Aside from the launch and handing over ceremony of one of the first Lotus 3-Eleven track oriented sports car, Lotus Cars Malaysia also officially launched the Evora Sport 410 model here in Malaysia. This is the latest Evora variant to be produced and it is basically lighter, more powerful and therefore faster than the 'entry-level' Evora 400.
What makes the Sport 410 slightly different is the cut in weight, by more than 70 kg. This is made possible by the adoption of hand-made carbon fibre components. Rather than just replacing existing parts with lighter versions, each has been redesigned and enhanced in order to make the most of the composite’s properties. Covering the car from front to back, these include front splitter, revised front access panel, roof section, tailgate, rear quarter panels, and rear diffuser. These are joined by race-derived carbon sports seats, which themselves save 9kg each.
In addition to boosting acceleration (due to having better power to weight ratio), the car’s dry weight of just 1,270 kg (1,280 kg without the optional titanium exhaust) results in sharper and more intuitive handling. These lightweight parts also help in lowering the centre of gravity, it has allowed for the re-calibration of the suspension – with an improved geometry and revised setup. The re-valved dampers provide an increase in compression and rebound, while the effective rise in spring rate and a reduction in ride height by 5mm provide better body and roll control, yet ride comfort and composure are retained.
Inspired by some of Lotus’ most-famous heritage models, the one-piece carbon tailgate incorporates a louvered section which, together with carbon rear quarter panels, help provide the car with a sleek, fastback silhouette. However, the benefits of this are far more than aesthetic. A significant chunk of the development time was spent honing the car’s aerodynamic performance. The use of the new carbon components, and the careful modelling of air flow over and under the sculptured bodywork has effectively doubled downforce, now up to 64 kg, yet resulted in a slightly lower drag coefficient overall. Increasing stability at high speeds, it cements the Evora’s reputation as a genuine supercar and it joins a select group that can genuinely exceed 190 mph yet remain tractable. According to the folks at Lotus Cars, you still can (basically see through the rear even with the louvers.
Developed through the Lotus 3-Eleven project, the Evora Sport 410’s engine is a higher-output version of the supercharged, 3.5-litre 6-cylinder unit, producing 410 hp at 7000 rpm and 410 Nm of torque at 3500 rpm (However, Malaysian specced Sport 410s actually make 420Nm torque, how lucky we are).
Utilising an integrated water-to-air charge cooler, it’s undergone thousands of hours of development and testing, including performance evaluation at the infamous Nürburgring Nordschleife circuit. Tipping the car well over the 300 hp/tonne benchmark, at 320 hp/tonne it is a vital contribution to the Evora’s credentials, with the addition of the (optional) titanium exhaust silencer improving this figure further still.
As befitting a car of such capability, the Evora Sport 410 is equipped with ultra-lightweight forged aluminium wheels and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres. The 10-spoke forged aluminium wheels reduce unsprung mass and have been produced specifically to work with the Sport 410, while the addition of the high-performance Michelin tyres help provide detailed driver feedback and outstanding traction.
Purists will opt for the Evora Sport 410’s six-speed manual gearbox, which features a low-inertia flywheel, to help ensure swift changes, while a Torsen-type limited slip differential (LSD) gives better traction, and faster exit speeds when cornering. Available as an option, the six-speed automatic transmission utilises an optimised gearbox ECU for ultra-fast changes, while gear selection is made via lightweight aluminium paddles mounted to the steering wheel.
The new Evora Sport 410 also features Lotus’ Dynamic Performance Management (DPM) which, selected via a dashboard switch, provides ‘Sport’ and ‘Race’ settings. Proportionally increasing throttle response, lowering traction slip thresholds and removing understeer recognition, it allows enhanced control before the system intervenes. Sport and Race settings also activate the Evora Sport 410’s variable-pressure exhaust system – sharpening performance and hardening the engine’s note at higher speeds.
Only available in a 2+0 configuration (but you can opt for the rear seats like in the Evora 400 here if you want them here), the Evora Sport 410’s carbon fibre sports seats are trimmed with Alcantara® as standard, along with the steering wheel, lower dashboard, transmission tunnel and centre console. An integrated touch-screen entertainment system can also be specified, including iPod® connectivity and Bluetooth® functionality.
The rest of the Sport 410’s cabin received close attention during its development. In a deliberate nod to the Esprit GT3, the Evora’s interior has subtle design cues, such as the optional colour coded interior components, which reference the car's lineage. Weight saving measures include attractive one-piece door trim panels finished in Alcantara® with contrast stitching, the deletion of door arm rests and stowage pockets, the relocation of tailgate and fuel filler release buttons and the removal of speakers (as a super lightweight option if you are really that hardcore) - if an entertainment system is not specified.
The Lotus Evora Sport 410 will be limited to a global production of 150 units per year and is now officially available here in Malaysia. The Price for this newest Evora variant starts at RM640,999 for the manual transmission and from RM651,999 for the automatic
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