Lotus Evora S Makes 345-Horsepower; Evora IPS Gets Automatic With Paddle Shifters

Lotus has just officially confirmed the Evora S and IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) automatic transmission models, both of which are set to debut at the Paris Auto Show in just a few weeks time.

Most exciting is the Evora S with a 350-ps (345-hp) V6 engine. Details are scarce, but it would seem from the official press release that all this power from the same 3.5-liter V6 engine that makes 276-hp in the standard Evora comes without a supercharger as suspected. Instead it looks as though the Lotus partnership with Cosworth has lead to an impressive power increase for the Toyota-sourced V6.

Along with 345-hp, the Evora S also get a Sport button that adjusts the throttle response, increases the rev limit and changes the stability control program for a more sport-oriented experience. In addition, it also activates an exhaust bypass valve that gives the Evora a race-inspired exhaust note.

In addition to the Evora S, Lotus will also unveil the Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) model in Paris. Using a six-speed automatic transmission (likely from Toyota), Lotus has developed its own transmission control unit to deliver quick shifts for the 276-hp 3.5-liter V6 engine.

Both models will help Lotus expand its reach in the marketplace, with the Evora S attracting higher dollar customers (though fewer of them), while the Evora IPS model will appeal to a wider range of buyers, particularly in North America.

Speaking about the automatic transmission model, Lotus ECO Dany Bahar commented that, “The Evora IPS is set to broaden the appeal of the Evora and reach out to a slightly different market. We hope it will be popular with established automatic locations such as Asia, the Middle East and the U.S. It’s been a long time since Lotus created an automatic and we’ve spent a great deal of time refining this one to make sure that it perfectly complements the Evora drive experience.”

AutoGuide will be on-hand in Paris to bring you live photos and additional details from the official unveiling.

Read AutoGuide’s 2010 Lotus Evora Review by Clicking Here

Official release after the jump:

It’s an Evora but not as you know it

Ahead of the official unveil at the Paris Motor Show on September 30th, Lotus announce the latest evolution of the award winning Evora – the Evora S and Evora IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) option.

Lotus has taken the award winning* Evora and re-created it with a 350 PS 3.5l V6 engine to create the Evora S. Dany Bahar Lotus’ Chief Executive Officer summed it up beautifully when he said: “You don’t realise what you were missing from your driving experience until you get behind the wheel of the Evora S.”

So apart from the obvious power difference, how is the Evora S different to the standard Evora? It’s another question we put to the CEO (given that he’s spent a little time behind the wheel, we thought he’d be best placed to answer questions). This is what he said: “It’s the next level of Evora experience. It communicates with you better, the suspension setting has been fine tuned for added power and control so it responds even more to direction. It’s an instinctual car, the experience is pure.”

“We were proud of the Evora but we’re even prouder of the Evora S, I feel like it does the true Lotus experience justice. The really great thing is that as we move forward the standard Evora should also benefit from some of these developments.”

The Evora S comes with a sport pack as standard featuring a ‘sport’ button which allows the driver to control throttle response and activate the exhaust by-pass valve. The sport button also raises the instantaneous rev limit and changes the dynamic stability control settings resulting in a total experience change. There are cross-drilled brakes for improved cooling. And here’s a heads up for those who buy into the old adage ‘you can tell the men from the boys by the size of their toys’: the external emotion of the Evora S has been improved with a completely new active exhaust which means that at the push of a button the car sounds just as dramatic as it feels.

Commenting on the Evora S, Lotus Chief Commercial Officer Andreas Prillmann said: “The Evora S is a natural progression for us but more than that, it’s a taste of what people can come to expect from the next generation of Lotus cars. It retains core Lotus values such as performance through lightweight but it also gives more than that. It’s the perfect combination of top performance, style and comfort. Form doesn’t sacrifice function in the case of the Evora S.”

So there you have it folks, the next generation of Lotus Evora, the Evora S, set to be unveiled at the Paris Motor Show.

But that’s not all. In addition to the Evora S, Lotus also presents the IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) option. This inception of the seven-time-award-winning (who’s counting? We are!) Evora sees an automatic 6-speed gearbox with Lotus developed transmission control with a 3.5 l V6 engine delivering 280 PS assuring a superior automatic driving experience.

The IPS version of the Evora allows the driver to switch between manual paddle shift and automatic drive modes. The driver also has the option of selecting ‘sport’ mode which showcases the Lotus sport driving experience allowing the driver to really feel each gear shift and be in complete control of the transmission.

Commenting on the development Dany Bahar said: “The Evora IPS is set to broaden the appeal of the Evora and reach out to a slightly different market. We hope it will be popular with established automatic locations such as Asia, the Middle East and the US. It’s been a long time since Lotus created an automatic and we’ve spent a great deal of time refining this one to make sure that it perfectly complements the Evora drive experience.”

ENDS
Evora S Technical Specification