Competitors

[xen]

I drove my Exige V6 hard and on track...absolutely loved it! But my dealer - extremely fast driver - assured me the Emira is another level...much wider, more hp, better suspension and overall quality...he told me it is mind-blowingly good after driving it during EU dealer gathering in Hethel last month. But hey...he is a dealer, so what else could he say ;-)

He was very selective with his more’s though wasn’t he.

 

[FlyNavy01]

M2's are awesome, but won't be more rare than an Emira. I see M2's every few days where I live... and a generic looking bloated BMW coupe is hardly prestigious IMO

 

[TomAce]

M2's are awesome, but won't be more rare than an Emira. I see M2's every few days where I live... and a generic looking bloated BMW coupe is hardly prestigious IMO

If you once have been „spoiled“ by a perfectly working suspension system as a whole it‘s hard to ignore and you start comparing it to the mostly inferior suspension systems on the market, and the OG M2 has a much too harsh ride, especially at the rear. Losing traction at the rear is a constant fear, that’s why the best you can do is upgrading to M-Performance suspension which you can set to a much more usable daily ride setup, much more mechanical grip at the rear if you soften the rear.

But direct from the factory it‘s simply not that good imho. And we are talking about an M-car, so pretty compromised imho. The only good Stock suspension I can recall was in the Cayman R and Alpine A110.

So, what‘s my point? If the Emira rides that well because of double wishbone suspension, it will be a winner no one can really compare with, maybe only the Alpine A110 which is a brilliant car suspension-wise, but the little 1.8 turbo Engine is not that special which is a shame. I nearly bought one.

When I saw the Emira in the flesh I signed almost immediately. It must be the perfect blend of all I want in a sportscar. If the want is not strong enough after demo cars are available and I had a ride in it, I guess then I‘m done with Sportscars at all…

 

[MCS]

GT3 Manual… race car for the street, mega addictive, 911’s are soooooo good. If there would be one weekend car left in the garage it would be a GT3 Manual…

458 Spider… best Ferrari I owned…super comfortable, spider so supernise for sunny days…very beautiful.

For me the perfect 2 car garage for weekend rides…

Like your style

 

[Eagle7]

If you once have been „spoiled“ by a perfectly working suspension system as a whole it‘s hard to ignore and you start comparing it to the mostly inferior suspension systems on the market, and the OG M2 has a much too harsh ride, especially at the rear. Losing traction at the rear is a constant fear, that’s why the best you can do is upgrading to M-Performance suspension which you can set to a much more usable daily ride setup, much more mechanical grip at the rear if you soften the rear.

But direct from the factory it‘s simply not that good imho. And we are talking about an M-car, so pretty compromised imho. The only good Stock suspension I can recall was in the Cayman R and Alpine A110.

So, what‘s my point? If the Emira rides that well because of double wishbone suspension, it will be a winner no one can really compare with, maybe only the Alpine A110 which is a brilliant car suspension-wise, but the little 1.8 turbo Engine is not that special which is a shame. I nearly bought one.

When I saw the Emira in the flesh I signed almost immediately. It must be the perfect blend of all I want in a sportscar. If the want is not strong enough after demo cars are available and I had a ride in it, I guess then I‘m done with Sportscars at all…

If you haven't driven a 2017 or newer Alfa Romeo Giulia, and you're able to, do so. They have a superb chassis; the best I've ever driven. It was what convinced me to buy one. I still have it and I'm keeping it, so I'm adding the Emira instead of replacing the Alfa. The Alfa is a sports sedan so it's not strictly a sports car, but the ride, steering and handling is just magic.

I fully expect the Emira to meet and beat that in a few ways. The driver view should be more engaging, and while I'm expecting great things from the hydraulic steering, the Alfa has fantastic steering and feel. That's going to be a close call. The Emira will have more power and weigh less (I have the AWD Giulia Ti Lusso, not the Quadrifoglio). While the ZF 8 speed in the Alfa is good, I'm expecting the manual 6 in the Emira to be more fun. The Alfa has great Ferrari paddle shifters (they're actually from the Ferrari parts bin) but paddle shifting just doesn't give the same feeling of driving engagement for me that a manual does. Maybe it's because I learned how to drive with a manual.

I don't have the Quadrifoglio but that car has a great sounding exhaust from it's turbo 6 in race mode. I have the turbo 4 which sounds like a turbo 4. The Emira is going to sound more like the Quadrifoglio but with added supercharger whine.

Looks. The Giulia is a gorgeous car, very distinctive, but the Emira is like almost nothing else out there right now. There isn't any current Ferrari I think looks better, nothing from McLaren, Porsche, Jaguar, Audi, BMW, or any other major marque. I think it looks better than Murray's T50, or even the T33 which I think looks better than the T50. Lambos are way over the top drama queens for my tastes, and I'm not enamored with any other of the new hyper or super cars. The only hyper car I think looks better than the Emira is the Evija, but I like the front of the Emira better.

