Lotus->ke49 may be struggling, but it certainly hasn’t given up on producing high-level sports cars in an attempt to regain the edge it once held in that realm. With much of the dead weight cut from the company, Lotus is ready to move forward and we certainly hope to see big things from it, whether it be under the control of DRB-Hicom and Proton or some other company altogether.

The last new models to successfully reach production phase under the Bahar reign were the Evora->ke3240 and Evora S, which debuted for the 2010 model year. Last year, the models were expanded to include an all-new automatic transmission that could be shifted from auto to manual almost instantaneously. For the 2013 model year, Lotus is expanding the lineup again by including this transmission as an option on the Evora S.

Now that it is four years into its production life, is the Evora S still up to the task of taking on some of the best sports cars->ke506 the world has to offer?

Click past the jump to read all about the 2013 Evora S and find out if it is on the decline or positioned to spearhead a revival of the Lotus brand.

2013 Lotus Evora S

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2013 Lotus Evora S
  • Engine/Motor: V6
  • Horsepower: 345 @ 7000
  • Torque: 295 @ 4500
  • Transmission: six-speed automatic transmission
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

For the 2013 model year, the Evora pretty much carries over its body from last year. That’s not a bad thing though, as Lotus is famous for building some of the most simple, yet beautiful and functional bodies to ever grace the automotive world.

Starting up front, you get the signature Lotus sloped nose that has graced just about every Lotus model to date. The front fascia boasts a wide open smile with a pair of air intake vents on either side of it. The sharp-angled headlights complete the Lotus’ face, giving it an expression like no other. As you work toward the windshield, you will come across a pair of nostrils on the center of the hood.

The side profile really shows you what Lotus focuses on when developing its cars. The sloped hood meets up with a shallow-raked windshield that allows the air to easily swoop over the roof and down its sleek roofline. Once the airflow reaches the rear of the Evora, it is quickly met by a rear spoiler that adds just a little downforce to the body.

On the back end, you have a pair of air-intake vents on the top of the rear quarter panels, that allow the rear-mounted engine a little bit of life-giving fresh air. The rear fascia is one that you would expect from Lotus: simple, yet refined. Its pair of circular rear lights combine to make up the stop, braking, turning, and reverse lights. Between the lights you have the ominous “LOTUS” decal, so those trailing you know exactly what car you’re driving. At the base of the rear fascia, you have a rear diffusor that that center-exit exhaust pipe extends from.

As a Lotus, one thing is expected: a small stature combined with a lightweight body. The 2013 Evora S gives you just that, as it measures in at just 4,361 mm (171.7 inches) long X 2,047 mm (80.6 inches) wide X 1,229 mm (48.4 inches) tall. It features a 2,575 mm (101.4-inch) wheelbase and weighs in at just 1,437 kg (3,168 lbs), with a manual transmission. With the automatic transmission, the Evora S weighs 1,442 kg (3,179 lbs).

Exterior Dimensions:

Length

171.7 inches

Width

80.6 inches

Height

48.4 inches

Weight (Manual Transmission)

3,168 lbs

Weight (Automatic Transmission)

3,179 lbs

Construction

Lightweight Bonded Aluminum


Standard Exterior Features:

-Aerodynamically optimized rear diffuser and wing

-Bi-Xenon headlights with integrated direction indicators

-LED rear lamps with integrated direction indicators LED rear lamps with integrated direction indicators

-Black door mirrors

Interior

Many times, the interior is an overlooked part of a sports car. The designers are so worried about its outward appearance and the engineers are too worried about its performance, so the interior is just tossed together. Lotus did a good job keeping its focus and building a stylish, yet simple, interior.

Recaro sport seats decked out in leather keep you firmly planted in place while offering up plenty of comfort. The interior boasts leather throughout – dashboard, door panels, center console, etc. – along with aluminum trim.

