Evora 400

Make
Lotus
Segment
Coupe

It wasn't that long ago when Lotus revealed the Evora GT430 as the most powerful road car in the company's history, boasting a 0-62 mph time of 3.7 seconds and 190 mph top speed. And yet it's already been superseded by another hardcore variant of the long-running Evora called the imaginatively named GT430 Sport. It packs the same 3.5-liter supercharged V6 engine as the already extreme GT430 packing 430 horsepower, but it now has a top speed of 196 mph. That makes it officially the fastest Lotus production car ever. For now.

To achieve this, Lotus has trimmed even more excess fat off the GT430 by removing the large rear wing and front splitter. Without these downforce-creating aerodynamic elements, the GT430 Sport is 10 kg lighter than the standard car with a dry weight of 1,248 kg, bringing the power-to-weight ratio to 345-hp per tonne. Its performance is on par with the mighty Mercedes-AMG GT R, which is no mean feat. Naturally, the lack of aero elements reduces the downforce at maximum speed. At 196 mph, the Evora GT430 Sport generates up to 100 kg of downforce, while the standard car generates up to 250 kg of downforce at 190 mph.

"The Evora GT430 already has cemented its place as a true collector's car, but we know that many of our customers want the option of choosing a less aggressive version, with the same power, but without some of more arresting design and aero elements," Lotus CEO Jean-Marc Gales commented. "With the Evora GT430 Sport, we have responded to this demand to add to the whole range of thoroughbred Lotus cars that are great on the track as well as supremely capable on the road." The Lotus Evora GT430 Sport is being introduced as part of a significant update to the GT430 range, which can now be fitted with a manual or automatic gearbox.

As standard, the cars are now available with Ohlins adjustable dampers, ventilated brake discs with updated four-piston calipers, a Torsen limited slip differential, and an adjustable traction control system. Prices for the GT430 Sport start at 104,500 GBP ($136,369) in the UK, compared to the standard GT430 which commands 112,500 GBP ($146,809).