a new Torsen-style limited-slip differential. This is a departure from previous practice with the Evora, but the bump in power makes it necessary. Gavan Kershaw, the head of vehicle engineering, confidently says "You won't spin the inside wheel anywhere on this track," something I resolve to find out for myself later.

The rest of the running gear is just as stout. AP Racing calipers grip two-piece steel/aluminum composite rotors on all four corners, with a 370mm diameter disc in front and a 350mm disc in back. "Intentionally oversized," Gales notes. The wheels are forged aluminum, 19-inch front and 20-inch back. Lotus changed from Pirelli to Michelin for the Evora 400; the front tires remain at 235mm but the rear are 10mm wider at 285mm, the better to deal withwheel, offers pitch-perfect feedback and road feel. A movement in the fingertips is instantly reflected in the Evora's cornering attitude. This is unmistakably a mid-engined car with more weight on the back wheels than on the front, but compared to the outgoing Evora S there's a welcome reduction in the rate at which the steering changes weight as the rear end follows the front into the turn. The old car had a light helm at corner entry but sometimes offered heavy weather at the apex. This one's far better balanced.

I'm not a fan of supercharged engines for track use, particularly in the ninety-four-degree conditions of this test, but Lotus has done a delightful job of making this middleweight V6 mimic a larger naturally-aspirated engine. The supercharger's wastegate control