The Evora’s center stack is very clean, as the Lotus command center replaced a lot of the buttons, and the HVAC system only has the necessary knobs and buttons. The Evora’s flat-bottomed steering wheel is a thing of beauty, featuring simple controls and a great feel. It is also made from magnesium, so it feels extremely light and gives you precision feedback.

A unique option on the Evora S is the ability to opt for or opt out of a 2+2 configuration – two seats up front and two in the rear. This means that even if you have a family, you can still have fun with the 2+2 model. Sure, the seats aren’t necessarily big or comfortable, but the option is still there.

There are tons of available options and packages available for the 2013 Evora S. Let’s have a look at what they offer you.

Premium Pack:

- Accent lighting

- Leather trimmed door pockets and armrest

- Leather foot well side panels

- Leather tailgate insert pane

- Leather center console

- Leather door paneling below trim band

- Choice of seven leather colors

- Leather rear seats in 2+2 models

Premium Pack Suedtex:

- Accent lighting

- Leather trimmed door pockets and armrest

- Leather foot well side panels

- Leather tailgate insert pane

- Ebony black leather and Suedetex seats

- Suedetex trim band and lower door paneling

- Slate Grey Suedetex centre console

Premium Pack Sport:

- Accent lighting

- Leather trimmed door pockets and armrest

- Leather foot well side panels

- Leather tailgate insert pane

- Carbon effect leather inserts on the seats

- Leather door panelling below the trim band

- choice of leather color: Ebony Black with red contrast stitching & piping, or Venom Red, Cocoa Brown, or Imperial Blue with black contrast stitching and piping

Suedtex Trim Pack:

- Suedetex trimmed gear gaiter

- Suedetex handbrake sleeve

- Suedetex handbrake gaiter

- Suedetex door handle inner

- Suedetex door pocket.

Tech Pack:

- Upgraded speakers and stereo system with 2 x 50W amplifier and subwoofer

- Dedicated amplifier

- DVD player

- 7-inch WVGA touch screen display

- Bluetooth mobile phone connection

- USB connection for various iPod models, MP3 players and memory sticks

- Tire pressure monitoring (standard in the U.S.)

- Cruise control and rear parking sensors

Unpackaged Options:

- Backup camera

- Power folding mirrors

- Heated seats

Engine and Drivetrain

Behind the seats sits an all-alloy 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 engine featuring a Harrop HTV 1320 supercharger that uses Eaton TVS Technology. This engine pumps out an impressive 345 horsepower at 7,000 rpm and 295 pound-feet of torque at 4,500 rpm. The Evora S comes standard with the Sport Pack, which increases the engine’s rpm limiter when you press the “Sport” button and straps a stainless steel tailpipe to the back end.

The engine hooks up to a standard 6-speed manual as the standard transmission and as an option, you can select the new-to-the-Evora S Intelligent Precision Shift (IPS) 6-speed automatic transmission. This transmission has four drive modes to choose from. The base mode is fully automatic, which requires no driver input. The second mode is automatic with “Sport” mode engaged, which increases the shift point and creates firmer shifts. Third up is the manual paddle-shift mode, which allows you to control when the Evora S shifts. The final, and most aggressive, mode is paddle-shift mode with the “Sport” mode turned on. This mode gives you crisper shifts and allows you to control exactly when the Evora shifts gears.

This impressive driveline, combined with the relatively low weight of the Evora S allows this sports car to hit 60 mph in a stout 4.4 seconds with a manual transmission and 4.5 seconds with the IPS transmission. Lotus lists its top speed at 178 mph with a manual transmission and 167 mph with the IPS setup.

The Evora S may be fast, but it is also surprisingly economical and eco-friendly. In its manual setup, it is rated at 19.9 mpg in the city, 37.7 mpg on the highway, and 28.7 mpg combined while emitting just 229 grams of CO2 per km. With the IPS transmission, city mpg drops to 19.6 mpg, but highway mpg and combined mpg jumps to 40.8 and 29.3, respectively. The IPS transmission also helps decrease CO2 emissions to 224 grams per km. Talk about having fun responsibly. Keep in mind, however, these are per EU tests, not EPA testing, which typically drops overall mpg.