There just isn't anything else out there currently at any price point that makes me feel the way I do when I look at the Emira, and I honestly can't believe it's at the price point it is and I'm getting one. Maybe that's being a fan boy, but I know gorgeous when I see it, and the Emira has it in spades.

 

[ssminnowjnsn]

I own a manual M2CS. It is incredible. Literally the only thing I don't like about it is a slightly higher center of gravity than a dedicated sports car chassis. Otherwise it's a much faster car than the Emira in most circumstances, more rare, more practical, and perhaps even more prestigious. At the time I crossed shopped it against an Evora GT. While I absolutely loved the Aurora in manual spec, I really can get over the garbage interior. I now have a FE, manual magma on order due November and I'm so curious which car I will like better.

I also own a 6MT M2 CS. Unbelievable car. I know the first reaction of most is that it is 'just another M car' but the CS is very different out of the box compared to the Competition having driven both extensively (and the Competition is a fantastic car in its own right).

I also think you are correct in the above sentiment but would also add that that the two will compliment each other nicely. The M2 CS as the front engine RWD turbocharged street hooligan and the Emira as the balanced mid engine handling weapon with exotic looks and NA sound to boot.

 

[TomAce]

If you haven't driven a 2017 or newer Alfa Romeo Giulia, and you're able to, do so. They have a superb chassis; the best I've ever driven. It was what convinced me to buy one. I still have it and I'm keeping it, so I'm adding the Emira instead of replacing the Alfa. The Alfa is a sports sedan so it's not strictly a sports car, but the ride, steering and handling is just magic.

I fully expect the Emira to meet and beat that in a few ways. The driver view should be more engaging, and while I'm expecting great things from the hydraulic steering, the Alfa has fantastic steering and feel. That's going to be a close call. The Emira will have more power and weigh less (I have the AWD Giulia Ti Lusso, not the Quadrifoglio). While the ZF 8 speed in the Alfa is good, I'm expecting the manual 6 in the Emira to be more fun. The Alfa has great Ferrari paddle shifters (they're actually from the Ferrari parts bin) but paddle shifting just doesn't give the same feeling of driving engagement for me that a manual does. Maybe it's because I learned how to drive with a manual.

I don't have the Quadrifoglio but that car has a great sounding exhaust from it's turbo 6 in race mode. I have the turbo 4 which sounds like a turbo 4. The Emira is going to sound more like the Quadrifoglio but with added supercharger whine.

Looks. The Giulia is a gorgeous car, very distinctive, but the Emira is like almost nothing else out there right now. There isn't any current Ferrari I think looks better, nothing from McLaren, Porsche, Jaguar, Audi, BMW, or any other major marque. I think it looks better than Murray's T50, or even the T33 which I think looks better than the T50. Lambos are way over the top drama queens for my tastes, and I'm not enamored with any other of the new hyper or super cars. The only hyper car I think looks better than the Emira is the Evija, but I like the front of the Emira better.

There just isn't anything else out there currently at any price point that makes me feel the way I do when I look at the Emira, and I honestly can't believe it's at the price point it is and I'm getting one. Maybe that's being a fan boy, but I know gorgeous when I see it, and the Emira has it in spades.

I have driven the Giulia QV for a short moment, a friend of mine had one. The most impressive thing was that engine! 2.9L Biturbo Ferrari derived, first turbo engine I drove that really liked to rev and the punch it generated up in the higher rpms. So, I didn‘t give much attention to the suspension when I‘m honest!

Later I drove the M2C with S55 engine and HJS downpipes from another friend, that felt similar but not that urgent like the QV.

My daily driver is the OG M2 with N55 engine and HJS downpipe and Wagner intercooler. That engine has this famous inline 6 sound that made BMW engines famous. But it’s not comparable to S55 or the one in the QV.

But I agree the Emira is simply stunning, so gorgeous!

 

[PaulP]

I also own a 6MT M2 CS. Unbelievable car. I know the first reaction of most is that it is 'just another M car' but the CS is very different out of the box compared to the Competition having driven both extensively (and the Competition is a fantastic car in its own right).

I also think you are correct in the above sentiment but would also add that that the two will compliment each other nicely. The M2 CS as the front engine RWD turbocharged street hooligan and the Emira as the balanced mid engine handling weapon with exotic looks and NA sound to boot.

People on this forum love to diss on M cars and the M2 in particular. I just point them to ring times vs the evora

 

[FlyNavy01]

I only cross-shopped the Emira with an Atom 4. Eventually decided Atom's are overpriced in the US and I could use the Emira way more often than the Atom. Essentially traded some raw viscerality and hardcore track performance for more usability and looks. The GT4 would've been on the list too if new Porsche GT cars weren't unobtanium these days with the allocation game and obscene markups.

