SPIED! 2012 LOTUS EVORA S LEAVING NÜRBURGRING

[NINETY EIGHT REGENCY]

SPIED! 2012 LOTUS EVORA S LEAVING NÜRBURGRING

By Mark Kleis

Just hours after Leftlane revealed that Lotus was planning on bringing an Evora Auto and an Evora S to the upcoming 2010 Paris Motor Show, our spies managed to capture shots of a shiny red Evora S prototype as it exited the Nürburgring race track.

While just hours ago we had nothing but a name to go by, we have been able to glean a few details from our spy photos – the first ever taken of the Evora S. For starters, the most drastic change comes in the form of an all-new rear splitter which is significantly larger and more channeled than the found on the standard Evora. This test mule retains a dual-exhaust center exit, but the prototype has an unfinished pair of tips, leaving the exact style still unknown for the production car.

Aside from the rear diffuser – which does appear to feature backup sensors – no significant changes appear visible from the exterior shots we were able to capture. Our spies did however make contact with sources at the track that hinted in more changes when the Evora S puts on its production skin – so stay tuned for more details.

Updates arrives for the Evora one year after the model’s introduction

The Evora S variant could prove to be an exciting prospect, given Leftlane’s experience of the standard Evora was a very positive one – with the only thing keeping the Evora from being a serious contender coming from its relatively meager power. Should the Evora S gain some extra horsepower, it would make for a very complete package as both as a GT and a track car.

The Evora Auto should be, well, an automatic version of the Evora. Currently Lotus only offers the Evora with a six-speed manual in two flavors, one with gearing slightly more aggressive than the other. The addition of an automatic transmission may make purists cringe, but given the designation of being a GT car, it makes sense from a sales perspective. Here’s to at least hoping for paddle shifters as well.

Be sure to check back with Leftlane for live photos from the Paris Motor Show in early October.

link:

http://www.leftlanenews.com/lotus-evora-s.html