Building momentum in (very) positive review

[hagen111]

I mean the Exige has the same drivetrain and is what, 800 pounds lighter? Surely you can't expect the experience to be as visceral.

The Emira is more like a modern Esprit, not an Exige with better cushions and satnav. It's a very driver-focused, sporty GT.

Exige V6 is about the same weight as Emira. At 1300kgs the Exige V6 is also ‘heavy’ in Lotus terms.

Exige V6, Evora and Emira all have the same basic chassis setup. So an Emira can be made into a ‘Exige V6’ and that is exactly what I want to do. Love how sharp and responsive the Exige V6 is.

 

[TomE]

I think your numbers are off. An Exige V6 is around 1160kg, or 1110kg for a Cup variant. Emira is about 1400kg. Evora GT410 Sport is around 1360kg.

 

[KJD]

And an Exige V6 has a completely different chassis to the Evora/Emira.
It has an Elise chassis with an Evora rear end.

 

[Porter]

Exige V6 is about the same weight as Emira. At 1300kgs the Exige V6 is also ‘heavy’ in Lotus terms.

Exige V6, Evora and Emira all have the same basic chassis setup. So an Emira can be made into a ‘Exige V6’ and that is exactly what I want to do. Love how sharp and responsive the Exige V6 is.

Um, the Exige V6 has a curb weight of 2450 lbs / 1110 kg (ex. 2018 Sport 380). The Emira FE V6 is 3260 lbs / 1480 kg.

That's a difference in weight of 370 kilos, comparable to the combined weight of four large adult men.

I don't know where you got the idea that the weights of these cars were similar. They aren't even remotely in the same class.

 

[Magicman]

Emira is a better uk fast road car than the gt4 imo. That's not from short test drives that's from owning both

 

[Magicman]

There's been nothing in main stream media since pre launch cars, it's quite strange really, no group tests, nothing for nearly a year. I suspect if there was, based on the recent YouTube reviews, it would gain a fair bit of kudos and desirability.
Lotus aren't bothered, it's all about the Electric cars now, emira has done it's job.

 

[Porter]

There's been nothing in main stream media since pre launch cars, it's quite strange really, no group tests, nothing for nearly a year. I suspect if there was, based on the recent YouTube reviews, it would gain a fair bit of kudos and desirability.
Lotus aren't bothered, it's all about the Electric cars now, emira has done it's job.

I actually suspect there's some sort of negative thing that happened in the first round, with at least one UK publication. Maybe specifically EVO, I don't know. UK motoring press tends to move as a flock, and I don't know what happened but none of them talk about Lotus at all now. EVO literally haven't mentioned the car or the brand since that withering, utterly dismissive Bovingdon video review, and the other publications have left it out of their broad coverage since as well.

Frankly as an American I'm waiting for the major US publications and YouTube personalities to get their hands on a truly production-state car, and get a journalist's view that isn't clouded by cultural tensions. No offense to the Brits, but your auto journalism has some really odd cliques and classism that do clearly influence the opinions. I guess that stuff is just part of the cultural wallpaper there, but looking in from outside it feels like most of the perspectives are weirdly qualified, or conditional on a range of social or contextual externalities.

 

[freefall_junkie]

Emira is a better uk fast road car than the gt4 imo. That's not from short test drives that's from owning both

I'm sure a lot of us would be interested in hearing more on your comparison of the two. And is your Emira on Sports suspension?

 

[Magicman]

I'm sure a lot of us would be interested in hearing more on your comparison of the two. And is your Emira on Sports suspension?

I guess there are a fair few caveats to that statement but...

My emira is on touring, the sport for me after driving it, and I think this is how lotus intended, could only be justified if you plan to track the emira regularly or maybe if you live in an area with lovely maintenaned roads. It just jiggled about (that race car jiggle has its own appeal though) and felt too un settled on uneven surfaced roads, the gt4 was better in that respect if you left the suspension in comfort but compared to the way the touring Emira is completely unfazed by mid corner, bumps, compressions and pot holes is why for me, my intended use, skill level and local roads it's the winner. Just incredible. As is turn in and mechanical grip.

On a track I would expect that to reverse, the gt4 in sport would be the more precise tool, followed by a sport emira with the touring somewhat obviously being less suited.

All that said if the emira was only available with sport chassis and I'd never driven touring It wouldn't be a deal breaker.

 

[freefall_junkie]

I guess there are a fair few caveats to that statement but...

My emira is on touring, the sport for me after driving it, and I think this is how lotus intended, could only be justified if you plan to track the emira regularly or maybe if you live in an area with lovely maintenaned roads. It just jiggled about (that race car jiggle has its own appeal though) and felt too un settled on uneven surfaced roads, the gt4 was better in that respect if you left the suspension in comfort but compared to the way the touring Emira is completely unfazed by mid corner, bumps, compressions and pot holes is why for me, my intended use, skill level and local roads it's the winner. Just incredible. As is turn in and mechanical grip.

On a track I would expect that to reverse, the gt4 in sport would be the more precise tool, followed by a sport emira with the touring somewhat obviously being less suited.

