Emira [Report] Lotus Emira (type 131)

[TopspeedPT]

Lotus Emira

Lotus is building a brand new, old-fashioned sports car. It will be fully unveiled on 6 July, and it will take the name ‘Emira’. (Pronounced ‘e-meer-a’, FYI.)

Why old-fashioned? Because it won’t be an electric sports car, nor will it be a hybrid sports car. It will be the last combustion-engined sports car Lotus will ever build; the Elise, Exige and Evora are all being axed, don’t forget.

Emira means ‘commander’ or ‘leader’ – highly appropriate for this new Lotus sports car link

 

[A.P.]

Looking forward to this, Lotus could become an important UK car manufacturer again.

 

[Bridster]

This is amazing news! I was fairly sure it was gonna be nothing but heavy hybrid and electric cars from now on. Increasing the yearly production from 1500 to 5000 seems very optimistic, but maybe there secretly is a case for a lightweight, non-hybrid, non-electric car doing just that. Dress it in the modern Evija inspired design, keep it light, focused, have it handle beautifully like all the other Lotuses and perhaps improve the build quality and the interior and you have a sure hit on your hands! Right? But even if not, it was worth trying . Lotus without light weight might as well not exist.

 

[mihc]

Sounds and looks promising.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Looking forward to this, Lotus could become an important UK car manufacturer again.

Agree with the former, reluctant disagree about the latter.

Right now, they are unfortunately a wrung below McLaren. There is potential there, and Bridster's many suggested remediations can have on track to be a worthwhile brand that harkens back to its legendary days. That said, I don't have an issue with the upcoming Evija; it seems to be a shot in the arm the brand needs to go forth. Though I hope it'd be lighter, but being electric the only way that would happen if it was made by unobtainium.

 

[Bridster]

Car and Driver - Lotus Emira Will Be the Final Gasoline Car from the Sports-Car Maker

More details:
- two engine options: turbocharged I4 with 300hp and the evolution of the current supercharged Toyota V6 with 400hp+
- three gearbox choices: DCT - only available with the I4 engine; torque converter and manual available with the V6
- keeps hydraulic steering until at least 2027
- coupe only, no roadster

I am curious why the manual is only available with the V6 and the DCT only with the I4. I would imagine that there would be a lot of peope who would want the base I4 version with a manual... and also a lot of people who would want the more powerful and up-market V6 version with a DCT. Obviously there had to have been some engineering/cost reason for that, but I think this is definitely gonna lose some sales...

 

[Centurion]

Car and Driver - Lotus Emira Will Be the Final Gasoline Car from the Sports-Car Maker

More details:
- two engine options: turbocharged I4 with 300hp and the evolution of the current supercharged Toyota V6 with 400hp+
- three gearbox choices: DCT - only available with the I4 engine; torque converter and manual available with the V6
- keeps hydraulic steering until at least 2027
- coupe only, no roadster

I am curious why the manual is only available with the V6 and the DCT only with the I4. I would imagine that there would be a lot of peope who would want the base I4 version with a manual... and also a lot of people who would want the more powerful and up-market V6 version with a DCT. Obviously there had to have been some engineering/cost reason for that, but I think this is definitely gonna lose some sales...

Glorious details. A friend of my has an Exgie 350 and it's a car that's I'm most likely to buy next. It's one of the most engaging and thrilling cars that I have ever driven. Furthermore they don't cost a fortune to buy and are not as mileage sensitive as some comparable cars.

My biggest wish for the Emira is competitive pricing. Not to discredit the Exile but brand new it's been very expensive. More variants cost more than 718 GT4 and are not far off 5 year old 991 GT3. The Elise is a lovely car with a lovely size but the pricing of some variants haven't made sense considering that the difference between them and older variants is small.

Hopefully the Emira will strike a good balance between the thrill of the Exige/Elise but with a sprinkle of create comforts from the Evora. Overall I'm extremely excited about this car. A targa top would be icing on the cake.

 

[bmwz4coupe]

Wow!

 

[bmwz4coupe]

I hope it will be nearer to Elise/Exige than to Evora. I never liked Evora, an ugly and overweight car (by Lotus standards).

 

[Bridster]

Glorious details. A friend of my has an Exgie 350 and it's a car that's I'm most likely to buy next. It's one of the most engaging and thrilling cars that I have ever driven. Furthermore they don't cost a fortune to buy and are not as mileage sensitive as some comparable cars.

My biggest wish for the Emira is competitive pricing. Not to discredit the Exile but brand new it's been very expensive. More variants cost more than 718 GT4 and are not far off 5 year old 991 GT3. The Elise is a lovely car with a lovely size but the pricing of some variants haven't made sense considering that the difference between them and older variants is small.

