I think this reaction can depend on general perception of such cars, the perceived rarity and the colour.

I have had nothing but admiring glances, positive comments and people asking about the Cayman, including being let out of junctions.
I think a large part has to do with the colour.
The same car in the typical blend in grey / silver / black etc become lost in the general haze of every other car on the road.
Strange colours or stunning cars in white can change peoples perception to be much more positive.

I could be wrong

 

I've only had positive stuff in the GT3 and M3 too! More in the M3 which is odd.

S2000 got most the abuse, and that was just by kids.

Exige used to leave jaws on floors which always amused me />

 

Reminds me - the NSX has a dodgy clip on the equivalent moulding, which hides the main relay & stuff. I keep forgetting to get a new one, until I clean the car & knock it upwards again...

 

A few more points having driven the car a bit more now, and in particular for the first time on some Highland roads I know well this past weekend.

Finally getting used to the steering and handling (has taken longer than I expected, but I don;t use a car much generally), and even at 6/10ths it continues to impress me with its composure, smoothness, grip, and completely unfazed attitude to direction changes on the bendy stuff.

The Highlands are deserted at this time of year, and although the frequent wet conditions and LSB prevented me committing too much to things, I was able to get a bit of an idea of what it is capable of.

Normally on quiet Highland roads in the winter, I spend the time wishing I was on the bike or at least looking forward to being on two wheels come the spring, but this time it was the car on dry roads and summer tyres that was foremost in my mind. It is starting to become clear how the car can match up to its reputation.

A (pleasant) surprise is just how good it is in the winter. I opted for winter tyres @ £1,000 all in (rubber only ...) really only, as with my S2000 before, to ensure I did not get stuck on my inclined drive or caught out on high level A roads at Christmas. On the S2000 even the quality winter rubber I used proved quite a compromise - the Evora on the other hand is far less compromised, still communicates well, and is still a lot of fun.

I thought this might be at the expense of performance on proper snow and very wet roads, but err.. no. I was hit by a hailstorm on Skye which carpeted the road in half an inch of hail - normally very slippery, but the Lotus proved nigh impossible to unstick on it without being totally reckless. Very impressive indeed. Later, on 40 miles of the heaviest rain/standing water on the motorway I have seen for some time it again proved unflappable and nothing other than completely composed.

Downsides remain the rear visibility and parking which is still a nightmare, although it is not something I practice. I am also still paranoid about scraping spoilers and the underside on ramps, crests, potholes etc, but goes with the territory.

Less liveable with is the leaking boot - the car having spent its entire life with me until this weekend tucked up in a garage overnight or in the day during heavy rain, spent a couple of nights outside and also endured heavy rain yesterday. Known problem, and I think sortable to some extent, but a PITA nonethless if it makes you reluctant to use the boot when there is not much luggage space to start with.

 

Interesting write-up.

Predictable, like the handling. I think reverse cameras, sensors & a long white stick are essential in most moderns.

The leaking boot is irksome; it's the sort on thing that makes the box-thinkers go running back to Porsche.

 

but this is something that shouldn't be happening on a £50k car

 

Interesting about the winters, you can really feel them on the S, in Chapman terms it "adds vagueness" . They are really soft and it's very clearly communicated.

I love the Ev but I think I'd go for the Exige if I were to make the leap as it's too compromised to be a family car for me at the min which means it would be a weekend toy currently

 

Lotus really need to sort out that kind of crap.

My Elise likes to let water in and it also likes to store it up inside the passenger door. When you open it after a heavy downpour you sometimes get around a pint of water that falls out of the bottom, onto the pavement thankfully.

I spoke to my local Lotus dealer about it and was told that 'they all do that sir'.

I felt like telling him that they fecking shouldn't. It's disappointing that the Evora is no different.

In an Elise it is somehow forgivable and you just get on with it, but the Evora is more of a luxury/premium product, albeit it made by 3 bearded blokes in a shed in Norfolk.

 

The sad thing is, you just accept these things. More palatable when you buy a used one, but still frustrating. Dealer told me that Lotus only ever claimed the Evora was 95% waterproof- 65% for the Elise.............

I also found a loose bolt (clearly from the car) rattling around the boot when pulling out the soggy carpet. I haven't got around to looking for its home. I trust it is not important. :)

 

Have you been able to identify if the water is coming in from below or from above via a dodgy boot seal? Perhaps time for some "witness boards", ie bits of cardboard or heavy paper than will show where the water is coming in ...