2020 Lotus Evora GT lightens up, adds brawn
An updated version of Lotus' evergreen sports car will have to hold us over until the Evija all-electric hypercar.
The future of Lotus is the recently revealed Evija, a seven-figure, all-electric hypercar that promises supernatural performance and outrageous looks. In the meantime, the plucky little British sports car manufacturer isn't exactly shooting blanks. Just revealed and priced is this 2020 Lotus Evora GT, the fastest and most-powerful street-legal car from the brand ever to hit the US.
The 2020 Lotus Evora GT is yet another distillation of the company's tiny mid-engined sports car, an evergreen offering that's been on sale since the 2010 model year. Powered by a retuned version of the familiar Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V6, the car's powertrain is good for 416 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual is standard and a paddle-shifter-equipped automatic with as many speeds is a $2,700 option (the latter receives a slight torque boost to 332 pound-feet). Despite its modest torque deficit, Lotus says the manual model remains slightly quicker, wearing an estimated a 0-60 mph time in 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 188 mph.
Starting at $96,950, this model, which stands in as a replacement for the Evora 400 and 410, also features revised aerodynamics for improved downforce, as well as special lightweight components. The Evora GT features a new rear diffuser that bookends the front end's aggressive splitter.
On all Evora GT models, the front fenders, rear bumper, vents, and bucket-seat shells are all made of carbon fiber. Pay a cool $10,000 extra, and you can have the roof, diffuser, rear hatch and door sills rendered in the pricy lightweight weave, too. An optional titanium exhaust that cuts 22 pounds from the GT's underbelly, but it'll also cut $8,000 from your bank account. With all of the lightweighting options fitted, Lotus says this car weighs just 3,104 pounds -- 71 pounds less than the Evora 400.
Tiny rear seats are optional, but why would you do that to innocent children?
As with many previous Evora models, the GT is offered in both two-seat and 2+2 configurations, but the latter isn't really good for much beyond padded storage and (maybe) an insurance discount.
Order books are open now.