Lotus Evora Cup (2010): first official pictures

This is the Lotus Evora Cup, unveiled at the Autosport International show today. With a 4.0-litre engine, an aero kit created by Italian specialists Dallara, and the road car's sweet chassis, the Evora Cup should turn a special sports car into an outstanding racer.

Underneath the evocative Epsom Green paint and Solar Yellow stripe, the Cup is still fundamentally the same as a road-going Evora – this isn’t a silhouette racer. That means double wishbone suspension all round, and an extruded and bonded aluminium chassis cradling a mid-mounted V6.

But Lotus Motorsport has got its hands on the Evora and re-worked it for GT4 racing. In comes a new, dry-sumped 4.0-litre V6 – the road car has a 3.5 V6 – with 'more than 395bhp' and a Cima six-speed sequential 'box. The extra carbon wings and ducts of the aero package have been developed by Italian racecar manufacturer Dallara, and over 200kg has been cleaved out of the Evora – the Cup weighs less than 1200kg. There’s also adjustable dampers, bigger brakes, a fire extinguisher and an electrical cut-off system.

That endurance racer – unveiled last year at the Frankfurt motor show – highlighted Hethel’s ideas for the Evora, but since then Lotus has moved on to create the Cup. Final details and specifications will be released at the Geneva motor show in March, but prices have been announced – £120k plus tax – and drivers can register their interest at www.lotusevoracup.com.

As well as being able to compete in numerous motorsport events around the world, in 2010 there will be two Lotus Festivals where Evora Cup drivers compete for a prize fund of nearly £90k, while 2011 will see the introduction of a one-make Evora Cup series in Europe.

By Ben Pulman