Hopefully the Emira will strike a good balance between the thrill of the Exige/Elise but with a sprinkle of create comforts from the Evora. Overall I'm extremely excited about this car. A targa top would be icing on the cake.

Oh, cool to hear you are considering buying one! Go for the UK Exige, though, not the Chinese market only Exgie/Exile models - I heard those are a bit meh . But yeah, the fact that they hold their value very well is definitely one of the strong points.

I am also quite excited about the car... with my main hope being the car ends up being a 2-seater, not 2+2 like the Evora. That way the car can be made shorter and lighter than the Evora, while still keeping all the comforts. I am not too hopeful, though, because one of the gearbox options is a torque converter. If they bothered to engineer a pure GT option like that, then I don't rate the chances of it a being a little 2-seat sportscar as very high (and also it's coupe only - maybe because they wouldn't/couldn't do a 4 seat one). Mostly I am hoping the car doesn't end up weighing 1500kg or something. It shouldn't and it definitely wouldn't if it didn't have back seats, but you never know these days.

 

[KiwiRob]

Car and Driver - Lotus Emira Will Be the Final Gasoline Car from the Sports-Car Maker

More details:
- two engine options: turbocharged I4 with 300hp and the evolution of the current supercharged Toyota V6 with 400hp+
- three gearbox choices: DCT - only available with the I4 engine; torque converter and manual available with the V6
- keeps hydraulic steering until at least 2027
- coupe only, no roadster

I am curious why the manual is only available with the V6 and the DCT only with the I4. I would imagine that there would be a lot of peope who would want the base I4 version with a manual... and also a lot of people who would want the more powerful and up-market V6 version with a DCT. Obviously there had to have been some engineering/cost reason for that, but I think this is definitely gonna lose some sales...

I suspect the I4 is the Volvo engine, I don't think the Volvo engine in this tune has a manual transmission.

 

[mihc]

Just please keep it simple. Weight the same as it is, or in worst case scenario maximum 1250kg. Slightly bigger dimensions but not by much and design looks lovely from first two teaser photos. Make it heavy evolution, not revolution. Leave the latter for future EV, leave this as a modern up to date Elise/Exige successor correctly priced and Cayman GT4 will have a worthy opponent.

 

[Sunny]

and Cayman GT4 will have a worthy opponent.

Surely in the pages of British auto rags. But with that shity supercharged v6, not really.

 

[Centurion]

Oh, cool to hear you are considering buying one! Go for the UK Exige, though, not the Chinese market only Exgie/Exile models - I heard those are a bit meh . But yeah, the fact that they hold their value very well is definitely one of the strong points.

I am also quite excited about the car... with my main hope being the car ends up being a 2-seater, not 2+2 like the Evora. That way the car can be made shorter and lighter than the Evora, while still keeping all the comforts. I am not too hopeful, though, because one of the gearbox options is a torque converter. If they bothered to engineer a pure GT option like that, then I don't rate the chances of it a being a little 2-seat sportscar as very high (and also it's coupe only - maybe because they wouldn't/couldn't do a 4 seat one). Mostly I am hoping the car doesn't end up weighing 1500kg or something. It shouldn't and it definitely wouldn't if it didn't have back seats, but you never know these days.

The Evora has hydraulic steering is daily drivable and weigh under 1,400kg. Whether the Emira is lighter or weighs the same will depend on how much sound deadening, creature comforts and tech Lotus will pack into the car. Hopefully there will be a barebone trim.

Other than that, Lotus has stated that it will be a car that can be driven everyday. Therefore I wouldn't be surprised if it's a faux 2+2 with more leg room for tall people and rear seats that can be used for storage. Basically it will be a daily that get's the wife seal of approval and not a track toy.

The truth is that the Emira, nor any other new car will offer the lightness and purity of the outgoing Lotus models. Lotus fans will have to accept it by clinging on to he older cars, or respect that the manufacturer need to widen the appeal of the brand.

 

[KiwiRob]

Surely in the pages of British auto rags. But with that shity supercharged v6, not really.

Whats shitty about that V6?

 

[bmwz4coupe]

Did the Evora sell as expected? I think I have only seen one a couple of times...

 

[TopspeedPT]

 

[Centurion]

Unveiling will take place at 19:30 BST.

 

[bmwz4coupe]

The wheel doesn’t look bad.

 

[hoffmeister_fan]

Curious to see if they source their 2.0L turbo from Volvo, steering wheel looks similar to theirs.