Lotus Evora GT410 reports for daily duty

LOTUS has bolstered its Evora line-up with the addition of the more useable and slightly more wallet-friendly GT410.

Sitting alongside the existing GT410 Sport, the GT410 takes the Evora line-up from one to two offerings and in its UK home market is priced from £82,900 ($A158,182), boasting revised spec levels in an effort to make the mid-engine sportscar a more comfortable day-to-day proposition.

Many of the revisions centre around the car’s standard equipment list but the biggest changes lie in the GT410’s refinement levels, which have been enhanced through a mixture of improved sound-proofing and a revised, more supple damper rate.

Lotus says the new suspension tune “still delivers an outstanding performance-oriented experience (but) creates a more compliant ride for improved real-world comfort”.

The addition of sticky Michelin Pilot Sport 4S all-weather tyres also factor into the equation, upping the GT410’s year-round useability while a new rear tailgate features a bigger glass panel to improve rear visibility.

Inside the cabin, Sparco sports seats, air-conditioning, a reversing camera, satellite navigation, premium infotainment system, DAB digital radio and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support are all included as standard, most of which can also now be found in the more driver-focused GT410 Sport.

Integrated armrests and storage bins in the doors also go some way in improving practicality and occupant comfort.

Under the bonnet, the new GT410 shares the same 3.5-litre supercharged V6 petrol engine as the

GT410 Sport, which in this guise produces 306kW of power and 410Nm of torque, put to the ground at the rear wheels via either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission.

This output, combined with a weight of just 1386kg, is enough to launch either version of the Evora from 0-100km/h in 4.2 seconds and on to a top speed of 298km/h (manual).

Elsewhere in the range, Lotus has taken the opportunity to diversify both its Elise and Exige with the reintroduction of the optional Touring and Sport packs designed to make the models either more road- or track-friendly.

Local pricing and launch timing for either of the new Evora GT410s is yet to be confirmed, though we know the Sport carries a £3000 ($A5797) premium over the GT410 in the UK and a massive €11,000 ($A17,978) premium in Germany.

Last year Lotus sold 10 examples of Evora in Australia, one fewer than it managed in the previous year.

The Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe and Convertible ruled the $80,000+ sportscar segment in 2019 with 2496 sales and a 45.6 per cent share of the segment.