km : First Drive

Last year I turned forty and didn’t think much of it. Eventually though, the weight of that milestone set in and I realized that while I may still feel young, I have some pretty grown-up decisions to start making. In truth, nothing could be more morbid than thinking of what will happen after you’re gone, but this much I know for sure: when I inevitably stop processing oxygen and Red Bull, I want to be cremated (110-octane Sunoco would be a nice send-off, but I hear they do it a bit differently) and have my ashes spread on Carmel Valley Road. Preferably they’d be scattered by the wake turbulence of a fast-moving sports car until I end up littering every square inch of that incredible asphalt. Using all of the road, if you will, even in death. The car of choice may seem trivial at that point, but a recent sprint through the valley in Lotus’s newly supercharged Evora S left me inspired. Lucky for me, I had a chance to pre-run my funerary procession while still very much alive, and I’m confident that my final ride would at least be swift and tidy.

By having a blower bolted up to its 3.5-liter V6, Lotus’s exotic-looking Evora finally has the chops to back up its styling. Where the standard Evora’s 276-horsepower engine seemed just adequate for the 3000-pound car, it lacked the kind of edgy, visceral performance necessary to compete with the big boys. The blown version not only boosts overall output to 345 horses, it significantly fattens up the torque curve from idle onward — peak is 295 lb-ft at 4500 rpm compared to the standard car’s 258 lb-ft at 4700 revs — finally delivering a praise-worthy accelerative experience.

Compared to the standard Evora, the supercharged S scoots to 60 mph six-tenths of a second quicker (4.3 seconds) and tops out ten miles per hour faster (172 mph). But zero-to-sixty and terminal velocity figures don’t begin to tell the story of just how much the supercharger adds to the Evora’s essential character. As we cited in our first drive of the Evora last year, the naturally aspirated engine doesn’t really stir until about 4500 rpm. Add a little boost, however, and that sweet spot comes alive at least a thousand rpm sooner. The difference is immediately noticeable.

The sacrifices for adding boost are few. Weight goes up by only 120 pounds to 3168. Fuel economy drops by just a single digit in both city and highway ratings to 17 and 26, respectively. It’s only at the cash register that the difference between the two models comes into clearer focus: You’ll pony up an extra twelve grand (base price is $76,000 for the two-seater, another $1500 for a 2+2 configuration) to tap into the additional power. Part of the upgrade includes the sport-ratio gearbox, a $1500 option on the base Evora, as well as that model’s optional sport package ($1275). That still leaves a more than $9000 gap, but a back-to-back drive of the two should leave no doubt about the upgrade’s value.

The enhanced atmospheric pressure comes from a Harrop HTV 1320 supercharger mounted atop the engine in traditional fashion. This unit is the same twin-screw, Roots-type blower used on other small-displacement performance cars like the early Chevy Cobalt SS and Saturn Ion Red Line, (GM later switched to turbos) employing Eaton’s latest Twin Vortex Series technology for greater thermal efficiency than the unit on your uncle’s old street rod. Boost is a modest 5.5 pounds, enough to make a difference, but not so much to require the added weight and complexity of an intercooler, or even a change in the 10.0:1 compression ratio for that matter. The only addition other than the charger itself is a second oil cooler, for obvious reasons.

The Evora S (as well as other 2011 Evoras) also benefits from numerous running changes since our last time behind the wheel. These include lower-friction gearshift cables, a new pedal box assembly that reduces clutch pedal effort, and a damper to reduce clutch pedal vibrations transmitted to the driver’s left foot. The gearbox is the same sport-ratio six-speed ‘box as before, based on the Toyota EA60 but with Lotus’s own gears. The Evora S’s clutch, however, has been uprated to cope with the additional torque of the supercharged engine, gaining a heavy-duty, low-inertia setup with a new lightweight flywheel.

Otherwise, the Evora S is essentially the same as the Evora with a sport package: a phenomenally balanced chassis and brake setup; sexy, exotic bodywork that looks ready for the track; great seats and a mildly befuddling ergonomic arrangement wrapped in lots of hand-stitched leather. In short, a truly modern interpretation of the classic British sports car, quirks and all.

