What's all this about?
Confusingly, the less track-biased version of the Evora GT430 will be called the GT430 Sport. Now that little bugbear is out in the open, what we have here is the fastest production Lotus in history. It does 196mph, for crying out loud.
Looks neat!
We'd have to agree, and while the deletion of a lot of the GT430's aero fripperies will mean slower lap times, it's a much cleaner shape. The car still produces 100kg of downforce at maximum speed, so it's not as if it's going to take off or anything of the sort.
What about the chassis?
It's broadly the same as the GT430, save for the fitment of slightly narrower Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 rubber (the wider items are optional). The trick Ohlins shocks, big AP brakes and clever switchable ESC are all present, as well as the 430hp version of the firm's supercharged V6 engine.
Why is it being built?
Good question, although our guess is that it aims to deliver a purer driving experience than its insanely focused brother. Porsche pulled a similar trick lately with that fast Beetle thing that they make, and it worked out pretty good for them...
How much?
Without options, you're looking at £104,500, a neat £8,000 saving on the GT430. There's an options list to plunder if you're feeling flush, along with Lotus's in-house personalisation program.
Is there an automatic option?
Yes. It's £2,600 and will be available from next January, but just don't OK? Please. Ditto for anything else that adds weight. Do you want the ghost of Colin Chapman to come back and berate you incessantly for ignoring his beloved philosophy? Thought not.
Maurice Malone - 6 Sep 2017
