DBA Brakes for the Lotus Evora: Which Parts Fit

By Core Brake Parts Tech Team — Circleville, OH warehouse

For the naturally aspirated 2009-2015 Lotus Evora and Evora S, DBA's 4000 Series T3 slotted rotors are a direct replacement front (42364S) and rear (42361S) for the factory discs, and they bolt up to the stock AP Racing four-piston calipers with no extra hardware. Pair them with a pad matched to how you drive: the DBA DB1938RP or EBC SR-11 for hard street and track-day use, or EBC RP-1 for dedicated track work. Later Evora 400, 410 and GT cars use a different, larger brake package, so confirm your model before you order.

How the Evora brake system is built

Every Evora runs AP Racing four-piston calipers at both ends, clamping ventilated cast-iron discs. Lotus built two looks on the early cars: the standard Evora came with unpainted calipers and plain (non-cross-drilled) discs, while Evora S and Sport Pack cars got cross-drilled discs and black calipers, which changed to red for the 2012 model year with black kept as an option. The Lotus owners' club technical reference lists 350 mm front and 332 mm rear disc diameters for the V6 cars.

That matters for replacement for two reasons. First, cross-drilled discs are more prone to cracking around the holes after repeated heat cycles on track, and many owners replace them with a slotted disc instead. Second, the Evora is a light, mid-engine car with strong factory calipers, so the rotor and pad are what you tune, not the caliper. A good rotor and the right compound change how the car feels under braking more than most bolt-on work.

DBA rotors that fit the Evora

DBA makes a front and a rear 4000 Series T3 slotted rotor for the early Evora. Both are one-piece rotors that replace the factory parts directly.

One caution on the numbers: the specialist retailer listing gives 332 mm for the front DBA rotor, while the owners' club reference gives 350 mm for the factory front disc. Before you order, measure your existing front disc diameter and thickness, or read the part number cast into it. Both DBA rotors are listed as not fitting the Evora 400, Evora 410, Evora GT or other later intercooled cars, which moved to a larger brake setup.

What the 4000 Series T3 actually changes

• Kangaroo Paw ventilation. Instead of straight internal vanes, the rotor uses 144 diamond and teardrop shaped pillars between the faces. DBA rates this at roughly 20 percent better cooling than a conventional straight-vane design.
• Thermal Stability Profiling. A heat-treatment cycle that DBA says realigns the iron's microstructure for better stability and durability under repeated hard stops.
• T3 slots, not holes. Precision CNC-machined tri-symmetrical slots give dust and gas more exit paths. DBA recommends the slotted T3 for high-performance use and says its drilled rotors are not suited to heavy track-day use.
• Thermographic paint. Color-changing marks on the rotor show what temperature it has reached, which helps you judge whether your pads and cooling are keeping up on track.

Picking the pad for your Evora

Pad choice is where Evora owners go wrong most often. A race compound on a car that only sees the street will be noisy and grabby when cold; a street pad on track will fade. The pad shape also changes with the model: the earlier cars use the DP8036 shape, and the 2015-on supercharged cars use the DP8042 shape at the front.

EBC SR-11: the dual-duty choice

SR-11 is a sintered pad made from compressed, heat-fused metal powders. EBC positions it as the medium-friction version of its SR range, aimed at the front of street-based cars with strong ABS intervention, which describes an Evora well. EBC rates it from ambient temperature up to 900 degrees C, says it needs no chemical bedding because there are no volatiles to burn off, and credits a transfer-film design with very low disc wear. Its sister compound SR-21 is higher friction and meant for race cars with bias control, so SR-11 is the one to pick for a car that still drives on the road.

EBC RP-1: track only

RP-1 is a dedicated motorsport pad with a friction level around 0.45 across roughly 100 to 750 degrees C. EBC describes it as progressive with good modulation, and says it needs its bedding-in procedure before track use. EBC also states it is not approved for road use in European markets. Treat it as a track-day swap, not a daily pad.

Symptoms that say it is time

• Vibration or a pulsing pedal after track sessions, usually uneven pad deposits or a rotor that has been overheated.
• Cracks radiating from drilled holes on factory cross-drilled discs. Any crack that reaches the edge of the disc means replace it now.
• A lip on the outer edge of the disc you can catch with a fingernail, a sign of heavy wear. Check thickness against the minimum marked on the disc or listed in the service manual.
• Fade late in a session, with a pedal that goes long or soft. Often it is the fluid, not the pads, so bleed before blaming the friction material.
• Squeal or grinding from pads worn to their backing plates, which also scores the rotor if left too long.

Doing the job and what to replace with it

The Evora is a straightforward rotor and pad job for a competent home mechanic with a torque wrench and jack stands. The AP Racing caliper comes off, the rotor slides off the hub, and the new DBA rotor goes on in its place. Torque the caliper bolts and wheel fasteners to the values in the Lotus service manual; do not guess them on a car with this much braking capability.

• Always fit new pads with new rotors. Old pads carry a transfer layer shaped to the old disc and will not bed evenly.
• Replace rotors in axle pairs, both fronts or both rears, so the car stops straight.
• Refresh the fluid. Use the grade specified in your owner's handbook, and flush more often if the car sees track days.
• Inspect caliper pistons and seals while the pads are out. Sticky pistons cause uneven pad wear.
• Consider braided lines if you track the car. See our brake lines and brake hoses.

Bed the new pads and rotors in before any hard use, following the pad maker's procedure. For more parts, browse all brake rotors and brake pads.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do DBA 42364S and 42361S rotors fit the Evora 400 or GT?

No. They are listed for the 2009-2015 Evora and Evora S. The Evora 400, 410 and GT use a larger brake package and need different parts.

Can I run slotted rotors on a street-driven Evora?

Yes. The DBA T3 slotted rotor is intended for high-performance street and track use, and slots avoid the hole-cracking concern of drilled discs. Expect a little more pad noise than with a plain disc.

Which pad should I use on the street with DBA rotors?

For a car driven on the road and tracked occasionally, EBC SR-11 on the front or the DBA DB1938RP set are the practical choices. Save RP-1 for dedicated track use.

Do I need to bed in EBC SR-11 pads?

EBC says SR-series pads need no chemical bedding because there are no volatiles to burn off; still let pads and rotors mate with moderate stops before hard use. RP-1 does require EBC's bedding-in procedure.

Why are the front pads different on 2015 and later Evoras?

The later supercharged cars use a different front pad shape (DP8042) from the earlier cars (DP8036). Check your model year and engine before ordering.

Should I upgrade the calipers?

For most owners, no. The factory AP Racing four-piston calipers are already strong; rotors, pads and fresh fluid deliver most of the gain.

Sources

1. SELOC TechWiki - Brakes (V6) - AP Racing four-piston calipers, factory disc sizes, drilled vs plain discs by trim, caliper colors
2. Monkeywrench Racing - DBA 4000 slotted front rotors, Evora - front rotor size, fitment and Evora 400/GT exclusion
3. Monkeywrench Racing - DBA 4000 slotted rear rotors, Evora - rear rotor size, fitment and Evora 400/410 exclusion
4. DBA - 4000 Series brake rotors - Kangaroo Paw pillars and cooling, Thermal Stability Profiling, T3 slots, thermographic paint
5. EBC Brakes - Sintered SR Series - SR-11 intended use, temperature range, no chemical bedding, SR-21 comparison
6. EBC Brakes - RP-1 Racing Brake Pads - RP-1 friction and temperature range, bedding requirement, not road approved in Europe