Jay Leno Discovers What Makes The Lotus Evora GT So Special

It’s the end of an era at Lotus. This year, production of the Evora, Exige, and Elise will wrap up to make way for a new generation of lightweight sports cars starting with the Type 131, which will compete with the Porsche 718 Cayman. In the US, Lotus only sells the Evora GT as a replacement for the Evora 400. To find out what makes this car so special in its final year of production, Jay Leno took one for a spin in the latest episode of Jay Leno’s Garage.

While it may not have as much power as other sports cars on the market and isn’t as desirable as a Ferrari or Lamborghini, the Evora GT is a true driver’s car designed to appeal to avid gearheads like Leno.

In the video, he declares the Evora GT as “the most satisfying automobile to drive” and “one of the best-shifting cars” he’s ever driven. That’s very high praise when you consider Leno has hundreds of cars in his collection.

Powering the Evora GT is a Toyota-sourced supercharged 3.5-liter V6 generating 416 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque, which is sent to the rear wheels through a standard six-speed manual gearbox. A six-speed automatic is also available. Yes, there are much faster cars on the market, but Leno argues that none of them are as fun to drive as the Evora. Tipping the scales at 3,175 pounds, the Evora GT is a joy to throw into corners.

It’s this simplicity that makes the Evora GT so special, which is also applied to the interior. Accompanying the seven-inch touchscreen infotainment display are traditional gauges and simple manual switches for the climate control. Put simply, the Evora GT has one of the most analog interiors on the market.

While Lotus cars are renowned for their agile handling, the Evora GT is no slouch off the line either with a 0-62 mph in 3.8 seconds. That puts it in supercar territory, yet it costs just under $100,000. Lotus may be retiring the Evora this year, but anyone who has driven it will never forget it.