Lotus Racing Evora GX in US Grand-Am Series

LotusLotusUnited Kingdom, 1952 > present68 models
951 photos
7 videos
might be having some problems financially, but apparently it can still build racecars. Alex Job Racing began racing an Evora GTELotus Evora GTEUnited Kingdom, 2011 > present8 photos
1 video
in the American Le Mans Series this season, but it has been relatively unsuccessful and scored just 7 points in four races. Now, Lotus is building an Evora for the rival Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series in the US. The series uses a slightly more restricted set of rules, and the cars will not be going up against the factory-backed efforts from ViperSRT Viper GTS-RUnited States of America, 2013 > present7 photos
, BMWBMW M3 GTRGermany, 2009 > present4 photos
and CorvetteChevrolet Corvette C6.RUnited States of America, 2012 > present3 photos
from the ALMS.

Lotus says that the new Grand-Am Evora GX will begin racing later this season in Grand-Am. Two teams will use the cars McMahon Raceworks and Condor Motorsport.

The Evora GX has a complete carbon fiber body as opposed to the composite panels from the GT4 version. Power, though, comes from the same 4.0-liter V6 from the ALMS cars and produces 440hp and 440Nm of torque. The ALMS version has 470hp. It uses a six-speed sequential, paddle shift transmission. It weighs 1,150kg, 10kg more than the Evora GTC in the ALMS. Much of this weight comes from a thicker roll cage, according to Lotus. The car also gets a new front splitter and front bumper and the Grand-Am specification rear wing. Like all cars in the Grand-Am series, the car does not have ABS or traction control. These aids are not allowed under the series’ rules. Other changes include a new fuel filler system, Continental tires and yellow headlights. The GX costs $335,000, and each car will be built to order.

The GX class will be new to Grand-Am for next season. For the rest of this season, the Evora GX will actually comply to GT rules but will switch to GX for next season. The new class is meant to allow teams to experiment with alternate racing technologies like turbocharging, diesel fuel and hybrids. Lotus has not announced what changes will be made to the car when it enters the GX class.

We have contacted Lotus to ask when the Evora GX will begin racing and are awaiting a reply. There are five races left in the Grand-Am calendar this season, but one of them is this coming weekend on July 28, and it does not appear that the car will begin racing quite so soon.Formatted and completed text.