Deciding between Lotus Evora and NSX

AndyNSX

AndyNSX

Contributing Member
Joined
18 December 2003
Messages
162
Location
Michigan
I've been thinking about replacing my Z06 with something a bit more exotic as a daily driver. I already have an Elise for a night and weekend car and a Ford Fusion Sport for a grocery getter and daily driver in bad weather.

It's come down to the Evora vs the NSX for me. I had an 2000 and 2003 NSX and liked both. Both NSXs I've sold I ended up regretting afterwards :frown: However, the Lotus has been enticing me more and more lately. An earlier gen2 NSX 97-01 could be around $35-45k, while an Evora would be twice the price.

The factors to consider are:

Price: NSX wins.

Speed: NSX wins. 0-60 mph in 4.5 s, 1/4 mile in 12.8 (I haven't seen the Evora match these stats).

Handling: The NSX feels solid at higher speeds and is very nimble, but has a bit of body roll. I've never driven the

Styling: Like both...which do you all like better? Saw the Evora at Auto Europe and it looked stunning, so I'd give it the edge here.

Reliability: NSX was great, but the Evora has the Camry engine and will be 10 years newer - so not sure on this one either.

Cost of Service: NSX was fairly pricey, but the Elise is too. I'd guess about the same.

Interior: Evora by a mile.

Would love to hear opinions....
 
Evora:
You get a back seat!
You get modern stereo and interior stuff
You get great handling

Cons:

You get a lousy 6 speed with a sloppy shifter as rated by Car & Driver
(check out that issue; I just read it)
The engine sounds like a Camry and isn't a great performer but it is damn reliable.
It came in last in the comparo between the Z06, the Cayman S (which won)

NSX:

All the things you mention and I'm not sure where you're getting the info on 0-60 times in the 4's. Maybe .....but doubtful

The NSX is timeless - and you don't have to have a late model NSX to have a blast in a great car that handles great and is faster than the Evora.

If you have the money and buy the Evora - you will loose money quickly on depreciation every year - so if you really would like one - wait a bit and buy one used. They won't be a collectors item. If you want better performance and great interior, wonerful handling and great styling buy a used Cayman but then you won't be getting the new gen direct fuel injection engine and you can't trust em as much as the new one for maintenance. Depreciation here again is not your friend.

NSX depreciates less but hey, you've had em - why not get something new? I like the Evora too and the handling is great. Drive one and come back with a full report of your own - kind of hard to work at this from an armchair and kind of silly too.

Good luck,
 
The back seats in an Evora are USELESS. Even more so than a 911. There was one at the track with me last month. The owner said he preferred one without the back seats but didn't want to wait. It seemed like one of those cars that did everything OK, but nothing great. Like a 370z. I don't know, I think I would be tired of it in a month as everything about the car was just so.... bland.
 
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The NSX with the 4.5 0-60 mph and sub 13-sec 1/4 mile was a 2001 coupe (Not T, but coupe). If anyone can help me find the test that would be great, it was the best numbers posted by any stock NSX. What was odd was that the 02+ NSXes seemed to hover around 4.9-5.2 seconds, but had a higher top speed (172 as opposed to 167).

Back to the original topic, I really want to like the Evora. It's new, people on Lotus talk give are extremely excited about it and give it good reviews. But besides the NSX being cheaper, I also think I like it more. I really want to like the Evora more, but something about the NSX keeps coming back to me.

Both times I sold my NSXes, I ended up missing the car and going through pretty bad regrets. I've sold my first NSX for a high end Porsche and second for a 550 hp Viper RT/10.

I don't miss the Viper or Porsche at all. I miss my NSX. Even though I've had two before, maybe that's trying to tell me something...
 
I sat on the Evora, seats are much better, interior it's hand down more modern, seats on the back are very small, like on the 92-96 Preludes -pretty much useless- one thing the NSX has it better on the interior is the vision, our windshield is extremely panoramic, the way I see is that the NSX has the perfect chassis for a LOT more power, looks better after suspension + spacers (or wider wheels) ....

lotus-evora61.jpg


4766636970_58205fd519_b.jpg


One is as FRESH as a baby, one is OLD as classic, yet, doesn't seem that there's decades of separation! :)

Best Motoring tested a bunch of MR cars and I believe the Evora came 5th while the NSX 3rd.