All that said if the emira was only available with sport chassis and I'd never driven touring It wouldn't be a deal breaker.

Very interesting, thanks. I haven't driven my Emira enough yet to come to a definitive conclusion on the sport suspension, but so far it does feel much, much firmer than the touring car I drove. Certainly way more than the 10% difference in spring rates would suggest, although obviously the damping and geo are different too.

 

[Evotion]

You on CUP2s?

Interesting. Again, this seems to be down to inconsistencies in the suspension, though god knows how.

Of course, everybody feels thing differently, and what else you drive can alter the perception, but there does seem to be some bid differences felt out there.

As I said before, it would not surprise me now if there is a sports suspension car out there that feels the same as a touring setup car out there.

Ha, just thought, tyre pressure can be a big factor. The car says they are fine but will check as my suspension doesn't really feel firm at all - just perfect.

 

[freefall_junkie]

You on CUP2s?

Interesting. Again, this seems to be down to inconsistencies in the suspension, though god knows how.

Of course, everybody feels thing differently, and what else you drive can alter the perception, but there does seem to be some bid differences felt out there.

As I said before, it would not surprise me now if there is a sports suspension car out there that feels the same as a touring setup car out there.

Ha, just thought, tyre pressure can be a big factor. The car says they are fine but will check as my suspension doesn't really feel firm at all - just perfect

No, Goodyears. I doubt there is much inconsistency in the suspension - the springs and dampers are made my Eibach and Bilstein after all. Agree tyre pressure is a significant factor though. The TPMS on my Emira reads a whopping 5psi higher than my Sealy digital pressure gauge. I had thought the gauge was likely to be more accurate, but I am beginning to doubt it.

 

[kitkat]

No, Goodyears. I doubt there is much inconsistency in the suspension - the springs and dampers are made my Eibach and Bilstein after all. Agree tyre pressure is a significant factor though. The TPMS on my Emira reads a whopping 5psi higher than my Sealy digital pressure gauge. I had thought the gauge was likely to be more accurate, but I am beginning to doubt it.

Tpms are notoriously inaccurate, I don’t trust them one bit. Especially if you go into the cheaper suppliers.

 

[kitkat]

Back to the subject I’ve definitely seen a shift in both reviews and commentary for reviews. I suspect what I’m noticing is the NA market and NA reviewers are reacting to the car finally.

Recent example would be the comment section of posts by Matt Farah are overwhelmingly positive.

 

[Magicman]

You on CUP2s?

Interesting. Again, this seems to be down to inconsistencies in the suspension, though god knows how.

Of course, everybody feels thing differently, and what else you drive can alter the perception, but there does seem to be some bid differences felt out there.

As I said before, it would not surprise me now if there is a sports suspension car out there that feels the same as a touring setup car out there.

Ha, just thought, tyre pressure can be a big factor. The car says they are fine but will check as my suspension doesn't really feel firm at all - just perfect.

Probably worth noting the sport I drive was in Goodyears and my gt4 cup2

 

[Lotus64]

that race car jiggle

I like how you put that. Gave me a tingle...

 

[Lotus64]

Back to the subject I’ve definitely seen a shift in both reviews and commentary for reviews. I suspect what I’m noticing is the NA market and NA reviewers are reacting to the car finally.

Recent example would be the comment section of posts by Matt Farah are overwhelmingly positive.

I personally haven't noticed a shift. Outside of a couple snooty British journalists, elige owners and forum posters with exorbitant expectations, I've witnessed critical acclaim everywhere else since the reveal, unless reliability or network is the topic at hand.

American car magazines, review comments, Reddit, YouTube, drive impressions and every person I've ever discussed the car with in person, including die hard enthusiasts and non car people have all responded overwhelmingly positive.

 

[lion shf]

I personally haven't noticed a shift. Outside of a couple snooty British journalists, elige owners and forum posters with exorbitant expectations, I've witnessed critical acclaim everywhere else since the reveal, unless reliability or network is the topic at hand.

American car magazines, review comments, Reddit, YouTube, drive impressions and every person I've ever discussed the car with in person, including die hard enthusiasts and non car people have all responded overwhelmingly positive.

I dig it the most (at $80k)

 

[Cachaco131]

Back to the subject I’ve definitely seen a shift in both reviews and commentary for reviews. I suspect what I’m noticing is the NA market and NA reviewers are reacting to the car finally.

Recent example would be the comment section of posts by Matt Farah are overwhelmingly positive.

NA reviewers more lenient? More easily satisfied? Brits hard to please to sound more sophisticated and knowledgeable?

 

[Porter]

NA reviewers more lenient? More easily satisfied? Brits hard to please to sound more sophisticated and knowledgeable?

It may be that familiarity breeds contempt. Also, other than the Evora we haven't had any other Lotus cars in the US in well over a decade, so we don't suffer from the dismissive "it's not an Elise/Exige-style lightweight as Chapman intended" perspective. I always get a kick out of those people, they must have been absolutely furious in the '80s and '90s over the Esprit.

Brits also have a pretty wide range of alternative options that we don't have in the US, including Alpine, so they don't see the Emira as a particularly unique or singular option in the way that we do as US enthusiasts.