Motormax Lotus Evora S

In the US the only car on sale at Lotus for the time being is the Evora; the Elise was dropped from the US market in 2010 after failing to meet the new airbag requirements.  A new platform by 2018 will return the Elise and hardtop Exige to the US.  Since then the sleek Lotus has encountered room for more passengers, luggage, comfort, and power while still retaining the lightweight formula that was the heart of founder Colin Chapman.  A company like Motormax making the Evora would seem unlikely, but they did and this one has some interesting perks to it.

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The Evora was introduced at the 2008 London Auto Show alongside a Matchbox version that was released later in 2008.  The Evora was designed to expand on Lotus profitability by offering an Elise with more power, more room, and better suited for highway driving that would be otherwise complicated in the sparse Elise and Exige.  The rear seats are useless, like a Porsche 911, but at least they can carry people in a pinch, or better yet used to carry cargo when the front trunk is not enough.  The powertrain is supplied by Toyota and started with the 3.5L DOHC V6, a pretty good motor, backed by a six-speed manual, and now offers the IPS automated manual, and now a supercharged 3.5L DOHC V6 on the Evora S that produces 345 hp.. and 290 Ib-ft of torque.  0-60 takes 4.4 seconds and can reach a top speed of 178 MPH.  To add to the sleekness includes blacked-out mirrors and exterior mirrors.

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Motormax offers two different versions: the racing-based GT-4 with green paint, front and rear spoilers, and IPS automated manual transmisson, or the Evora S seen here in Red or Yellow with sleek multi-spoked blacked-out wheels that really compliment this car!  However, only the red has blacked-out headlight housings with silver lamps (the yellow has an all-silver unit).  The lower bumper and hood scoops have detailed and nicely-recessed grille areas.  The sides have a pinched beltline to allow optimal airflow to the upper side NACA ducts to the engine, while black trim and exterior mirrors give the cabin a helmet-like appearance.  Out back the rear spoiler hovers over the rear with quad taillights (I added the silver reverse lamps), Lotus and Evora badges, and lower air diffuser that has the central exhaust tip with dual inner pipes surrounding a silver housing.  So far, so good until you get near the engine compartment where the paint looks rough near the black vents.

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This casting only has opening doors, so while that may be a negative in reality it's not as most of what you see of the supercharged 3.5 V6 when the rear trunk is open is what you see in the rear window: just the engine cover (note: I added silver in the mesh vent below the silver cover to represent the visible supercharger on the real car).  The front trunk? Don't ask, not much there!  The base?  Only the slight showing of exhaust at the rear (again, highlight by me) to an otherwise covered-up undercarriage, while the wheels are not individual spun units (secured by pin axles) and lack any brake rotor details.  The inside sports two sporty seats with no seats in the back; just a blank space.  The dashboard is clean and hovers over the center console where the HVAC controls, shifter, and parking brake resides.  The navigation system sits to the right of the red-needled gauges behind a 3-spoke steering wheel.  It looks gorry in all-black, so I spiced it up with silver accent trim on the dashboard, door panels, steering wheel, pedals, and shifter.  Now the interior looks more eye-catching than before, as does the exterior after I cleaned it up because this car was picked up at a Tractor Supply store and it was pretty dirty when I got it.  Now the car really shines and shows off that aggressive exterior so well in bright colors on blacked-out rims.

With Welly 1:24 Lotus Elise 111S:

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