Lotus has officially announced that its recently-unveiled Evora sports car will be joined by a convertible version. The model, which Lotus marketers believe will have an eight-year shelf life, will be joined by a convertible version late in 2011 to increase its appeal. That’s about three years after the coupe launches.
The car is expected to be built in limited numbers, or 2,000 annually more specifically, alongside the Elise at the automaker’s Hethel assembly shop in Norfolk, England. Because of the car’s mid-engined layout, we doubt the convertible top will be more than a panel that needs to be manually removed and stowed on the car or left at home, although if anyone can pull such an engineering feat off, it’s Lotus.
The Evora’s suspension and central chassis will also underpin the upcoming V8-powered Esprit replacement, which is also due to come to market by 2011.
Before the convertible, however, more powerful versions of the Evora coupe are expected by 2010, as per Autocar reports, including a 320 horsepower version and a supercharged 400+hp S variant. The base car has nearly 280 horsepower, delivered by Toyota’s slightly tweaked 3.5 liter V6.
08/05, 1:25 PM
posted by:
F3INT))AP3X
Sweeeeeet. Lovin the looks of this thing.
08/05, 1:27 PM
posted by:
xyunya
For those who complained about 2+2 setup: here is a place for a canvas to fold. Subtract +2 and you get a nice little convertible.
08/05, 1:30 PM
posted by:
dweedlebug
Other than the “I got it first†approach, why release the 280hp model while obviously tweaking the tuning on the motor in order to get to the 320hp model?
Any speculation on pricing for the 3 versions?
280hp – USD$?
320hp – USD$?
400+hp – USD$?
08/05, 1:31 PM
posted by:
sti parts
I can’t believe I missed the original announcement! Looks very promising, especially the 400hp version!
08/05, 2:01 PM
posted by:
sanfranmac
How come the Lexus iS350 makes 306 bhp with the same 3.5 liter- and a supposedly balls-out dedicated sportscar like this Lotus makes a ‘tweaked’ 280 bhp only from the same 3.5 liter engine? IS this supposed to be sporting progress or what? Wonder how much they’d have offered the Lotus with if the engine hadn’t been ‘tweaked’.
08/05, 2:03 PM
posted by:
sanfranmac
Diction- ’same 3.5 liter’ twice in one sentence- my bad.
08/05, 2:20 PM
posted by:
MugenSentraKen
======>>sanfranmac: good question
08/05, 2:31 PM
posted by:
xyunya
Easy answer: Lotus is aiming for torque distribution. 306 HP at 6000 RPM does not give you much driving dynamics, except top speed. 3000 lbs Lotus does not need 300 HP to achieve top speed but prefers to have wider torque range, just in case some lunatic will take it on the track.
08/05, 2:54 PM
posted by:
brassmonkey
That thang sure is purdy…
08/05, 3:00 PM
posted by:
MugenSentraKen
======>>xyunya, i’ll take anything i own to the track, rollerskates included..i’m a racing freak lol
08/06, 2:18 AM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
I thought the reason this doesn’t make the 300+ hp of the more sporting Lexus sedans is because this isn’t the 3.5-liter longitudinally-mounted RWD V6 from the Lexus IS and GS, this is the 3.5-liter transverse FWD V6 from the Camry and Lexus ES mounted over the Evora’s rear wheels. Am I correct?
08/06, 10:55 AM
posted by:
xyunya
zoomzoomer, you are correct, but Lotus knows how to wring juice out of engine. I don’t believe they need extra juice to introduce this car.