Bought this a few weeks ago, but keeping quiet about it for various reasons.







Been looking for about 6 months since my second S met its end last November on black ice near Braemar











Considered 996 turbo - still a Porsche and wanted something "different", probably faster than necessary; Noble M12 GT3R - no luggage space, and maintenance niggles likely to become a PITA; Ginetta G40R - likely too hardcore for road use, but wished I'd got around to trying it; TVR (see Noble M12).

I have to say, I wasn't blown away by the Lotus in the test drive, but it was wet, and a short route - nothing I disliked though, so decided all those reviews couldn't be wrong - and, err, so far they were spot on.

So after my first decent trip in it today ............

Pros: Communicative steering, flat high/any speed cornering with no drama, seems to be able to put the power down with little drama, comfortable, nice noise (and that's with standard exhaust and induction), supple but firm ride, a little quicker than the S2000 (difficult to tell how much due to different engine characteristics),looks terrific (if you think the colour is too loud, in dreich Scotland it is a welcome ray of sunshine), women like it.

Cons: Gearbox - not a great change, but well documented - I can live with mine, but it has had a fair bit of post acquisition dealer update/refinement so is actually one of the better ones, Lotus "quality" which is generally to do with interior - in reality it is quite a bit better than I expected - radio/sat-nav set up is very iffy, apparently boot seals (maybe others?) leak, cruise control is hit and miss (literally, you need to wallop it and occasionally it co-operates), flimsy trim, letterbox rear view not helped very much by rear view camera and lots of machines that go beep, the 6 settings on the intermittent wiper seem to be much the same.

More in due course.

 

Well done, nice purchase! I think the prices are pretty hard to ignore now, which helps, and is often sealed by the test drive

Shame about the S but all's well that ends well I guess?

 

Great choice Euan. Shame about the colour but if women like it then tant mieux.

Those wouldn't be my wheels that let go on the black ice?!

/>

edit: that was one dead cert right off, no body panel untouched! Looks like you managed to exit via the passenger door /> I hope you were ok and get a reasonable deal out of the insurance people.

 

No it wasn't your wheels - actually they were Razzele's who I bought them off after rashly selling mine/yours to someone else when I thought the bad winters had gone forever.

Didn't escape free of injury sadly - minor busting of tib and fib, but more importantly ruptured ACL, which is still giving me plenty trouble. Impact led to my left knee walloping tranmission tunnel with enough force to do the damage. Could have been an awful lot worse though, so can't complain too much.

Insurance settled for fair price very quickly afterwards - good result from Admiral I thought.

 

Great stuff Euan ...

I'm very envious. I have no problem with the colour and indeed think that striking looking cars need striking colours to match.

Trying to remember if I knew about your accident in the old S. Perhaps it was covered on the Jock forum ... .

Anyhoo, enjoy the car and fingers crossed you have some dry (and non-slippy) conditions to get to know your new steed.

(For the record, Euan doesn't need an orange car to attract the burdz. He's been fighting them off with a stick for years ... )

 

Ouch.

You must have hit that ditch wall sidewise with some gusto. Almost a footballer's injury with nobs on.

How do you find the clutch on the Evora? Though I guess your medial/patellar are able to take the strain ok.

 

Sorry to hear about the accident and injury Euan. I know you're pretty good in shite conditions, which makes it all the more surprising.

Can't wait to see the proper snow pics with the evora!

 

Lovely car and a cracking colour, am i imagining things but are those sheep about the same orange as the car or is it some kind of photography trick

 

I have occasionally seen orange sheep in the highlands. I have no idea why though.

 

Brings back memories, doesn't look like it has changed much in the past 30 years.

New car looks *very* nice. How does it handle on some of the rougher highland roads?