Laguna Seca and Carmel Valley Road

It’s no secret why one of the biggest and best classic automotive gatherings takes place on Northern California’s Monterey Peninsula every August. The scenery is breathtaking, the weather is almost always agreeable and the roads are among the best anywhere. And it’s no doubt why Lotus chose to introduce us to the Evora S here.

Nestled in the mountains east of Monterey is the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway, a 2.2-mile road course with 300 feet of elevation change from its highest point (at the entrance to the infamous Corkscrew at turn 8/8a) to its lowest. It’s a track that definitely favors powerful cars, with lots of distance between most of its eleven corners; but it also demands finesse, with a tight, acute left that dumps you onto the main straight (if you get it right) which itself is capped with a slow, downhill double-apex hairpin that exceeds 180 degrees when all is said and done.

Here, the newly lengthened legs of the Evora S have a chance to stretch. The course requires mostly third gear, with second in those couple of tight turns and a brief stint in fourth before turn 6. Being fast here means not only making speed, but keeping it too. The Evora’s race-bred chassis, with double wishbones front and rear, keeps the Pirelli P-Zero Rosso performance rubber in constant contact with the ground. With most of the weight (61%) over the rear wheels, the front tires aren’t never overworked, leaving them free to do their job of braking and turning. Steering, while mildly boosted for a light hand at low velocity, is among the most pure and natural experiences at speed. The small-diameter, flat-bottomed steering wheel sends precise messaging back to the driver’s hands, leaving no doubt as to what’s happening just below. Likewise, the AP Racing-developed brakes are firm under foot, with a very direct, linear action. The true test of the car’s balance was evident after numerous hot laps — the tires showed no unusual signs of wear and the brake pedal was as firm as on lap one.

A couple of standard Evoras were on hand for laps as well, including a 2010 model without all of the drivetrain upgrades. The difference in peak power and the broader torque band were immediately felt, especially climbing the hills of this demanding track. Better still, the changes to the shifter and clutch system were just as welcome, lending a more polished overall experience to the updated cars.

As much fun as the Evora S was at the track, it truly came to life on the narrow, twisty, hilly roads of the Carmel Valley. Here, the long stretches of open road are far fewer, with many more tight, blind corners in between. The shadows from the trees play hell with a driver’s senses, camouflaging the true nature of the road surface until the last possible instant. Water sometimes dapples the asphalt, and other times it just looks as though it’s wet. Fallen rocks litter the shoulders, wildlife darts from nowhere, and the path just goes narrow at times. In contrast to the rhythm that eventually develops between car and driver at a track, even one as technically challenging as Laguna Seca, the conditions on the more than forty miles that make up Carmel Valley Road change constantly.

Having driven this route before in both directions, I instinctively turned off the radio and instead tuned in my internal sensors. The road rewards alertness from every corner, and with a car like the Evora S, the rewards can be great. Just like at the track, the very flexible third gear offered up the best way to explore the full range of the power band in the wild. The supercharged V6 offered enough boost to pull the coupe through tight corners from revs as low as about 2500 rpm. On some of the more open stretches, the engine eagerly pulled to its 7000-rpm redline without complaint. Power delivery is linear and predictable, with no flat spots or peakiness.

On the occasion when second was needed for a corner, the Evora S positively sling-shotted out. However, even with traction control turned off the chassis still seemed reluctant to fully let go. With that much weight over the rear wheels, it’s hard to unsettle them except in the worst of conditions.

As much as the extra power was welcome, it was the reflexive nature of the steering, suspension and brakes made the blast through the woods a genuine thrill ride. Each small input resulted in exactly the precise adjustment I’d calculated in my head. Even more amazing was how well the suspension soaks up the many imperfections in the road while maintaining such poise under duress. Many other sports car makers could learn a thing or two by studying the Evora’s chassis.

One of our early complaints about the Evora was its lack of aural animation, even with the optional sport exhaust. The supercharger adds a thin layer of additional mechanical complexity to the soundtrack, but for all the excitement it was brewing at its four contact patches, the Evora S still seems to be searching for a soul.

I, on the other hand, know exactly where my soul is. It lies in the broken pavement and shadowy chicanes of the Carmel Valley. On this day, in the heart of my so-called mid-life crisis, I’m happy to say the Evora S spread nothing more of mine across this amazing highway than joy and excitement.

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