Not the brand it once was, at least here in the U.S., the British automaker Lotus did itself few favors in taking its Evora sports coupe out of circulation over here for the 2015 model year. But that was then, and the new-look 2016 Evora 400 now offers upgraded airbags to comply with mandatory safety standards for those of us living across the pond.

The 2-seat Evora is also slated to return to American dealerships boasting a slightly updated profile, less body weight, a tweaked powerplant, and a reworked interior that actually offers what we’ve come to expect with respect to driver- and passenger-friendly amenities, not to mention cabin ambiance. Whether we see a reprise of the 4-seat edition (once labeled the Evora 2+2) with its all-but-useless rear seating arrangement is, at present, unknown.

In any case, starting with the mechanical side of things, look for the 2016 Evora 400 to return with the traditional supercharged 3.5-liter V6 powerplant that’s been improved to put out 400 hp (thus the name) and 302 lb-ft of torque. All this power is again managed by either a standard 6-speed manual transmission or an available 6-speed shiftable automatic transmission sporting new-for-2016 steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Now with some 55 more ponies than the 2014 Evora offered, Lotus claims the upgraded version will scoot from 0-60 in 4.1 seconds on its way to a 186-mph top speed. The manual gearbox, meanwhile, has been improved with a more engaging clutch and a bit less throw for smoother shifting, while the automatic has been touched up with a more civilized set of shift points. Also new for the stick-shift-equipped 2016 Evora 400 is a standard limited-slip rear differential.

Meanwhile, a lighter chassis and some weight savings via the new composite body and debuting lighter-weight sport seats are claimed by the folks at Lotus to contribute heavily to improved lap times, not to mention anticipated fuel efficiency.

Convenience-wise, a further improvement of the new Evora over the old is the narrowing and shortening of the once awkward and bulky door sills to facilitate entry and exit. Additionally, controls have been re-aligned in this debuting sportster from between the steering wheel and the driver’s door to the top of the center stack for easier access, while the cabin is slated to boast upgraded leather upholstery and accent materials. Alas, don’t expect much of an improvement over the 5.7 cubic feet of trunk space that was sort of an afterthought in the last-generation Evora.

Look for standard amenities, meantime, to include 19- (front) and 20-inch (rear) alloy wheels, a reworked rear spoiler, power door locks, telescoping tilt-wheel steering, a rear-view camera, air conditioning, and a premium Pioneer audio system boasting a CD/MP3 player and 7-inch touchscreen to adorn the 2016 Evora 400. Returning options, furthermore, are slated to include high-end leather upholstery and accents, GPS navigation, rear parking sensors, and an upgraded audio system.

As mentioned, the previous generation of the Evora had the welcome mat pulled from under it in the U.S. due to non-compliant airbags. The new “smart” airbags toted by the 2016 Evora 400 are destined to return this less well known, but nevertheless uber sporty coupe, into the embrace of those American consumers who realize it even exists. And, of course, the next-gen Evora 400 is also expected to again offer standard 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, high-intensity-discharge (HID) headlights, and a remote antitheft alarm.

Look for the 2016 Evora 400 to begin gracing U.S. showrooms in the fall of 2015, whence it will again square off with its main competitor: Porsche’s well-wrought (and costlier) 911 Carrera.