Lotus Emira

Lotus Emira review

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?

“The Emira is a hugely competent sports car with seductive looks, a refined cabin and tenaciously grippy handling”

The Emira does the job Lotus needs it to. It’s a hugely competent sports car with seductive looks, a cabin leagues more refined than any previous hip-high Hethel output, and tenaciously grippy handling. The engines have a broad mix of characters which will suit most drivers depending on how they want to use their car, and you could imagine using one every day, which isn’t something we’d have said about an Elise or an Exige.

That said, we’d like the Emira more if it was a bit more delicate to drive, less about grip and more alive beneath you. It’s also asking very serious money now, and production delays mean deposit holders who have shown faith in the newcomer are being kept waiting when there are plenty of other tempting cars in the class. For the time being, at least.

www.topgear.com

Lotus Emira Review 2023 | Top Gear

The last ever petrol-powered Lotus looks fantastic and drives with precision, but not quite as much emotion as we might’ve hoped
www.topgear.com www.topgear.com
 
Review: Lotus Emira V6 First Edition

Verdict

Despite knowing just how strong the Mercedes-AMG A45’s 2,0-litre motor will be in this lightweight package, I think that the supercharged V6 (from a Camry!) model is the one to get, if only for its impressively linear torque delivery, manual transmission and accompanying soundtrack.

It’s a pity that local pricing is so keen but, like any vehicle still introduced with a high-performance, manually operated drivetrain these days, these First Edition Lotus Emira is guaranteed to become collectable.

This is by far the best Lotus that I’ve driven. Not only for the fact that my wife would enjoy it too, but because in this V6-powered application, it successfully blends this legendary brand’s exhilarating past with its newfound level of poise and refinement. It’s arguably also the perfect stepping stone on which to take the brand into a future where the Lotus nameplate will feature on a significantly broader product portfolio.

Lotus Emira V6 First Edition Fast Facts
Price: R2 500 000
Engine: 3,5-litre, supercharged V6
Transmission: six-speed manual
Power: 298 kW @ 6 000 r/min
Torque: 420 N.m @ 3 500 r/min
Driven wheels: Rear
0-100 km/h: 4,3 seconds
Top speed: 290 km/h
Fuel consumption: 11,0 L/100km (combined)
CO2 emissions: 258 g/km
Rivals: Porsche 718 Cayman; BMW M2

www.carmag.co.za

Review: Lotus Emira V6 First Edition

Ahead of an all-electric future, Ian McLaren recently got to grips with the Lotus Emira V6 First Edition - read his thoughts on the dying breed of sports car here.
www.carmag.co.za www.carmag.co.za
 
Lotus Emira Finally Cleared For Sale In U.S. After Three Years

The California Air Resources Board has signed off on the Emira.

When we first drove the Lotus Emira, we found it to be an absolute delight to drive. It’s not cheap, but then again, neither is the Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0. It’s also absolutely gorgeous, which never hurts. And with a Toyota-sourced engine and manual transmission, at least mechanically speaking, it should be relatively reliable. One big downside, though, was that Lotus had to wait for approval from the California Air Resources Board before it could sell the Emira here. And after a three-year wait, Motor1 reports it’s finally been approved to go on sale.

Technically, Lotus could have already been selling the Emira in the 36 states that don’t follow California’s emissions laws, but it chose to wait on CARB approval before it began delivering cars to customers. Motor1 speculates that may have been an intentional move to keep buyers in CARB states from buying Emiras out of state, but it doesn’t appear that Lotus has confirmed that theory anywhere.

Now, buyers, some of whom have been waiting since 2021, will finally be able to get their cars. That’s a long wait, but we get the feeling that 400 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque, as well as the Emira’s excellent handling, will go a long way toward making it worth the wait.

jalopnik.com

Lotus Emira Finally Cleared For Sale In U.S. After Three Years

The California Air Resources Board has signed off on the Emira.
jalopnik.com jalopnik.com
 
The new Lotus Emira Turbo SE is a 400bhp version of the four-cylinder sports car

Lotus finally gets to use more of AMG’s banzai turbo four-pot engine, but it’s not for Europe… yet

When Lotus first unveiled the four-cylinder engined Emira, it’d be fair to say we were a little disappointed with its 360bhp output. We were told that figure was a result of a new intake and exhaust, as well as Lotus not wanting the baby Emira to trip up the full-fat 400bhp V6 version.

Well, it seems the latter worry has now gone out of the window, because the four-pot hasn’t just tripped up the V6, it’s put in a full-blooded, two-footed tackle.

You see, this new Emira Turbo SE comes complete with 400bhp and 353lb ft of torque from its 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder, and because it uses an eight-speed DCT gearbox it’ll do 0-62mph in 4.0 seconds. The supercharged V6 with a manual ‘box can only manage the same sprint in 4.3 seconds. Might still be the one to have though...

Although actually, if you’re based in Europe you won’t be able to make that choice just yet, because the Emira Turbo SE is only for the Asia Pacific, Middle East and Africa regions… for now. It comes as First Edition Emiras move off the table, to be replaced by the original 360bhp four-pot with the softer Touring suspension (now called Emira Turbo), this new 400bhp four-cylinder with the Lotus Drivers Pack and Sports suspension (Emira Turbo SE), and the 400bhp V6 that can be had with either the six-speed manual or a six-speed auto (Emira V6).

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X