£26k Evora, £5k Barchetta

Evora production ended this year as Lotus clears the way for a new family of sports cars. The midengined two-seater (two rear seats were available as an option) was launched in 2009. The Evora was powered by a Toyota 3.5-litre V6 making 276bhp, and a supercharged Evora S arrived the following year with 345bhp. Both models can hit 62mph in under five seconds. The S is more desirable but the real attraction of the Evora lies not in its outright performance, which is strong, but in its steering, handling and ride.

Evora prices start at around £25,000 for 276bhp cars. Our find is a 2010 example with 39,000 miles. Its Aquamarine paint gleams and its black leather interior looks unmarked, but what really appeals are the seven Bell & Colvill stamps in the service book, plus one from Lotus

Silverstone, which, at 35,000 miles, gave the car a thorough overhaul. The owner then broke the cycle by having the 40,000-mile service done by an independent.

Nothing wrong with independents, by the way, many of whom have greater experience with older cars and who employ manufacturer-trained technicians, but breaking the cycle is a shame and probably didn’t save the owner much money. Anyway, it’s a detail easily remedied with a return to the fold next time. After all, it pays to be a little obsessive with cars like the Evora.

Were we serious, we’d check the operation of the clutch, the condition of the exhaust mounts and that it hasn’t been routinely over-revved. Baulky shifts may be the gearchange cables, which can stretch. Panel gaps should be regular.