Lotus Validates Evora 400 At Hethel

Having stated that the new Evora 400 supercar would exceed expectations, Lotus has now validated the claim. Early tests, carried out by Gavan Kershaw, Technical Manager for Lotus Motorsport, allowed Lotus to boast of a six seconds per lap advantage at Hethel. This validation drive of a standard road specification prototype Evora 400, running on road tyres and with standard road suspension supports the initial claim.

Jean-Marc Gales, CEO, Group Lotus plc stated: “Internally, we all knew that the Evora 400 would be capable of exceeding expectations. Our initial pre-production tests provided immense confidence and a SIX seconds lap time advantage at Hethel. The previous best time achieved in the Evora S model was 1 minute 38 seconds; the new lap time set by Gavan is 1 minute 32 seconds.

“Our commitment to reducing weight to create a lightweight and efficient supercar has paid off. The extra 55 hp in conjunction with the 22 kg weight reduction and the tremendous traction from the Limited Slip Differential (LSD) lead to benchmark handling. We are delighted that our customers will soon feel the benefits, when the first examples are delivered in August of this year.”

The new Lotus Evora 400 is the latest pure and focused supercar from Lotus, combining high performance with the legendary Lotus signature benchmark handling. It is faster and dynamically more capable than the previous Lotus Evora leading to greater agility and a more involving drive.

Maximum speed is 186 mph (300 km/h) and acceleration 0-60 mph is just 4.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.2 seconds). Over two thirds of the Lotus Evora 400 is new, including its supercharged and charge-cooled mid-mounted 3.5-litre V6 engine producing 400 horsepower and 410 Nm of torque. A new aluminium chassis incorporates a new interior and the lightweight composite body has changed significantly both front and rear.

The new Evora 400, which was revealed at the Geneva Motor Show in March will enter production for European markets in the summer and deliveries will commence in August this year. North American markets will receive the Evora 400 as a 2016 model year presentation in the Autumn, with China markets taking first deliveries in early 2016.

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