U.S.-spec Lotus Evora details leaked

While the 2010 Lotus Evora has already launched in Europe, the official release of the car in the U.S. has yet to take place. Normally we wouldn’t have the full U.S. specifications until that time. But thanks to the folks at Lotusenthusiast.net, we finally have the official US specs and they are impressive. A three page tech sheet has leaked out with all the juicy details.

The Evora will be powered by a Toyota V6 engine and output is rated at 276hp at 6400 rpm, while torque is 258 ft-lbs at 4700 rpm. The car will weight just over 3,000 lbs (3,047 to be exact) and thanks to a six-speed manual gearbox will be able to hit 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. 100 mph will come in 12.3 seconds. There is no mention of an automatic transmission, but one is expected to be offered. A sports transmission with shorter gears is an option.

As expected, with the fuel-efficient Toyota engine, as well as the light-weight Lotus chassis, fuel-economy is impressive with 22.8 mpg in the city and 43.5 mpg on the highway for an average of 32.5 mpg.

Lotus also gives braking distance figures for the Evora with its four-piston AP Racing calipers at each corner with front 13.8-inch rotors and rear 13.1-inch rotors. In any case, the Lotus will drop from 60 mph to 0 in 110.2 feet, which is pretty phenomenol. An aero package will also be available which includes a front splitter, flat underbody, rear diffuser and floating rear wing.

And the Evora is definitely further up-market than the Elise and Exige it loosely resembles. Inside, the premium materials and elegant - yet still minimalist - design reflect a completely different design premise from the stark, utilitarian cockpits of the more track-oriented Lotus models.

No word yet on pricing till now.

Lotus reveals new photos of Evora ahead of June launch

The wraps first came off the Lotus Evora 2+2 GT back in July 2008 but despite the car looking production-ready Lotus engineers had plenty of fine tuning to complete before the car could finally go on sale. Then, almost nine months later, Lotus finally confirmed the production specifications for the Evora and announced a launch date for this May. That date got bumped to June, but the car is finally on its way - for Europe at least.

To ramp up excitement for the launch, Lotus has released a new set of images of the Evora, revealing the interior and several new exterior shots. The Evora will go on sale in Europe this June as a 2010 model with a starting price of €50,412 for the basic two-seater model. Opt for the 2+2 seating configuration and buyers will have to pay an additional €3,000.

No word on a U.S. launch has been announced yet but already some big name celebrities, both here and abroad, have announced interest in it. On the list are Jay Leno, Daniel Craig, Pierce Brosnan, London Mayor Boris Johnson, musician Jay Kay, Richard Hammond and James May, Beyoncé, Dave Grohl, George Clooney, Kevin Spacey and Patrick Dempsey - to name just a few.

To kick off the sales launch, Lotus will be releasing a special version built in a limited run of just 450 cars. Called the ‘Lotus Evora Launch Edition’, the special version will be available in either Ardent Red or British Racing Green, and come with 2+2 seating, silver cast alloy wheels, an Alpine stereo, bi-xenon headlights and a reversing camera as standard.

The final specs for the car include a 3.5L petrol V6 producing 276hp (206kW) and 252lb-ft (342Nm) of torque. Straight line performance is impressive, with the zero to 100 km/h sprint taking place in just over 5 seconds with a top speed of over 260km/h. Official fuel economy figures for Europe are 19mpg (12.4L/100km) in the city and 36mpg (6.5L/100km) on the highway.

Standard features include a six-speed manual transmission, optimal shift time indicator, Bilstein dampers, 18in wheels up front and 19in wheels in the rear, a Bosch electronic differential lock, twin airbags, four-piston AP racing brakes, 350mm ventilated discs, halogen headlights, Recaro leather seats, aluminum trim, and an Alpine stereo.

Optional goodies include a 7in touchscreen display with satellite navigation, Bluetooth and USB connection, rear parking sensors and a camera, a titanium sports exhaust tailpipe, an engine oil cooler, a sports diffuser and an engine pack with enhanced throttle response.

Source from: motorauthority.com