The car was powered by the Renault Gordini EF4 V6 turbo engine and ran on Goodyear tyres, after Lotus had switched from Pirelli.

The technical review of the 95T was particularly positive of the Lotus mechanical grip in slow corners, mentioning that it was equal, if not slightly better than the McLaren MP4/2.

The AUTOCOURSE editor reported that the McLaren was more aerodynamically efficient and was better in fast corners, but netherless praised the leadership of Gerard Ducarogue's technical directorship in reviving Lotus in 1984 after a dismal (in terms of results) 1983 season.

Mansell, meanwhile, finished third in France and the Netherlands, and was running second in the final race in Portugal when his brakes failed (which handed Niki Lauda the Drivers' Championship by half a point from Alain Prost).

However, he also crashed out of the lead at a rain-hit Monaco (which prompted team boss Peter Warr, with whom he had a difficult relationship, to famously declare, "He'll never win a Grand Prix as long as I have a hole in my arse"[3]), and in oppressive heat at Dallas he took pole position and led the first half of the race, before his gearbox failed on the final lap and he collapsed from exhaustion trying to push the car to the finish line.