The situation is looking pretty dim for Lotus->ke49 as the automaker will stop selling the Evora->ke3240, its only road-legal model in the U.S. This comes after Lotus recently announced plans to “restructure it worldwide workforce,” and that 325 jobs were on the line. What departments those job cuts will come from is still a mystery, but in a workforce that only numbers 1,200, that’s a serious cut.

The Evora’s demise comes thanks to its lack of smart airbags, a requirement for all road-going, U.S.-spec vehicles. While that federal requirement took effect in 2014, Lotus was granted a 12-month exemption from the clause, allowing the company to continue producing its two-seat coupe.->ke141 With that exemption now expired, Lotus is forced to either re-engineer the Evora with the smart airbag system or discontinue production.

A “highly placed source in a U.S. dealer group” confirmed to Car and Driver that Lotus will not be reworking the car. Therefore, once the remaining stock of 2014 Evoras run dry, Lotus will be left selling its track-only variants of the Exige->ke525 and Elise->ke1678 inside the U.S.

Click past the jump to read more about Lots Evora.

Why it matters

We may be witnessing the death of a legend. Impending job cuts and now the axing of its only road-legal model means Lotus is in deep trouble. While the automaker is able to continue sales elsewhere in the world, the U.S. market undoubtedly helps pay the bills.

Lotus Evora

The Lotus Evora is the purist’s sports car. It has two seats, a manual gearbox (though an auto is optional), a mid-engine setup, rear-wheel-drive, and nothing to hinder a great driving experience. The Evora comes in two flavors: the standard car and the Evora S. While they both share the same Toyota-produced, 3.5-liter V-6, the Evora S comes with a supercharger.

In base form, the V-6 produces an adequate 276 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. Remember the car only weighs 3,171 pounds. The supercharger makes things more fun, producing a smile-inducing 345 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque. The Evora S will hit 60 mph in 4.3 seconds and has a top speed of 172 mph.

Pricing for the Evora ranges from $69,965 to $81,465, depending on model and options.