Lotus Evora S IPS: auto gearbox for flagship sports car
Lotus Australia has launched an automatic version of its flagship sports car; the Lotus Evora S IPS.
Commanding a $5000 premium over the six-speed manual Evora S, the six-speed auto Evora S IPS (Intelligent Precision Shift) sits at the top of the local range, priced from $150,990 before on-road costs.
Like the manual variant, the Evora S IPS is powered by a supercharged 3.5-litre V6 engine that produces 257kW (at 7000rpm) and 400Nm of torque (at 4500rpm).
Despite weighing 1491kg (54kg more than the manual), the IPS transmission cuts the four-seater’s official fuel consumption from 9.9 litres per 100km to 9.7.
Performance suffers slightly with the auto ’box, however, with the 0-100km/h time stretching out two tenths to 5.0 seconds and the top speed slipping 11km/h to 266km/h.
In its attempts to make the Evora S IPS feel as close to its manual sibling as possible, Lotus has maintained the car’s 39:61 front-rear weight distribution and carried over its specification list.
Both models come standard with bi-xenon headlights, rear parking sensors, heated Recaro front seats, flat-bottomed leather-wrapped magnesium steering wheel, cruise control, and a seven-inch touchscreen with DVD player, USB input, iPod integration, and Bluetooth connectivity.
2012 Lotus Evora manufacturer’s list prices (excluding government and dealer charges):
- Evora 2+2 – $123,990
- Evora IPS – $128,990
- Evora S – $145,990
- Evora S IPS – $150,990