa.. .Thoughts
I'd never go near JCT600 again. There are a few good Lotus dealers, right now I simply can't afford another Lotus which is a shame as I do love them
Good vid and thoughts Jay. For me though, they also simply don’t look nearly as good as the Elise or Exige - i think that is another material factor sadly
I’m looking to get an evora 400 this year. The reason being is I live in the us and just about everyone and there uncle owns a corvette new old doesn’t matter you literally lose count seeing them on a beautiful summer day.
Also I’m a simple guy when it comes to interior, I personally think the evora looks better on the exterior then a Porsche does and I would take the looks of the exterior over the interior quality of the Porsche.
Plus let’s not forget to mention that the lotus handles unbelievably well and is just stunning to drive.
So due to the exclusivity, performance and looks is why I’m putting my money towards an evora 400 over the corvette and Porsche
Plus I have 2 lotus service centers with in an hour from me so servicing shouldn’t be a problem but not everyone in the us has that luxury sadly
Jay,
I asked this question on one of your other videos but didn't get an answer so I thought I should ask here. You previously demonstrated a problem with the car which caused a
horrible clicking/cracking noise from the front wheel area when moving
the car slowly on full steering lock. I take it that problem has now
been resolved and can I ask what was the cause?
+Robert N. Still under investigation
OK, so the problem is still there and presumably has not affected other Evoras for Lotus not to have diagnosed the fault?
12:25
In my experience, the dealer's word on such things isn't worth much.
My Jaguar dealer had "never heard of any transmission issues with manual F Types." Turns out Jaguar went through FOUR clutch/flywheel updates in the four years that they produced they manual version, and at this point I seriously doubt that there remains a single 2016 mt F Type with an original clutch.
Granted, McLaren dealers might be different?
I had this crazy idea on using Matt Beckers connection to Lotus. Aston isn't going to manufacture their N\A V12 anymore so Lotus could pay them to keep them to keep manufacturing them making Lotus the only rwd N/A v12 supercar. They could also buy the 6 speed manual and 8 speed ZF from Aston as you said the Lotus transmissions can't handle a lot of power. It could come in a 550 version with a six speed manual 550 bhp and 430 lbs lbs of torque. The 600 version could have the 600 bhp v12 with 465 lbs of torque and ZF 8 speed from the Vanquish S. Of course Lotus could bespoke the engine as well. It could be a modified Evora or a new model with 320 mm plus rear tires and weigh 1500-1550 kg. It would be almost as fast as a 488-much cheaper 110k or so and sound ungodly with that Lotus muffler bypass thing.
+Adam Petten Problem is to make a car like that would be extremely difficult. The Aston engine is built for FR use
Well maybe a Lexus engine then😎
There is also a larger issue which is hurting Lotus. The Evora does not fall into any particular niche. This is, in part, due to the blurring of categories between sports car, and GT cars. You can see this from some of the comments below. I'd argue that the hallmarks of a sports car are light weight and great handling. By this definition, the Evora and the 911 qualify as sports cars, The F-Type and the Mercedes GT/GT S are more GT cars given their weight. If you start blurring these categories, the Evora can seem like an under-powered, over-priced car when the truth is that light cars don't need huge amounts of horsepower.
Another issue is a trend in all sports/GT cars to be chameleons. They are designed to drive like Camcords until you press a few buttons. The Evora does have those buttons, but it tends to offer a more raw experience. It is more stripped down and focused experience that runs counter to this trend about as much as a modern car can. Not sure how many people value this, but I would never want my $100,00 sports car to feel or drive like a Camcord on any setting!
Hmmm, good question and great video - I’ve been browsing through your back catalogue here. Why Lotus doesn’t sell in N America? A) I think you’re right the brand means little to nothing to anyone younger than 45 or who is not a deep supercar enthusiast. I’ve learned more about Lotus from your videos than I ever had before, and I only looked for the information because I saw one of the five in my city in person recently. B) the competition is ridiculous eg Porsche with its strong brand pull for aspirational juniors up to achievers, and McLaren or Ferrari for the true moneybags - Lotus doesn’t differentiate clearly enough if even I draw mostly a blank about it. C) Opportunity to come across a Lotus - not sure I’ve ever seen a car show stand with Lotus here, few are about, and even F1 weekend in my town, Lotus wouldn’t particularly stand out in the sea of LamboZandoFerrari. D) Value for money proposition probably drives most people away. If I want driving purity with no decent torque, a used or even beater roadster of many types would probably be just fine.
That’s probably not 100% right, but the general point is that a meaningful number of little barriers probably add up to turning most customers away.
True. Here in America. The first Gen Evora only sold 1,256 cars from 2010 - 2014. It is a very unique car here and hard to find, however, the used car market price for this car is a joke. People here want them for no more than $50,000 even if they are low miles and in pristine condition. People love this car, they tell me that all the time. I have a 2013 NA IPS, black on black with every option available on it. They say they see Ferraris, Lamborghinis all the time and mine is nicer, cooler, beautiful, etc....but at the end they don't want to buy it or want it cheap.
