What It’s Like to Drive the 416-hp Lotus Evora GT
Matt Farah of The Smoking Tire on YouTube took the new 2020 Lotus Evora GT out for a test drive and he was pretty impressed with the results. Since most people probably won’t get to drive one, why not live vicariously through Matt by watching the video embedded below?
As the culmination of the Evora model range in the U.S., the Lotus Evora GT replaces the Evora 400 and 410. With a supercharged Toyota 3.5-liter V6, the Evora GT makes 416 horsepower, 16 more horses than the aptly named Evora 400, and gets 317 lb-ft. or torque. The top speed of the Evora Lotus GT is 188 mph. At a curb weight is just over 3,100 pounds it’s still light for a modern sports car.
An introduction to the Lotus Evora GT
Matt starts out by saying the Lotus Evora GT is a lot like the Evora 410 which he’s also driven. The Evora GT has added horsepower and additional trim. Lotus has also changed out the tires.
The Evora GT has been aerodynamically optimized and has a weight of 3,175 pounds wet. That means 416 hp is enough to get the Evora GT from 0-to-60 mph in 3.8 seconds. Matt drove a manual transmission version of the car but explains that the Evora GT is also available with an automatic transmission.
The Evora GT has a trans cooler with a limited-slip differential and an aluminum chassis. It also features AP Racing brakes, four-piston calipers with 375-millimeter discs in the front, and lightweight forged wheels with Cup 2 tires.
Evora GT Driving Experience
How does the Evora GT compare to its predecessors in Matt’s opinion?
He explains that those who are unhappy that Accura no longer produces the original NSX will love the Lotus Evora GT. It’s about the same weight and weight distribution as an older NSX but is far more comfortable and powerful.
Modernized for today, the Evora GT has the sound and speed and what Matt called “anologness” a car enthusiast could want. He explained that for sports car fans, the Evora GT was a strong example of how an analog sports car can still be modern.
The Evora GT has a six-speed manual transmission and an old-school limited-slip differential. He explains the steering is rack and pinion and there’s only one shock setting. But it provides a really balanced and extremely fast, nimble ride.
Matt describes the Lotus as an easy-to-live-with car. According to him, Lotus produced a well-rounded vehicle using simple components and methods. There are no advanced features in the car and the engine is from a Toyota Camry. Despite that, according to Matt, the driving experience is second to none.
As he drives, he comments that the balance of chassis is very good and understeering doesn’t exist. The Evora GT handles bumps in the road with ease. The turning ration, while not amazing, he said was pretty good. It gets 2.6 turns lock-to-lock.
When it comes to cost, the car Matt test drove cost around $122,000 and had many options. The base price is $96,000. The car he tested had $10,000 in carbon fiber, $6,000 in green paint, and an $8,000 titanium exhaust. Matt explained that out of those three options, he’d personally keep the titanium exhaust. He explained he was okay with silver and plastic trim because, for him, they didn’t really change the car’s performance. The car Matt test drove has a carbon fiber rear hatch and slats for a window.
He appreciated the shifter for being short, direct, notchy, and easy to manipulate without any extra effort. He does note that since the throttle is a drive-by-wire throttle, revving up the engine is dumbed down. It’s necessary to slowly manipulate the pedal if you want to rev the engine. It was the only fault he found with the car.
He found the steering to be just right. The seats he said were super comfortable and he appreciated the small amount of space in the rear for some of his gear like his camera equipment.
The Smoking Tire Verdict
The differences between the GT and previous models were minimal enough that Matt said he normally wouldn’t review the newer version. He described the driving experience as being “so good” and was grateful to have five more days with it. He explained that the Evora GT is a great highway car with a lot of power. He described the car’s handling as spectacular and loved how it was perfectly balanced.