If you REALLY want the Evora, I'd just wait a year and get the SC version! :)

Either way, I am sure you'll be happy!
 
you said the NSX has a bit of a body roll, yeah the T-tops,
not the coupes, they are more rigid. thats why people track them.
the T's are heavier, and with out upgrades to the body

its like an old man with scoliosis of the spine.

or stenosis of the lumbar
 
All I have to say is if that IMOLA orange didn't get you pumped you're just dead.....that was one tough looking chine...and you can see out the back of the car - anyone mention how bad the Evora sucks for visibility out the rear - like they all do.

I'd rather have a 911 than an Evora. There is a reason the NSX is calling you.....:wink:
 
AndyNSX said:
The NSX with the 4.5 0-60 mph and sub 13-sec 1/4 mile was a 2001 coupe (Not T, but coupe). If anyone can help me find the test that would be great, it was the best numbers posted by any stock NSX. What was odd was that the 02+ NSXes seemed to hover around 4.9-5.2 seconds, but had a higher top speed (172 as opposed to 167).
...
Click to expand...

This is the best #'s I've seen...

http://web.archive.org/web/20010904...omparison_test_13_quickest_cars/index10.phtml
  • Curb weight: 3160 lb, Weight/HP ratio: 10.9
  • HP/liter: 90.6, Tires: f: 215/45ZR16, r: 245/40ZR17
  • Acceleration: 0-30 mph: 1.94 sec. 0-60 mph: 4.97 sec.
  • 1/4 mile: 13.17 sec. @ 107.65 mph
 
shawn110975 said:
you said the NSX has a bit of a body roll, yeah the T-tops,
not the coupes, they are more rigid. thats why people track them.
the T's are heavier, and with out upgrades to the body

its like an old man with scoliosis of the spine.

or stenosis of the lumbar
Click to expand...

I take exception to that! Let's see you keep up with my T. :wink:
 
shawn110975 said:
you said the NSX has a bit of a body roll, yeah the T-tops,
Click to expand...

I think he refers more of a suspension than anything, our NSX's have a GREAT OEM DD suspension, but if you go hardcore you start getting body roll.
 
Ken's right. The new sway bar I put in makes a difference and when I replaced the shocks and springs with 05 models - big difference.

Anyone driving around on 15+ year old shocks are most likely running tired blown out shocks and for sure 19 year old cars - not a doubt in the world. I don't care if it's a coupe or a targa - your shocks are most likely a problem. The sway bar makes some difference but that doesn't move or if it does it's worn out rubber bushings but won't be super noticeable.
 
I have been on the list for the next Esprit for several years.
Lotus dealer said to take a look at the Evora instead at a sneak preview awhile back.
Did that.
No fricken way am I going to buy a rapidly depreciating NSX copy when I have the real thing in the garage.
Lotus dropped the ball.

Got 80k for an Evora ?
Get a 996GT2.
 
evora= modern nsx 'wanna be' with flawed execution- i too was initially excited but now it is just 'blah'. go back to nsx and save the money for track days.
 
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man... that photo of the Evora makes it look real bad... look at the roof... it seems that the car is inflating like a baloon and will explode any second...

I think that a Evora doesn't replace a NSX...
 
I checked out the evora at cars & coffee here a while back. I wasn't impressed at all. It is just a giant elise. Why anybody would want one if they had an elise already is beyond me. You could get a Ferrari 360 for that kinda money... or 2 or 3 NSXs. OR one NSX with an engine build, badass turbo kit, upgrades galore, and still have money left over.
 
Evora is overpriced for sure. Those back seats won't even hold a child as there is no leg room unless the driver and passenger are under 5' tall.

The NSX is WAY better looking, IMHO.
 
As a Lotus owner, I have to admit I was kind of disappointed when I heard that the new Evora would only have 276 hp.

The car will be a success if Lotus takes it in the right direction. A 430 hp SC version would be much more attractive.

Hopefully they don't take the route Honda did with the NSX. Ferrari beating performance at the introduction, but no significant changes in 15 years to the point where where a handful of family sedans were faster. Time will tell with this car.
 
Cozmo said:
I checked out the evora at cars & coffee here a while back. I wasn't impressed at all. It is just a giant elise. Why anybody would want one if they had an elise already is beyond me. You could get a Ferrari 360 for that kinda money... or 2 or 3 NSXs. OR one NSX with an engine build, badass turbo kit, upgrades galore, and still have money left over.
Click to expand...

Cozmo, we are on the same page. I'd buy a 360, 997, or a built NSX before even considering the evora too.
 

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