REPORT: Lotus Evora SC Coming With 350 HP Supercharged Engine

Lotus is planning to add a supercharger to its upcoming Evora 2+2. That's a good thing, because they’re also planning versions with an automatic transmission and an electric convertible top.

The stock Lotus Evora, which will be launched in the Spring, uses a 3.5-liter Toyota V6 making 276 HP and 252 lb-ft of torque. That’s enough to shove the 2,976 Lb Evora to 60 MPH in 5.5 seconds and onto a 160 MPH top speed.

According to a factory insider speaking to Autocar

We’ve already had a blown version of the V6 engine running on a bench...it delivered 350bhp and 290lb ft of torque [up from 252lb ft in the standard car] without any modifications at all.”

That should be enough to move the 0-to-60 time for the 2011 Lotus Evora SC to well below 5 seconds and bump the top speed up to around 175 MPH.

That’s good news for performance enthusiasts, traditionally Lotus’s core market, but the Evora is the company’s attempt to crack the American market in a big way and, as such, it plans two other versions that are, well, a bit softer.

According to Autocar, first up is a stock Evora equipped with a torque converter automatic. No, you didn’t read that wrong. Expect the Auto to reach US shores some time next year. Following that will be a roadster version. But instead of equipping it with an Elise-like fiddly manual top, the Evora is getting an electric one.

“At the £50,000 price point customers expect an integrated electric roof mechanism,” Autocar’s source said, “and that presents packaging challenges for us.” [via Autocar]

Send an email to Wes Siler, the author of this post, at wes@jalopnik.com.

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