Lotus Evora S

In its S iteration, Lotus's flagship Evora comes with a Harrop HTV supercharger bolted to the top of its 3.5-liter, Toyota-sourced, mid-mounted V6. With the blower installed, it now produces a maximum of 345 hp at 7000 rpm and 295 lb-ft of torque at 4500 rpm. The engine is linked to a six-speed gearbox taken from a Toyota diesel application in order to cope with the increased output.

Central, quite literally speaking, to the Evora's architecture are its underpinnings, comprised of an extruded aluminum main tub that weighs just 256 pounds on its own, and the front and rear subframes that are bolted to it. All told, the whole structure (main tub and subframes) weighs just over 440 pounds and boasts overall stiffness of 26,600 Nm per degree of twist, more than that of either the Elise or the Exige. This is key in producing the signature Lotus handling precision. The suspension features 22 and 32 percent increase in lateral stiffness through the use of revised suspension bushings. The subjective results include improved steering response and reduced roll angles in lateral acceleration, without affecting ride comfort since stiffness has been increased in the lateral and not longitudinal (i.e., up and down) direction.

Like the standard, naturally aspirated Evora, the Evora S is available in a 2+2 configuration with passenger seats at the rear-making it the world's only mid-engine vehicle with such capability-or as a 2+0, with the rear seats deleted.

2011 Lotus Evora S

Layout: Transverse mid-mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine: 3.5-liter V6, dohc, 24-valve, supercharged
Transmission: Six-speed manual
Power: 345 hp @ 7000 rpm
Torque: 295 lb-ft @ 4500 rpm
0-60 mph: 4.3 sec.
Top Speed: 172 mph
MSRP: $76,000