MotorMouths

A discerning few Porsche clients might find they prefer the new Lotus Evora, less raw and more relaxed than the Elise but still 300 pounds lighter than the lightest 911.

The 2011 Lotus Evora combines 160mph performance and sub-5.0 sec 0-60mph acceleration with estimated 30mpg real-world fuel consumption.

Lotus seems as if it’s ready to break out of its niche as a maker of hobby cars to become a mainstream manufacturer. You can actually live with an Evora every day.

Good cars make you feel like a hero. Great cars compliment and connect with every fiber of your being. The Evora S falls into the latter camp.

The Lotus Evora is a real driver’s car. With precise engineering, phenomenal handling, and stunningly good looks, it’s easy to overlook the Evora’s weak spots.

Lotus’s Evora offers a compelling alternative to a Porsche 911, with fine handling, a supple ride and more extreme looks. Some quirks let it down but it’s an impressive package.

The Evora looks fabulous, it’s a quantum leap up in Lotus refinement and driveability, yet it retains the feathery, purebred feel of its feisty two-seat siblings.

Lotus really has struck a rare seam of creativity with the Evora. It’s different while being as comfy as any rival, and it drives brilliantly.

You won’t buy an Evora just because it’s a Lotus. You’ll buy it because you want a comfortable, practical, mid-engined supercar and no one else makes such a thing.

After two solid days of driving the 2011 Lotus Evora S, I’m not sure if I should write a review about it or erect a temple and pray to it.

It’s impossible not to love the Lotus Evora S, even if you don’t always like it. It’s wickedly fast, incredibly capable, and easy to drive at the limit.

The 2011 Lotus Evora is a Lotus. As purebred and track-ready as the rest of the Lotus family, but one that brings fresh new DNA to one of the world’s purest sports car bloodlines.