Road Test

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Lotus Evora

Test date 14 August 2009 Price as tested £49,995

For Excellent blend of ride and handling; Natural feel of the steering; Distinctive cabin

AgainstWoolly gearshift; Sparse standard spec and high price; Ergonomic details

Ever since the Esprit disappeared from the price list in the mid-2000s, Lotus’s line-up has offered variations on a theme. From 2-Eleven to Europa, the basic ingredients have been the same: two seats, lightness, sublime handling and degrees of discomfort. Now, though, we have the Evora, an all-new model aimed at broadening the Lotus audience and with a greater emphasis on comfort and touring potential.

Lotus claims this is a car to be used every day – one, it believes, that rivals not only Porsche’s Cayman but, with the option of 2+2 seating, also the 911. This confidence and ambition are reflected in the pricing; Lotus asks £47,500 for the standard car (the 2+0) and £49,875 for the 2+2.

If you’re a regular reader, you’ll know that the Evora has already impressed us, but with the launch hype subsiding, this is its sternest test yet. In a week of motoring and several thousand miles, we’ll be discovering if the Evora is sufficiently different from the Elise to justify the price premium, whether the marriage of a Toyota V6 and Lotus chassis gels, and, crucially, if the Evora stacks up as an everyday proposition.