 

[kitkat]

People on this forum love to diss on M cars and the M2 in particular. I just point them to ring times vs the evora

The only thing the Evora has over the M2 imho is driver engagement — and it’s not as if the M2 is lacking in that. I’d imagine the Emira adds looks to that list and that’s about it.

 

[CarGuy07]

I considered the GTS 4.0 and GT4 but much prefer the looks of Emira. It would also be more “exotic” vs run of the mill Porsches. With all the lack of communication by Lotus, I was very close on putting down a deposit on a Porsche though. I do like them for quality and performance. I am a big Porsche fan but for now will try to be patient for the Emira. I wonder when they’ll stop making ICE 718s though. That is the backup option.

 

[FlyNavy01]

The only thing the Evora has over the M2 imho is driver engagement — and it’s not as if the M2 is lacking in that. I’d imagine the Emira adds looks to that list and that’s about it.

Plus weight, engine response (not a turbo), design, exclusivity, sound, etc...

 

[Pegasi]

The only thing the Evora has over the M2 imho is driver engagement — and it’s not as if the M2 is lacking in that. I’d imagine the Emira adds looks to that list and that’s about it.

I thought the ring times were similar for M2 and Evora at around 8:00.

Porsche and BMW are just victims of their own success. I can't think of another automaker who has put out as many top notch performance cars as these two. But when you are everywhere some people start to see it as just another...

The BMW E30 is one of my favorites of all time. I don't comment much on this because I have never ridden in a Porsche and I haven't driven a modern M3 or M2.

 

[switchlanez]

The only other car on my radar is the upcoming Toyota MR2 hybrid. Toyota recently filed a patent that shows battery and engine placement behind the driver. Safe to assume this will be added to the GR lineup alongside the 86, Corolla, and Supra and, given they all have manuals and Toyota has applied to patent a manual for EV applications plus Honda set precedent for a manual in their last Insight hybrid, I expect the MR2 will have a manual offering. EV torque, ICE sound, and exotic mid-engine styling akin to the SW20 generation with Toyota affordability (poor man's Lotus).

 

[GetawayDriving]

The only other car on my radar is the upcoming Toyota MR2 hybrid. Toyota recently filed a patent that shows battery and engine placement behind the driver. Safe to assume this will be added to the GR lineup alongside the 86, Corolla, and Supra and, given they all have manuals and Toyota has applied to patent a manual for EV applications plus Honda set precedent for a manual in their last Insight hybrid, I expect the MR2 will have a manual offering. EV torque, ICE sound, and exotic mid-engine styling akin to the SW20 generation with Toyota affordability (poor man's Lotus).

View attachment 6208

View attachment 6209

I would daily the hell out of something like this.

 

[d15b7]

The front end of that new MR2 reminds me a lot of the monster on Predator

 

[Slowmanriver88]

I also own a 6MT M2 CS. Unbelievable car. I know the first reaction of most is that it is 'just another M car' but the CS is very different out of the box compared to the Competition having driven both extensively (and the Competition is a fantastic car in its own right).

I also think you are correct in the above sentiment but would also add that that the two will compliment each other nicely. The M2 CS as the front engine RWD turbocharged street hooligan and the Emira as the balanced mid engine handling weapon with exotic looks and NA sound to boot.

The m2cs is incredibly special. Its still worth twice as much as a m2 competition. Its definitely worth more than my m4cs, and deserves to be.

I showed my relatives the emira and they said the wait is definitely worth it and to hang on lol.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

The only other car on my radar is the upcoming Toyota MR2 hybrid. Toyota recently filed a patent that shows battery and engine placement behind the driver. Safe to assume this will be added to the GR lineup alongside the 86, Corolla, and Supra and, given they all have manuals and Toyota has applied to patent a manual for EV applications plus Honda set precedent for a manual in their last Insight hybrid, I expect the MR2 will have a manual offering. EV torque, ICE sound, and exotic mid-engine styling akin to the SW20 generation with Toyota affordability (poor man's Lotus).

View attachment 6208

View attachment 6209

Is this picture after they did the crash testing?

 

[LotusB]

People on this forum love to diss on M cars and the M2 in particular. I just point them to ring times vs the evora

Just curious, are we allowed to "diss" if we already own an M2? I have one and, to put it mildly, don't particularly like its suspension and steering feel. Maybe the CS is that much better, never driven one... but I'm expecting a lot more from the Emira.

 

[PaulP]

Just curious, are we allowed to "diss" if we already own an M2? I have one and, to put it mildly, don't particularly like its suspension and steering feel. Maybe CS is that much better, never driven one... but I'm expecting a lot more from the Emira.

Those are very reasonable contrasts. It’s the carte blanche statements about how the M cars are not “real”sports cars when they go faster around the track that crack me up. Lotus are renowned for suspension and bmw most certainly not for steering. Those are well taken points