Lotus Cars Manila
We have same issue here in the Philippines, so far from the opening last 2015, 19 Cars were sold locally purchased... few people can say "oh there is a lotus here" by that you can identify yep! He is a enthusiast! I think its not the badge to blame at all, few people barely know the brand, that just it everytime i road test a lotus you get peoples attention as much as a lambo or a ferrari. They admire the looks without even knowing the brand yet
@JAYEMM is there anyroom in the rear beyond the seats just being cosmetic and somewhere to place a bag, used to have an exige which i had to ditch when the children where born...?
+Steve Lennard plenty of room for kids in there
While theyre still young but have you ever fitted adults in the back Jay?
+Steve Lennard It would be a struggle for anyone over 5'3.
Basically, it's the same as a 911. Why people think otherwise I do not know
JayEmm on Cars cheers for that bud, think I'll have to keep the family mini countryman jcw and our weekend 2 seater mini roadster jcw for the moment 😁
What is the best Lotus in terms of downforce/weight mark (not including special editions of their cars)?
+AkiKimurr The Exige Sport 380 has decent downforce and relatively low weight
AkiKmurr. That would be any model that you can afford to buy, maintain and insure. Good luck.
I’m guessing us across the pond don’t get this car as we are .... across the pond. I know we got the Elise and maybe the Exige. Never seen the latter. But I’ve seen plenty of the former with the Toyota poweplant.
warranty terms are the same, you could do the work yourself and as long as it is done correctly your warranty will remain in tact.
@2:17 It is less practical than a GT because it is a sportscar. It is the wimp edition of the Elise with a few horses more. :)
How long have you owned one?
My dad owns a rover people say that is a old man's car, but it has black leather seats, black dashboard, and dark grey wood people usually see a rover as cream leather and veneer , but even that doesn't seem to get rid of its reputation when people see it, it isn't slow either and it is not in an old persons colour, in fact it's in I mid range from light to dark blue, but when you stick an mg badge on like your zs even with the same engine as the rover 45 people see the zs as a performance sports car
+Elliot RSS Except they don't, look at the comments in my MG video. It's bashing the car because people decide they know what it is before they even want to learn about it
I mean the zs 180 like yours is a totally different car but they regular 1.4 1.6 and 1.8 varients are essentially the same as a 45 with an mg badge and a body, I am an mg enthusiast my self, found your channel through the zs 180, looking at getting one myself
I bought my 2013 Evora in May here in the USA. I live 300 miles from the nearest Lotus dealer. We have very good exotic car repair shops within 50 miles of here. I had a transmission light come up. None of the local repair shops here had the computer to diagnose a Lotus. So I had to trailer it to Atlanta a 16 hour round trip. It ended up needing a software update only and cost me $400 dollars. It cost me about the same amount to rent a trailer and make the trip. It's running great now and I absolutely love the car. But repairs on this car here mean a long road trip to get fixed. Check out my channel to see my videos I've posted on my car since buying it.
I love my Evora S...any cormerr anywhere it will turn in and grip
This would be my dream daily driver
I like these, but I think I'd go for an exige, Seb delany (of youtube) has a great one, the open gear linkage is just so sexy.
Though I'm a fan cayman s, and it's price tag.
Seb's is a very, very nice looking one too!
Marketing a Lotus is very difficult - you buy them (against all common sense) because you like driving above all else, that puts you in a niche. I've been an Elise owner for 20 years and I couldn't really explain why I still have it! Once you've got the bug I think it's for life. Lotus should really concentrate on their current ownership and improve QC and dealer network in order to grow.
I suspect the reason very few people buy this brilliant car is the same reason I want this car, badly. It's hard for most people justify buying a $90K+ Camry
8:35 That is not missing the point. That is the point and a legit one.
Correction.......no way an Evora is easier to get into than a Gallardo. I've owned an Evora and my business partner has a Gallardo.
Not even close. Gallardo does not have the big door sill like Evora does, and I have a Huracan now and it doesn't either.
Evora 400 is a nice car though and easier to get in.
A reason for me to look at an Elise/Exige rather than an Evora is not mentioned: residual value. There where Elises tend to have a price drop after new of about 25%, the Evora sinks up to 50%, and twice as fast to it being a younger car. I'd be less tempted to buy a car of which I know will drop a lot in value, but rather one that I know gives me a lot of bang for the buck, also on a long term.
I also think that the advantage of the Elise/Exige (a rocksolid, relaible Toyota engine) is something of a problem for the higher prices Evora (a mass-produced engine from a sluggish Toyota car). It's stupid I know, but people at that budget might be far less into bought-in components...
