Well, well, well, wouldn’t you know. Yet another WCSYB letter where the obvious answer is for Mazda to build a Miata But Bigger so taller folks can enjoy the joy and wonder of the Miata without being miserable. Not a replacement for the Miata, mind you. A new model that’s just the Miata but bigger. They probably even still have the MX-6 name trademarked. It’s a genius idea, and clearly, the only reason the folks at Mazda won’t do it is because they’re afraid of making too much money.
So, Rob, while I wait for the call to lead the development team that will never come , we have to find a consolation prize for you. The good news is, while Mazda continues to turn its nose up at a giant pile of cash, the good folks at Lotus did the smart thing and offered an Elise But Bigger that will be perfect for you. Yes, I’m talking about none other than the Lotus Evora. Technically, it’s built on a different platform, so it isn’t actually an Elise But Bigger, but they’re both mid-engine Lotuses, so it still counts.Are there plenty of reasons to buy the nicest Porsche 911 you can afford instead? Of course. But the 911 is an obvious answer that I can’t imagine you need Jalopnik’s help to shortlist. Every time you walk out to the Evora, though, you’re going to feel special, and that’s what’s really important. It would have been great if Lotus had given us an Evora convertible, but oh well, the coupe still drives wonderfully, and it was specifically designed with taller drivers in mind.
The bad news is, your budget is too low to go for one of the more desirable Evoras, but if you’re willing to fly to Maryland, you can buy this 69,000-mile 2011 Evora without blowing your budget. If it were my money, though, I’d spend a little more and get this 20,000-mile Evora instead, so you aren’t stuck driving a boring gray car. Actually, if it were my money, I’d sell the Civic and Grand Cherokee to buy this yellow Evora 400 instead, but something tells me that isn’t the advice you came here to hear.The white Evora still looks good, though, and it’s got a manual, so it’ll still make you happy. Plus, it’s basically got a Toyota Camry engine, so it shouldn’t be that hard to keep on the road, even in Nebraska.
