Report: Lotus Making Big Changes To The Evora

2015 Lotus Evora (Credit: Lotus)

There’s no denying that the Evora has been a disappointment for Lotus. The problem has been caused and compounded by turbulence the company has been through in recent years, leading some to question if it would survive. Fortunately, Lotus has proven to be quite resilient, and now it looks to be taking the Evora in a new direction.

Rumor has it that the heavily refreshed Evora will debut next month during the Geneva Motor Show. Those rumors also state that Lotus is making the car what it should have been from the beginning: lighter and more powerful. Some are claiming that the engine will put out somewhere between 10 to 15 percent more power than before. The current Evora uses a 3.5-liter V-6 engine from Toyota, which puts out 280 horsepower in base models and through supercharging makes 350 horsepower for Evora S models. Combined with a lower curb weight, the Evora would perform significantly better. That’s good news, considering that rival cars like the Porsche Cayman are also pushing the envelope. It also means that Lotus is perhaps finally remembering that making lightweight, fairly powerful cars is what put it on the map originally.

There will be some cosmetic changes to the Lotus Evora. The exterior should be more muscular in appearance, especially when it comes to the front and rear ends. Such alterations are likely being made to help the Evora shed its soft image that was a flop with consumers.

At the end of January, Lotus also announced plans to release the Exige S with an automatic transmission and paddle shifters, which should appeal to a certain subset of consumers who have fear of the third pedal. These changes could trigger the revitalization of Lotus, which in turn means more street-legal track cars coming to this side of the pond.