Hit or Miss? New Lotus Evora

KOMPAS.com - A new Lotus doesn't come around too often, so it's no surprise that when another of the company's sleek sports cars rolls out of Britain it gets some attention.

Since the arrival of the race-inspired Elise in the 1990s, Lotus has been tweaking its successful formula teaming a lightweight body with a proven four-cylinder engine.

But it's taken until now for Lotus - owned by Malaysian brand Proton - to bring out what is the closest thing to an all-new model, the Evora.

Like other Lotuses, the Evora tempts with sleek styling, delivering on the mystique that, to some extent, defines the brand. The Evora will be a rare sight on Australian roads, with only 30 to 40 cars available this year.

WHAT DO YOU GET?

The Evora is proof that spending 150 grand doesn't necessarily guarantee you'll get much in the way of fancy gear. Sure, there's air-conditioning, leather seats, trip computer and power windows, as well as the obligatory alloy wheels, which are larger at the rear.

Cruise control? That's part of the $8200 Tech Pack, which also brings things like a better sound system with touch-screen display and satellite navigation, Bluetooth, rear parking sensors and a tyre pressure monitoring system with a digital display in the instrument cluster.

Similarly, while there's some leather, full leather trim is part of the $7900 Premium Pack, which also has a classy interior-lighting package.

You even have to pay extra to get the most out of the Evora. A sportier, close-ratio six-speed manual costs $4800 (in place of the standard manual set up for saving fuel) and a Sport Pack, which introduces a button for sharper throttle response, a more playful stability-control setting and better brakes, is $3095.

If you're not a fan of red or British racing green as a colour, then it's between $2400 and $6400 for one of 19 premium paint finishes.