Lotus has released technical details for two new versions of the Evora sports car, due to make their world debut at the Paris Motor Show next month. The Evora S is the new range-topper, while the IPS model features an automatic gearbox.
The Evora's 3.5-litre V6 engine produces 345bhp in S guise - a healthy increase of 70hp over the standard Evora. It allows the Evora S to reach 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and a maximum speed of 277km/h.
The power output is achieved by the addition of a supercharger. The new range-topper comes as standard with a Sport Pack and Sport button; pressing the latter raises the rev limit, dynamic control settings and an exhaust bypass valve - Lotus promising that the new exhaust sounds 'dramatic'.
Lotus Chief Commercial Officer Andreas Prillmann said: "It's the perfect combination of top performance, style and comfort. Form doesn't sacrifice function in the case of the Evora S."Featuring cross-drilled brakes and a head-up display the S will go on sale alongside the standard Evora. Lotus promises some of the S's improvements will filter down the range.
In addition to the Evora S Lotus will also unveil the Evora IPS in Paris. IPS stands for Intelligent Precision Shift; the Evora getting a two-pedal, paddle-shifted transmission. It's a six-speed unit like the manual, and offers a Sport mode to allow the driver to 'really feel' the shift. It's hoped the new automatic will broaden the appeal of the Evora to markets like the USA, Middle East and Asia.
The IPS won't be offered on the S model; it's optional on the standard Evora with 280hp. The new transmission increases the 0-100km/h time from 5.1 seconds in the manual car to 5.5 seconds, while CO2 and fuel consumption also increase marginally. More details, including pricing, will be detailed at the Paris Motor Show at the end of next month.