10 cars the Lotus Evora is heavier than

The Lotus Evora is not a lightweight car. In its heaviest configuration (the 2014 Evora S IPS), it weighs 1442 kilograms. That’s heavier than, well, a lot of stuff, as you’ll see. Inspired by @DodgeViperACR16 ‘s post, here are 10 rather surprising examples of cars that are lighter than a Lotus.

[NOTE: All the car weights here are kerb weights and therefore include fuel and other fluids but not the driver. Values may still vary between countries and markets]

1: McLaren 650S (1428kg)

With plenty of carbon fibre, it’s no surprise that the second iteration of McLaren’s Super Series is lightweight. But it’s considerably larger and more luxurious than a Lotus, and it’s got two cylinders and 300 horsepower more.

2: Porsche Cayman/Boxster (1295-1435kg)

No matter which variant of the Boxster or Cayman you choose, you get a car that is lighter than the Evora. The combination of a relatively small, lightweight chassis with a compact mid-mounted flat-six (turbo flat-four in the 718 models) makes this car great fun to drive. It’s also pretty affordeable - a new 718 starts at just £44,000.

3: Volkswagen Golf Mk7 (1351-1395kg)

Whether you have a base 1.6 TDI or a range-topping Golf R, you can proudly claim that your People’s Car is Lighter Than A Lotus! That’s assuming you don’t have a GTE though - it tips the scales at a more flabby 1520kg due to the weight of the batteries.

4: Ferrari F430 (1440kg)

The newer 458 Italia and 488 GTB are marginally too heavy to make it onto this list, but the F430 from 2005 is officially 2kg lighter than a Lotus! And that’s the normal variant - the 430 Scuderia shaves off a whopping 100kg on top of that.

5: BMW M2 (1415kg)

Yep, despite being longer than a Viper, BMW’s new small M car is lighter than the Evora! Despite being luxurious and having somewhat-useable rear seats and a boot, this straight-six powered coupe remains lightweight.

6: Chevrolet Corvette C6 Z06 (1420kg)

American cars are big heavy boats that can’t handle. Right? Well, this Corvette is officially Lighter Than A Lotus. The even more track-focused Z07 package cuts off even more weight, but we get the point now. The Evora is the real boat here.

7: BMW E34 5-series (1435kg)

Fancy something a little more retro? You can have the E34 5-series without breaking your Lotus-sized weight budget. Granted only the lowest-powered variants make this list (so no E34 M5 Touring for you), but when your executive saloon is Lighter Than A Lotus, who cares?

8: Porsche 911 Carrera (1435kg)

If the Cayman isn’t enough for you, the current 911 is also Lighter Than A Lotus! That said, you have to opt for the base Carrera - anything extra like more power, all-wheel-drive or a cabriolet will tip the car past the weight limit and off the list. Unless of course you opt for a GT3 or 911R. The fact that a 2+2 luxury coupe is lighter than the Evora speaks volumes about the engineering that Porsche is capable of.

9: Volvo 850 (1385kg):

Do you live in fear of 20 trucks crashing into you simultaneously? Do you feel the need for invincibility? And most importantly, do you need a car that is Lighter Than A Lotus? Then the Volvo 850 is for you! The lightest specs of this retro executive saloon weigh more than 50kg less than the Evora does. Unfortunately, the awesome wagon variant is marginally too heavy for the list. Let’s hope Hethel pushes the bar of entry by building an even heavier Evora…

10: Subaru Crosstrek (1420kg)

No. I am not joking. This all-wheel-drive crossover is Lighter Than A Lotus. Whether you go for petrol or diesel, manual or CVT, normal or premium trim, the Crosstrek is the lightest all-wheel-drive crossover of its size on the market. Something tells me the owners probably won’t drive it like a Lotus though (although who knows - maybe @EngineeringExplained does…).

Honourable Mention: Mazda CX-5 (1450kg)

This spacious family crossover is just 8kg heavier than the Lotus! It’s no wonder the CX-5 is one of the best-driving cars in its class, especially given its chassis setup and optional naturally-aspirated 2.5-litre engine.

Honourable Mention: Aston Martin Vantage (1548kg)

Yes, I know this car is 106kg heavier than the Lotus. But the surprising thing is how small that difference is. Consider that you get a 4.7-litre V8, a lush interiour and some seriously smooth lines. The fact that you get all this for just 100kg (read: a passenger and a few bags) more than the Lotus is amazing.

That’s it for today’s blogpost. Which entries surprised you the most? Share your thoughts below.