JonBoy

Ugh - hard one. I'd probably go Porsche just because I can probably get it fixed and maintained more easily. I think the Porsche looks better, inside and out, and it is definitely quicker. Ultimately, it's an easier car to own.

That said, everything I've read about the Evora suggests that it's a better DRIVER'S car. That might be enough to sway me. Test drive, anyone?

cbehney

Am I missing something, or are we comparing a 997 coupe which many here have driven and know well to a "now taking advance orders" car that most of us haven't even seen in real life, much less driven?

Seems fun but meaningless to ask for a preference.

nearwater4me

Okay, maybe calling Lotus a kit car was too harsh.
But it definitely shows that it's a very low volume car with poor finishes found here and there.
Like I said, I've seen these imperfections(which is hard to find, if any, from a P-car) first-hand.
I EXPECT the same from an Evora.
I'm sure I could have different opinion once I see and drive the Evora, but without any first hand experience, I'd go with the 911.

Dan

PedalFaster

On the contrary, I haven't seen a single person demonstrate a factual misunderstanding of the Evora / Camry engine's capabilities. I have seen several people say they wouldn't want a Toyota engine in an expensive sports car. While I personally disagree with that opinion, saying you don't want a Toyota engine doesn't indicate a lack of factual knowledge or ignorance -- just a difference of opinion and priorities.

The Elise doesn't do any favors for Lotus' reputation as a builder of "real" cars. It's a fantastic drive, but the interior doesn't feel very well built -- the divider between the driver's footwell and the passenger's footwell flops around, installing or removing the soft top is akin to assembling a snap-together model, random trim pieces fall off, etc. I don't really care about any of the above if I'm buying a track or autocross toy (Elise), but they matter a lot more for a daily driver (Evora).

CKit

I'm glad that this topic has stimulated lively discussion:

I'd put out the following personal perspective...

I was talking about an Evora vs. a base 911 for a daily driven "work horse" car. Likely to replace the RS4.

Not as a dedicated track car. I'd pick an Exige S vs. engine swapped Cayman vs. GT3 for that.

So as sort of a "regular" car that is entertaining to drive, but can fit a few friends in the back for a few miles to dinner... that's what I'd be shopping for.

In that vein, you can assume the "Lotus doesn't suck" when it comes to driving dynamics. And you can count that on normal roads at normal speeds, the difference between the driving of an Evora and a 911 wouldn't be a slam-dunk. So it doesn't really matter that I can't test drive an Evora. Really, unless the magazine test drives start unmasking nasty vehicle traits, I can't imagine that it would sway me in the negative.

Personally, I'd welcome a Toyota engine. Would you turn down a Noble because of a Ford engine? C'mon. That's silly.

I'd probably pick the 911 because the dealer network is larger, parts will be more readily available and because I don't want attention in the daily driver.

Kind of funny how people's perspectives can be so polar opposite, eh?

But that's part of what makes a forum fun, no?

[DT]

[QUOTE=JonBoy,Oct 22 2009, 01:48 PM] Ugh - hard one.

st4rk

He is the resident forum Nazi.

alexchou

I'd say Evora is sexy and innovative in terms of its packaging (2+2 mid engine sports car). I really love its styling and balance.

on the other hand, Porsche 911's shape has been around for centuries and it may look uninspiring for some people. But I believe Porsche has better build quality and proven engineering.

I think this is a really tough call as if you're comparing apples and oranges...
I see them as totally different cars and targeted to different type of buyers.

Onehots2k

Thank You!




I DONT WANT NO FLIPPIN CAMRY ENGINE IN MY SPORTS CAR!

Jacques79

I know but if the argument is ''mid-engined vs rear engine'' there is always the Cayman S answer, which now has LSD and 320HP.

It doesn't have rear seats though, but have you all seen the ones in the Lotus? Yikes!