As cars go, the Evora is an old one. It arrived on the market a full eight model years ago and soon became the only street-legal model in the U.S. for Lotus. A 2017 update made it as comfortable on the road as on the track, and, for 2018, the Evora sees the introduction of a new top trim.

The Evora sits in a tiny niche of compact but liveable sports coupes. Unlike competitors that have room for only two, the Evora has a token set of seats in the rear for a 2+2 arrangement. This isn’t to say that the Evora is soft. Its shape and multitude of grilles and edges are designed to help it cut through the air as efficiently as possible.

The base Evora, called the 400, employs a supercharged 3.5-liter V6 capable of 400 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque. A 6-speed manual transmission is standard, but buyers can upgrade to a 6-speed automatic with paddle shifters. The 60-miles-per-hour mark comes up in just 4.1 seconds, and the 400 runs all the way to a top speed of 186 mph. The curb weight is an impressive 3,153 lbs.

For 2018, the former Sport 410 is gone; in its place is a new trim called the GT410 Sport; it represents a concerted effort to save unnecessary weight. New carbon fiber front, rear, and roof panels and revised aerodynamics improve downforce by 50 percent in the GT410 Sport over the Sport 410. Engine horsepower is also bumped up to 410 and torque to 420 lb-ft. A close-ratio 6-speed manual is standard, but the automatic transmission remains an option here. Lotus includes manually-adjustable dampers, but it offers a no-cost touring package with slightly softer non-adjustable dampers and a little extra weight. The GT410 Sport can be equipped without rear seats.

As far as interior features, like many traditional sports cars the Evora is fairly barebones. There are three trim options: cloth, leather, and Alcantara. Standard features include push-button—but not keyless—start, air conditioning, heated seats, a 4-speaker audio system, a touchscreen infotainment system, navigation, and a leather-trimmed steering wheel. Safety features are limited to airbags, a reversing camera, and reversing sensors.

The Evora is among the purest of cars, especially in the GT410 Sport specification. Buyers looking for a track toy that can be driven home in relative comfort should take a look.