Popular Post m1980k Posted May 22, 2018 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 After waiting all year for a 2012 onwards manual Evora S +2 to come on the market, I finally picked one up from Snows Hedge End yesterday. It spent the first couple of years of its life at Lotus, so perhaps a management car, and I've been told the colour is unique and doesn't even have a name. So I'm calling it 'Carbon Aubergine' for the moment. It's dark metallic grey but with a purple flip - it's totally grey under cloud, and purple when the sun shines on it (so will look dark grey for about 300 days a year...). I've uploaded some mobile snaps, none of which really capture what it actually looks like! It's also fully loaded, with all the packs, including the sports racer style seats in black with red piping, and reversing camera. ( I really wanted a red interior, but I also actually wanted to find a car this year.) First impressions? Well, let's get the bad stuff out of the way. I knew the stereo was going to be bad, but..urgh... and I'll reserve judgement on the gearbox until I've tried some different oil in there. I suppose at least I can say I got the gear I needed 95% of the time. The trip up the M3 and around the M25 was actually pretty good. The seats are almost as excellent as the ones in my previous Maserati GranSport and I like the fact that the cruise control buttons are all that's on the wheel. Ride is good, although the noise made by the new Michelins on that horrible section of the M25 around Cobham was horrific. But definitely a good cruiser overall. Then I got onto some of my favourite local B roads between Edenbridge and Ide Hill. Now, I loved my Maserati - it looked great, the engine was a masterpiece and on smooth tarmac it was an exciting thing to thrash. But it could be a little wayward on the bumpy stuff and was not the sort of car you could grab by the scruff of the neck. The ride was also hard. I commute on the train and have a Leon Cupra ST300 for family duties. When I drive my 'special' cars, it's generally on local B roads or on road trips somewhere like North Wales. Anyway, I got the Evora onto the B roads and... I can't really convey my experience without triggering the swearing filter. This car in a B road monster. I bought it for the combination of ride, handling and steering at it delivered IN SPADES. I'm absolutely gutted that I'm going on holiday next week so I can't drive it again. Nothing I've ever driven is in the same universe on a challenging road. Looking forward to getting it on track and taking it closer to its limits, which seem pretty bloody high. BEST. CAR. EVER. (Although the blue 400 at Snows looks incredible, as does the Elise 250 Cup) 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MesTCS Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Gorgeous car, amazing colour. Glad you're happy. I would be too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibs Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Welcome! I know those roads well and there's some fun driving to be had around Ide Hill. Car looks lovely, great colour which I'm sure I've never seen! Congrats and I hope to see it at a meet sometime soon Quote 88 Esprit NA, 89 Esprit Turbo SE, Evora, Evora S, Evora IPS, Evora S IPS, Evora S IPS SR, Evora 400, Elise S1, Elise S1 111s, Evora GT410 Sport Evora NA For forum issues, please contact the Moderators. I will aim to respond to emails/PM's Mon-Fri 9-6 GMT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mik Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Nice 😎 Took me about 5months of waiting for one in my spec to appear too. Patience is a virtue apparently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bravo73 Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Welcome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM CocoPops Posted May 22, 2018 Gold FFM Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Welcome. Is there a paint code on the chassis label? I think the Evora has it on the upright behind the drivers seat (vertical carpet section under the seat cushion) Quote Current: 2021 Lotus Elise Cup 250 FE in Isotope Green, Red Alcantara Interior, Carbon Aero Kit, AirCon, Carpets & Mats, NVH pack, Cruise Control, Stereo, Red Calipers. Now Gone: 2018 Lotus Elise Sport 220 in Metallic Blue, Alcantara Pack, Forged Wheels, 2piece brakes, AirCon, Hard/Soft Tops, Red Calipers, Stereo, Interior Colour Pack, NVH Pack, Carpets, Mats. Previously Owned: 2016 Lotus Evora 400, 2010 Lotus Evora NA, 2003 VX220 Supercharged, 2001 VX220 Lightning Yellow Follow my Lotus journey here: