I just rewatched Shmee's review of driving the Hethel Yellow Emira. It's actually one of the best reviews out there. He gives a very honest evaluation of what he's experiencing as he first sees it, then gets in and drives the car. His isn't as fancy as Henry's, or as simplistic as Harry's, or as flashy as Harris's, but I feel it's the most practical and realistic.
For me there's a list of things that a sports car goes through when you first see it.
First is looks. We're all conditioned to be attracted by looks. Lotus knocked this one out of the park. Henry's video does a great job of showing that no matter where or what setting the Emira is in, it looks stunning. Shmee echoes that in his review.
Second is accessibility. How easy (or difficult) is it to get in and out of? Most sports car enthusiasts will put up with compromises there, if the car delivers everywhere else, but Lotus has given us a decently accessible sports car which Shmee nicely points out and demonstrates. Chris Harris also points this out in his chat with Jack.
Third is interior. How does it look, and how usable is it? Everyone mentions how nice, and nicely finished the interior of the Emira is. Check the box for looks. Usability. We all need a place to put our phone, maybe a drink whether it's coffee, water bottle, etc. We may need convenient storage for small odds and ends. We need to be able to adjust the driving and seating position so it's comfortable, etc. Lotus has that covered too. Shmee points out how some things were odd; like the way the steering wheel and the pedals didn't line up (wheel to the left, pedals to the right an a LHD car) for example, the accessibility of a few of the controls, etc.. None of his observations were show stoppers. Check the box for usability and comfort.
Fourth is sound. How does it sound when you start it, and what does it sound like when revving it up. The Emira's we've heard so far, at the very least sound decent, and I believe it was
@TomE who recently posted a short video of a Hethel Yellow car in the most current spec, being revved in an underground space of some kind. It sounded fantastic. Best sound yet. If that's final spec sound, we have a winner. Check the box for sound.
Fifth is performance; what it's like to drive it. This is where Shmee's video really puts things in perspective. While talking about all the little things that may or may not have been perfect, he immediately becomes engaged by the experience of driving the car, and even points out how all these 'little things' suddenly didn't mean anything; you completely forget about them when driving the car, because
that experience is so engaging. He talks about how usable the power it has actually is, and shows being able to run it up to redline in several gears without being at ridiculous speeds. He comments about how fun it is to actually drive the car, and how important usable power is compared to excessive power.
To me, this is where the Emira will come into its own as a sports car. It's real magic is going to be how it engages you when it's in motion. This is the exact same feeling I had when I got my first ride in a Lotus Elan S1 back in the late 60's. It was so different from the other sports cars I'd been in; Triumph, MG, Austin Healey, Corvette, etc. It felt like the Elan wasn't just riding on the road, it became part of the terrain; smoothly, gracefully tracking over every condition of the road surface but it didn't insulate you from it; you became as one with it. You and the car were a unit; a single entity.
After driving it around, Shmee points out how this is a lot of car for the money; exactly the same thing Chris Harris said, and it's a very good thing. That's probably the best way to describe the Emira. It isn't necessarily perfect or the fastest, but with supermodel looks that hold up against cars that are 3 times as expensive, it's a fun car to look at, to be in and drive. At its price point, it truly is a lot of car for the money, and that's probably why we all want one and are all so wound up about getting one.
