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***** Straight from my heart......!! I lived 28 years (from 50-78 years of age) with my 1990 LHD Esprit Turbo SE.......it was a memorable love story. In April 2021 I traded her in for the last available new "2021" GT 410 Sport IPS in the Netherlands.......there are a total of 3 GT 410 Sport's now in the Netherlands and approx. 20 other new Evora types sold by the Dutch Lotus importer v.d. Kooi between 2010 and 2021. The GT 410 Sport cost you a rib off your body with the resp. official MSRP's of GBP 155k in 2018 and GBP 137k in 2019. I felt lucky to step in with a that time GBP 7,65k reduced price of GBP 118,5k......for my Esprit I received GBP 32k. ......a total investment of < GBP100k My Esprit was sold by v.d. Kooi within 1 week for GBP 38.250,- to a Ferrari + TVR owner. 🙄 It was difficult to trade in my perfect Esprit; especially because of my age and long time of ownership and love relation........however buying my (probably) last Lotus was a real challenge and I did it. I am very, very happy with the GT 410.....it is extremely exclusive in the Netherlands....it was my 1st "automatic" car with my between 1-1,5 million miles car history.....I feared the IPS, however I had to take it because it was part of the deal......now I am very, very happy with this IPS and his peddels.....I can drive the Evora both as a "man of age" and as a "youngster". I was aware of the coming Emira but felt better with the Evora GT 410 Sport which was the last and most improved version....it felt bombproof......furthermore I did not want to wait 1-2 years and to be confronted eventually with possible initial and small quality problems (sorry). And a Porsche would never be the car I would desire.

Once the Emira dust has settled and people calm down a bit here and elsewhere I think there will be others who quite reasonably prefer the Evora. GT410s are particularly handsome things I struggle to see the Emira as better looking. Sadly I think Lotus would be very opposed to an Evora vs Emira comparison, I hope someone finds a way to make it happen anyway, would be really intriguing but far too backward looking for ‘New Lotus’. Evora is now the car they want to airbrush out as they have done literally already from some promotional pictures! There is something about driving an Evora that I still struggle to articulate. A genuinely unique sensation, some strange alchemy producing both electric response and serene composure. A ravenous appetite for corners combined with a willingness to lope along on a motorway without quite the same yearning to come off at the first junction that you get in Elise or Exige. It’s very refined for a Lotus but feels like a track car compared to most GTs, looks big parked next to an Elise but always surprisingly compact compared to most others. Steering is light but full of detail, it’s a car of contradictions, perhaps not as well finished, single-minded or cohesive as a Cayman GT4 but a richer, more multi-layered experience with a more enduring appeal as a result. Must be a good food analogy to be had here! Malt Whisky vs grain Whisky perhaps? They both achieve a similar effect on the consumer and yes grain whisky is a lot more commercially successful and produced on a much bigger scale but there’s a bit more to savour in a fine single malt! 😁

The '02 onwards rear lighting harness is still available (part number A082M5126F) and is pretty reasonably priced. It may plug straight into the main rear harness but could need the multi-plug changing to suit the pre '98 main rear harness as I don't know if that differs.

Lot of relevant comments on this thread for me. I should introduce myself. Had two Elise's between '97-'05 but been yearning for an Evora since launch. In May I was hearing that production was due to stop, so went to spec my perfect new car only to hear "too late". I went for the next best thing, the unused GT410 demonstrator. There was excitement building around the soon to be revealed Emira but I'm a late adopter and preferred to go with the tried and tested. I've been tapped into all Evora reviews for over a decade so felt I knew what I was getting. Besides the Emira had been announced as 2 seats only, so 2+2 Evora still an essential element for family duties. The Emira reveal and subsequent comment that "Evora prices will tumble" had me wondering if I had done the right thing... Yes I think I have. It's everything I hoped it would be dynamically and IMHO looks sublime. It sits in an odd segment space between sports car, GT, and supercar and looks like nothing else. Even petrol head friends ask what is it? The Emira will be a far more common sight and for me is a little too far towards junior supercar. Lotus deserve to be successful with it, but I'm loving having its rare and slightly quirky older brother.