http://www.FaceBook.com/HandmadeInHethel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAWS Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Welcome, your Evora looks great. Nice to see non-SR MY12 versions and in a rare colour. It's actually called Amethyst Grey, but I like your moniker. https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/long-term-tests/lotus/lotus-evora-s-22-2012-long-term-test-review/ 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM CocoPops Posted May 22, 2018 Gold FFM Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Ooh good spot. Theres the history of your car then OP 👍 Quote Current: 2021 Lotus Elise Cup 250 FE in Isotope Green, Red Alcantara Interior, Carbon Aero Kit, AirCon, Carpets & Mats, NVH pack, Cruise Control, Stereo, Red Calipers. Now Gone: 2018 Lotus Elise Sport 220 in Metallic Blue, Alcantara Pack, Forged Wheels, 2piece brakes, AirCon, Hard/Soft Tops, Red Calipers, Stereo, Interior Colour Pack, NVH Pack, Carpets, Mats. Previously Owned: 2016 Lotus Evora 400, 2010 Lotus Evora NA, 2003 VX220 Supercharged, 2001 VX220 Lightning Yellow Follow my Lotus journey here: http://www.FaceBook.com/HandmadeInHethel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin P Posted May 22, 2018 Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 Congrats, nice car. Did I see you in Cheam 45 minutes ago? Quote Blessed with the competence to be a slave to the incapable. Currently without a Lotus, Evora 400 Hethel Edition in Racing Green with Red leather and 2010 Evora N/A in Laser Blue and 1983 Lotus Excel LC Narrow body in Ice Blue all sadly gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1980k Posted May 22, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2018 (edited) That's my car! I actually read all those long term Car tests online (and of course wasn't put off by their whinging about silly things like fuel tank and boot size)... now I need to try and locate a paper copy of the mag with some pictures (I'm an Evo, not Car man). 2 hours ago, Colin P said: Congrats, nice car. Did I see you in Cheam 45 minutes ago? I bloody hope not, that would mean the car's been nicked already! Edited May 22, 2018 by m1980k Typo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post m1980k Posted May 23, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Now it's clear why the car is fully loaded - the person choosing the spec it wasn't footing the bill! Quote To that our 2+0 Evora S has become a 2+2 with the optional £1900 rear seats... We’ve got the Tech Pack too, which for £2800 adds an upgraded hi-fi system, a 7in touch-screen sat-nav, Bluetooth, MP3 connectivity, cruise control, a tyre pressure monitoring system and rear parking sensors. Another £350 bundles in a reversing camera, and powered door mirrors are the same again, and our car has the Premium Pack Sport for another £2500, so there’s heated leather buckets (ours are Ebony Black with red piping) and extra leather on the doors, armrest, centre console, and footwells. As for the exterior, we’ve opted for Amethyst Grey Premium Paint (£1500) which has a lovely purple tinge, and because I have a strange affinity for darkened alloys, a rather substantial £2200 has gone towards forged Gloss Black Design Wheels. With these the front wheels grow from 18s to 19s, the rears from 19s to 20s, and the standard Pirellis P Zeros become grippier P Zero Corsas. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM CocoPops Posted May 23, 2018 Gold FFM Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 That almost looks like a Configurator tool! We have all been saying Lotus should have one. Quote Current: 2021 Lotus Elise Cup 250 FE in Isotope Green, Red Alcantara Interior, Carbon Aero Kit, AirCon, Carpets & Mats, NVH pack, Cruise Control, Stereo, Red Calipers. Now Gone: 2018 Lotus Elise Sport 220 in Metallic Blue, Alcantara Pack, Forged Wheels, 2piece brakes, AirCon, Hard/Soft Tops, Red Calipers, Stereo, Interior Colour Pack, NVH Pack, Carpets, Mats. Previously Owned: 2016 Lotus Evora 400, 2010 Lotus Evora NA, 2003 VX220 Supercharged, 2001 VX220 Lightning Yellow Follow my Lotus journey here: http://www.FaceBook.com/HandmadeInHethel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1980k Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 6 minutes ago, CocoPops said: That almost looks like a Configurator tool! We have all been saying Lotus should have one. Ah... so that was just some kind of brochure pic?! Seems like I need to reconfigure my brain to cope with the Evora's grip levels, but also how Lotus do things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theelanman Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 congratulations..... Quote The Faster You Drive...The Slower You Age (Albert Einstein 14 March 1879 - 18 April 1955) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arregueti Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 That is a print screen from the configurator that was available back in the day. I know because I used it. To the OP: Congratulations. My car was also owned by Lotus, also a press car (as I found out later with pictures showing the tires being used similarly as yours above) and its UK registration number was AU61CEX (which funny enough can be read in more than one way ), so they must have been next to each other in the line. Enjoy the car. