Lotus Evora 400 smashes Evora S lap time at Hethel test track

Launched at the Geneva motor show talking a big game, the Evora 400 has delivered on its promise that it would “exceed expectations” by lapping the Hethel circuit in 1min 32sec.

The lap was completed by Lotus Motorsport technical manager Gavan Kershaw in a standard road-specification Evora 400 prototype with road tyres and standard suspension.

Group Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said the company’s commitment to reducing weight to create a lightweight and efficient sports car had paid off.

The manual Lotus Evora 400 weighs 1419kg, making it 22kg lighter than the Evora S.

Its revised 3.5-litre supercharged V6 produces 298kW and 410Nm – up 41kW and 10Nm from its predecessor.

Also gaining a limited-slip differential, Lotus claims the Evora 400 is “faster and dynamically more capable” than the previous Evora, leading to “greater agility and a more involving drive”.

The Lotus Evora 400 accelerates from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds and powers on to a 300km/h top speed (up 27km/h from before).

Based on a new aluminium chassis, the Evora 400’s lightweight composite body has been updated front and rear, while the cabin has also been overhauled to deliver newfound comfort and sophistication.

The Lotus Evora 400 will enter production for European markets in the coming weeks ahead of the first deliveries in August. Australian customers will have to wait until early 2016 to get behind the wheel, and for the announcement of local pricing and specifications. The outgoing Evora S is priced from $180,600 plus on-road costs.