Love the car though, and I'm not the only one. Last week here in Holland a blue Evora was sold within the week at the importer, so interest is still there.
+HJR Holland In the UK the cheapest Evora still holds 50% of new value after 8 years. That's pretty good
It is the worry about the clutch going the the unexpected bill. If they won Le Mans or got any publicity at all they would do better.
The clutch problem is massively overstated
I think you nailed the reasons why it doesn't sell as much as its worth.
1. Badge isn't as pretigious as other brands, for the same money/performance. So why buy a Lotus?
2. People's own ignorance. That would anwser the question in point one. Because its like riding an italian bike! Everything is in the feeling, the emotion, the sensations you can only get in a Lotus; period.
3. Lotus absolute failure to do decent publicity. I mean I understand they might not have lots of money, but fuck! It doesn't take a degree in marketing to understand that when half the planet doesn't even know your brand name, or confuses it with toilet paper, you gotta invest in marketing for a year or two instead of in research. Keep your model for 2 more years and let the people buy your already outstanding stuff. Then you'll have money enough to both do more marketing, and catch up on the research.
4. Reliability issues. I owned an Elise for a year and I beat the crap out of it like hell. I took it to the racetrack every other weekend for the whole day. And I never had any problems myself. But The rover's engine back then had a few issues that I heard of. And english engineering (mechanical) is not known to be very good (think jaguar/aston). So Lotus inherits from that.
5. That's one you didn't talk about. The few people knowing Lotus enough to rhink about buying one, may be rebuked by the fact that knowing the elise/exige, they think the evora is another uncomfortable, extreme track machine. Remember I talked about ignorance? We live in a world full of that...
+saabsly1 I think I did touch on point 5 a little didnt I? It is something I want to talk about more in future videos
Actually recent articles in USA magazines states lotus sales are way up. Even yup 36% in Britain.
I think the evora is doing better in the USA than in the Uk. Most of the press on youtube for the Evora seems to be coming from the US
+sam newman I think that's mostly because the launch was more recent in the USA
That and its a return to the American market for Lotus which creates more buzz
@16:16 There expectations are the reality in the car business. Infinity offers a pickup service program where the car gets picked up and brought to the next dealershipt for maintainance.
I have literally no idea where there even is an Infiniti dealer here
there are 16 in the UK
Evora is really a nice car, daily drivable and fun and light. But at the end of the day, I still went with 911 for a simple reason. There are 5 porsche dealers within 30km reach and a lot at everywhere, and parts or indies who familiar with porsche can be found everywhere too. So buying porsche is like buying a toyota or bmw, if some problems happen, it can be solved easily and quickly. Lotus otherwise more like mclaren or ferrari, I just not sure keeping lotus as the single daily driving car would be a easy life. I might be wrong, and Im sure not a die hard patrol head who can fix things in their garage and willing to spend a lot of time with their cars.
+bilibiliism You don't need to be to own a Lotus, your local Toyota garage can do the work on it...
I think you're over thinking this subject. People don't buy Lotus because the general perception is trouble/unreliable. Of all the manufacturers of exotic cars only TVR had a worse reputation and look what happened to them.
When i think of lotus first thing that comes in mind is Handling. Unfortunately for lotus people care more for image than pure driving. For reliability, its common sense you always trade reliability for performance, and yes even on hondas the s2000 engine known destroying big end bearings and gearbox and lsd doesn’t last if you push the car. The evos destroys rear lsd’s, Subaru gearboxes. The problem with lotus sales is that their customers bought an mx5 that they fit in and its cheaper(for elise) and for evora first its 3.5l making it forbidden for many countries, and secondly they priced it a bit too hi for the fit and finish. What lotus should do is make their cars exclusive, sell to anyone the low power models but for hi power ones demand a racing driving license, or make them attend a lotus driving school. That way it will show that lotus cars are for pure driving pleasure, and not just an other exotic in front of a coffee shop or showing off at a meet.
Lovely, desirable sports car (Evora) with Toyota reliability I'm sure. However, at least here in North America, it is way overpriced whether new or used. A 4 or 5 year old Porsche Boxster/Cayman or Corvette C5 or C6, are plenty, and so affordable for the average enthusiast, and truthfully, just as entertaining in their own unique way. I would never pay more for an Evora new or used, than a Boxster/Cayman. The German technology is outstanding, and it is a brilliant drivers car as well. Yet believe me I admire the look of the Evora, and its performance specifications as well.
+Julian Fiacconi The Corvette offers outstanding value for money although sadly that doesnt translate here. We also don't get it in RHD.
The Boxster is a great car too but for me they lost my interest when they gave it a four cylinder engine
JayEmm on Cars For sure, the new Boxster engine eliminated my desire to acquire. But a used 2012-2013 Boxster here in Canada is very affordable, costing less than a new Ford Focus RS. Thank you for ur videos, most informative and balanced.