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1980k Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 23 minutes ago, Arregueti said: That is a print screen from the configurator that was available back in the day. I know because I used it. To the OP: Congratulations. My car was also owned by Lotus, also a press car (as I found out later with pictures showing the tires being used similarly as yours above) and its UK registration number was AU61CEX (which funny enough can be read in more than one way ), so they must have been next to each other in the line. Enjoy the car. Some people don't like the idea of a press car, but I think mine had 3 services in less than 2 years and you never hear a journo on a long-term test saying they just ignored the service indicator or couldn't be bothered to check the oil. And mine has brand new MPS4 tyres so I don't care what abuse previous sets took in the past! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arregueti Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 I agree. And it just adds to the charm of the car, having some history. It is the clutch you may be worried about, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LotusLeftLotusRight Posted May 23, 2018 Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 When you look at classic cars, those that appeared in documented road tests back in the day tend to be more valuable than regular customer cars. Everyone wants to pop a copy of said magazine on their dashboard at car shows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1980k Posted May 23, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 42 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said: When you look at classic cars, those that appeared in documented road tests back in the day tend to be more valuable than regular customer cars. Everyone wants to pop a copy of said magazine on their dashboard at car shows. I hope so. Just spent 30 quid on ebay to get some back issues of Car... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM TomE Posted May 23, 2018 Gold FFM Report Share Posted May 23, 2018 Congratulations and welcome to the fold! Lovely rare colour and nice to see all that history documented in Car. If you need an excuse for an interesting cross country drive check out our regular 3rd Sunday of the month breakfast gatherings at Newlands Corner near Guildford. Info in the SLEGS regional forum. Head out early to miss the cyclists! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post m1980k Posted May 25, 2018 Author Popular Post Report Share Posted May 25, 2018 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gold FFM CocoPops Posted May 25, 2018 Gold FFM Report Share Posted May 25, 2018 Nice one. 1 Quote Current: 2021 Lotus Elise Cup 250 FE in Isotope Green, Red Alcantara Interior, Carbon Aero Kit, AirCon, Carpets & Mats, NVH pack, Cruise Control, Stereo, Red Calipers. Now Gone: 2018 Lotus Elise Sport 220 in Metallic Blue, Alcantara Pack, Forged Wheels, 2piece brakes, AirCon, Hard/Soft Tops, Red Calipers, Stereo, Interior Colour Pack, NVH Pack, Carpets, Mats. Previously Owned: 2016 Lotus Evora 400, 2010 Lotus Evora NA, 2003 VX220 Supercharged, 2001 VX220 Lightning Yellow Follow my Lotus journey here: http://www.FaceBook.com/HandmadeInHethel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChrisJ Posted May 25, 2018 Report Share Posted May 25, 2018 When do you get your second one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EGTE Posted May 29, 2018 Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 Congrats on your purchase. You beat me to this car by about 1 day, dammit. 😀 Still looking.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
m1980k Posted May 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 29, 2018 7 minutes ago, EGTE said: Congrats on your purchase. You beat me to this car by about 1 day, dammit. 😀 Still looking.... I did give you a bit of a chance by procrastinating for a few days... hope you find a good one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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