The 2010 Lotus Evora: Will Americans Buy One?

By Robert Dillman

Robert Dillman

Contributor BIO

Because most of his childhood was spent traveling from small town to small town around the Midwest, Robert Dillman quickly developed an ability to... More

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Following in the footsteps of its Elise and Exige brethren, the Evora uses a lightweight chassis with an engine sourced from Toyota. In this case, its a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 276 horsepower and 258 lb-ft of torque. Combined with an optional six-speed manual gearbox, it will get from 0 to 60 mph in just under five seconds and continue its pull all the way up to 162 mph.

The best feature of the Evora is its well-equipped and roomy interior with seating for four people---a rarity in any mid-engine sports car. It combines all the performance and styling of an Exige, with enough room in the back for a couple of car seats. This car could potentially make you the coolest dad at daycare.

Unlike previous compact supercars from Lotus, the Evora actually has basic components like a glove box, sound deadening materials, and an audio/navigation system. Of course, these extra pieces add quite a bit of weight. In fact, the Evora is only about two feet longer than the Elise and Exige, but its body has gained over 100 lbs.

Which brings us to the Evoras major drawback, its price. In fully-loaded trim (the one you really want) the Lotus Evora will cost just under $90,000. This premium gets you a limited edition color choice, the sport package (with sport traction control, rear diffuser, and cross-drilled brake rotors), and a set of forged racing wheels in an anthracite finish.

The Evoras performance should be enough to gain a following among consumers and car enthusiasts in the U.S., but most will be surprised when they hear its efficiency ratings. 30 mpg on the highway in a family supercar is pretty incredible and since the Evora uses a Toyota drivetrain, you can bet on its reliability being sky high.

This toned-down Lotus handles like a Cadillac and accelerates like a Ferrari. It is quite possibly the best combination of performance and luxury amongst all British cars available. Yes, its price tag should and could be lower and the car insurance quotes for this will be on the higher end, but the Lotus Evora will almost certainly be a hit when it arrives next year.