Engine and Driveline Specifications:

Engine

2.5-liter, V-6, DOHC w/ Harrop HTV 1320 Supercharger

Engine Horsepower

345 Horsepower at 7,000 rpm

Engine Torque

295 Pound-feet at 4,500 rpm

Transmission

6-Speed Manual (Standard) or IPS 6-Speed Automatic (Optional)

Acceleration (0-60 mph)

4.4 Seconds (Manual) / 4.5 Seconds (IPS)

Top Speed

178 mph (Manual) / 167 mph (IPS)

Fuel Economy (EU Standards)

Manual: 19.9 mpg City, 37.7 mpg Highway, 28.7 mpg Combined / Automatic: 19.6 mpg City, 40.8 mpg Highway, 29.3 mpg Combined

CO2 Emissions (Manual/Automatic)

229 g/km / 224 g/km


Suspension and Braking

Handling has long been the bread and butter of Lotus’ heritage and things are looking like they will remain the same. The Evora S is no exception to this rule, as its lightweight body and rigid chassis provide the perfect base to build upon.

Under the skin, Lotus fits the Evora S with its Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) traction and stability management system helps manage the Lotus’ handling characteristics via three settings: “On,” “Sport” and “Off.” The “On” setting suppresses over- and under-steer completely, making the Evora S a simple car to handle, even for an amateur. The “Sport” mode allows the Evora to show some of its more aggressive characteristics by letting the backend slide a little bit under hard cornering. This gives the driver the thrill of a true sports car without risking totally losing control. With the DPM set to “Off,” the driver has full control of the Evora, which really puts your driving skill to the test on the racetrack.

At the corners, you get independent forged aluminum double-wishbone suspension, which includes anti-roll bars on the front and rear. Bilstein gas dampers and Eibach coaxial coil springs help keep the tires firmly planted on the road while absorbing any impacts.

To the outside of the shocks and springs the Evora S has AP Racing Brakes. On the front end, you get 350 mm (13.8-inch) ventilated and cross-drilled discs, which are squeezed by 4-piston calipers. The rear discs are also cross-drilled and ventilated, and measure in at 332 mm (13.1 inches). The rear discs are also squeezed by 4-pot calipers. Electronic brake distribution and cornering brake control are both standard on the Evora S and help evenly distribute the braking power to the wheels that will best help the handing of the vehicle.

Polishing off the Evora S’ handling are 18-inch cast alloy wheels on the front with 225/40ZR18 Pirelli P-Zero rubber. The rear end features 19-inch cast alloy rims embraced by 255/35ZR19 Pirelli P-Zero tires.

Suspension Specifications:

Type

4-Wheel Independent Forged-Aluminum Double-Wishbone Suspension w/ Anti-Roll Bars

Dampers

Bilstein Gas-Charged

Coil Springs

Eibach Coaxial Springs

Stability Control

Dynamic Performance Management

Front Brakes

350 mm (13.8-inch) Ventilated and Cross-Drilled Discs w/ 4-Piston Calipers

Rear Brakes

332 mm (13.1-inch) Ventilated and Cross-Drilled Discs w/ 4-Piston Calipers

Rims and Tires (Front/Rear)

18-Inch Cast Alloy Rims w/ 225/40ZR18 Pirelli P-Zero / 19-Inch Cast Alloy Rims w/ 255/35ZR19 Pirelli P-Zero


Pricing

When comparing the Lotus Evora S to similar sports cars, you may expect it to creep up toward the $100K mark. Fortunately, Lotus is also rather good at keeping its production costs and prices relatively low. The Evora S 2+0 – no rear seats – carries a base MSRP of $77,100 and the 2+2 model is listed at $78,600. If you would like to add in the IPS 6-speed automatic transmission to your Evora S, it runs an additional $2,850.

