Lotus Evora - Design Story

[Mark H]

Lotus Evora - Design Story

By Russell Carr – Head of Lotus Design

Evora, designed in-house by Lotus Design, is our first all-new Lotus since the

iconic Elise and represents the first stage of an exciting three-car model line

up on which we are hard at work.

The bold decision to create a unique 2+2 mid-engine layout was all part of our

strategy to broaden the Lotus customer base by offering a vehicle that offers

greater everyday usability and cabin accessibility without compromising looks

or driving experience. However, we are not about to abandon Lotus’ unique

performance through light-weight philosophy and will continue to develop the

Elise-based product lines (Exige and 2-Eleven) for those customers who

demand the purest driving experience. Whereas Elise was originally conceived

as a track car for the road, Evora is perceived as a road car for the track.

The brief we were given by the Lotus Chief Executive, was simply to design a

stunning 2+2 mid-engine sports car which also offered the everyday usability

demanded by modern customers. We knew that we had to move the game on

and create a progressive and dynamic design statement that also retained

strong Lotus DNA. Although aggressive aerodynamic and packaging criteria

dictated that the form would have to complement the function, we never lost

sight of the fact that sports cars are, above all, emotional purchases that

seduce the customer through beautiful design. Therefore we ensured that the

2+2 capability became a hidden bonus rather than the dominant feature of the

design. It was also important to consider the longevity of the production life

and avoid fashionable themes in favour of designs that were contemporary

with a classical twist.

Exterior

We kicked off the programme in the autumn of 2006 with a plan to start

production in January 2009. A three-week exterior sketch programme,

involving all the design team, was concluded by the selection of the three

designs from Anthony Bushell, Steven Crijns and myself. These themes were

then developed into 1/3 scale models for review in December 2006. During

this phase, the studio worked closely with the vehicle architect, Richard

Rackham, and the packaging group to optimise the proportions around this

tight package and challenging 2+2 layout.

Although we don’t have a rigid corporate design language there are some

common visual philosophies which guided the early designs. Firstly, the design

should reflect the unique driving experience of our cars, and therefore it needs

to be athletic, agile and sleek. Secondly, we like where appropriate to make a

feature of functional details. Thirdly, and most obviously, we have a distinctive

front intake, the ‘Lotus Mouth’, which has evolved from the simple elliptical

device applied to our road and race cars of the 1950s.

Unsurprisingly then, the three themes clearly showed some consistent design

ideas but were subtly differentiated by surface language and window graphics.

The themes convey agility through a strong stance which is created by the

short rear overhang and ‘cut away’ sill that push the large (larger than the

front), rear wheels to the extremities of the body. Athleticism comes from the

taut body that wraps tightly over the package and the strong ‘Coke bottle’ form

that highlights the muscle of the rear fender. Sleekness is communicated by

the fast, visor screen graphic that sweeps around the tear-drop cabin and by

the fluid surfaces that draw the eye effortlessly over the length of the car.

The ingenious treatment of aerodynamic criteria such as the downforce

generating, top exit radiator vent, diffuser and rear wing clearly demonstrate

the integration of form and function. Elsewhere intakes, such as the shoulder

scoops have been located in the optimised position. However, form and

function is also evident in the distinctive, cutaway sill that not only improves

stance by removing visual weight from the bodyside but also improves ingress

and egress.

The scale model from Steve Crijns was selected in December 2006 for

development as fully feasible full-size clay which achieved sign-off in early

August 2007. Everyone is very proud of the whole design but I think the

greatest success is the way in which we were able to work with the proportions

of a 2+2 layout. We had to play a few tricks to disguise the length of the

wheelbase (the kicked shoulder line and sill cut) and the height of the cabin

(the ‘crossover graphic’ between the side glass and rear screen) but they

have, ironically, become some of the car’s signature features.

Interior Design

In order to be instantly recognisable as a Lotus, the Evora’s interior had to be

sporty, pure and driver-focused. However, within this market segment, the

race car inspired technical minimalism of the Elise and Exige was

inappropriate. The cabin had to feel more luxurious, special and surprising. We

have played on our skills as a lowvolume manufacturer by using soft handstitched

leather trimmed surfaces but juxtaposed them against precisionengineered

metal inserts to give a contemporary but classical, British handcrafted

ambience.

Tactile quality is incredibly important within this segment and so we wanted the

interior to use honest premium materials. Much of the switchgear is bespoke,

and every component that looks as though it is made from metal genuinely is

made from metal. High-quality features abound such as the flush-mounted

metal momentary switches that sit within the metal panels. They feel special to

use and their edge-lit design is reminiscent of a high-end hi-fi.

The fluid surfaces and crisp feature lines of the interior perfectly harmonise

with the forms of the exterior design. From the outset the team wanted to

create a cockpit-like environment that would connect the occupants with the

driving experience. To achieve this, careful attention was paid to both layout

and form. Inspired by the

dramatic sweep of the visor screen, the interior surfaces, which are highlighted

by a contrast band of colour, wrap seamlessly around the cabin and cosset the

passengers. The flat-bottomed steering wheel, figure-hugging sports seats,

contemporary instrumentation and ergonomically-positioned controls provide

an intuitive connection between driver and car, ensuring that it becomes a

natural extension of their body.

Prior to the British International Motorshow unveiling, I was frequently asked

whether I was nervous about the public and press reaction. Designing a new

Lotus obviously carries a significant responsibility but I was uncharacteristically

confident because I was 100% sure that as a team we had met and exceeded

the expectations of the brief. So far my confidence does not appear to have

been misplaced and the car has received generous praise from press, industry

and customers. The initial feedback appears to confirm that we have

successfully extended our brand beyond the enthusiast market while retaining

the DNA to make the car instantly recognisable as a Lotus.

Lotus Evora: 205 g/km CO2

32.5 mpg (8.7 litres / 100 km) - Combined Cycle

22.8 mpg (12.4 litres / 100 km) - Urban Cycle

43.5 mpg (6.5 litres / 100 km) - Extra Urban Cycle

 

 

Related images are here:

 

http://www.midlandslotus.co.uk/forum/index...=sc&cat=178

 

This post has been promoted to an article

20100126_184337.194.679.pdf