Pricing Details:

Model

Base MSRP

Evora S 2+0 Manual

$77,100

Evora S 2+2 Manual

$78,600

Evora S 2+0 IPS

$79,950

Evora S 2+2 IPS

$81,450


Competition

Lotus’ competition is few and far between, as it's really dug out a nice niche for itself. However, there are a few models that compete with it. First up is the Porsche 911 Carrera, which features a rather nasty 3.4-liter flat-6 engine that pumps out 350 horsepower at 7,400 rpm and 287 pound-feet of torque. This engine mates up to a 7-speed manual transmission with no option for an automatic in the base format. The 911 Carrera sprints to 60 mph in just 4.6 seconds – as much as 0.2 seconds slower than the Evora S – and has a 179 mph top speed, which is 1 mph to 12 mph faster than the Lotus.

With the 2013 911->ke282 Carrera you get one of the best handling cars on the road today, thanks to its 19-inch wheels with massive rubber wrapped around them, electromechanical power steering, and its enhanced Porsche Stability Management system. Porsche has yet to release a skidpad spec on the 911 Carrera, but the Carrera S held 0.99 Gs, so we anticipate that the base Carrera will be at least at 0.98 Gs, which ties it with the Lotus.

In terms of standard features, Porsche crushes Lotus. The 91 Carrera comes standard with 2-zone climate control, Porsche Communication Management, a 9-speaker sound system, partial leather interior and much more. Unfortunately, this does bump the price of the 911 Carrera up a little bit, giving it a base MSRP of $82,100 -- $5,000 more than the base Evora S. Then again, you are getting much more car for the money.

The fact that Porsche is backed by Volkswagen->ke94, one of the strongest car manufacturers in the modern era, and is not going anywhere, should make that extra $5K worth it. Lotus’ future is up in the air right now and it does not look too good. We could find out any time now hat Lotus is selling off its remaining models and closing up shop. It is highly unlikely to see Lotus close, but a possibility that you need to consider when buying a $70K-plus car.

The next competitor for the Evora is another VW product, the Audi TT RS->ke3038. The TT RS comes in at a wallet-friendly $57,200 and can annihilate the Evora S to 60 mph, as it has been tested as low as 4.1 seconds. Its 174 mph top speed is a little slower than the Evora S with a manual transmission, but how often do you plan on hitting its top speed. This impressive performance is thanks to a 2.5-liter, 5-cylinder engine that pumps out 360 ponies at 5,500 rpm and 343 pound-feet of twist at an incredibly low 1,650 rpm – the low peak torque is the biggest reason for its incredible 0-to-60 time.

The suspension system on the TT RS is equally impressive, as it netted it a 0.95 G rating in the 2012 model year. That is slightly lower than the Lotus and 911, but the TT’s AWD system and blazingly fast 0-to-60 time will pull the Audi out of the corner much faster than the Lotus could ever imagine.

Just like with the Porsche, the TT RS is backed by the powerhouse that is VW, so Audi isn’t going anywhere any time soon. Add in its base price that is $19,900 less than the Evora S, and you have a winner. Even with every single possible option selected, the TT RS still comes in at $11,805 less than the Evora S. The only issue we have is that the TT RS only comes with a 6-speed manual transmission and there’s no optional automatic. Then again, who in their right mind wants an automatic?

Conclusion

As much as we’d love to see Lotus pull out of its funk, things aren’t looking too well. Add in the fact that it is really behind the times and cars that cost a fraction of the Evora S’ base price can crush it on the track and in available features, and you can see that the Lotus needs to pull some impressive marketing to survive. We hate to push potential buyers away from the legendary British auto maker, but we have to say that the Audi TT RS is your best option and the 911 Carrera is second. The Evora S simply cannot stack up to those two.