Considering an Emira After 8 Years with Tesla – Thoughts from Former Owners?

[EatAHelicopter]

Hey everyone,

First, I just want to say hi. New member, first time posting.

I’m seriously considering the Emira and have a test drive scheduled for next weekend. For the past eight years, I’ve exclusively driven Teslas, so this would be my first gas-powered car in a long time. While I’ve driven plenty of gas cars as rentals and from friends, nothing I've driven has gotten close to matching the thrill of the instant torque from a Tesla. To be fair, I've not driven anything close to a junior supercar. That said, I’m getting bored with Tesla’s design language, and the Emira is one of the few cars that genuinely excites me now.

Are there any former Tesla owners here, or those who own both, who can share their thoughts? Based on what I’ve read, I feel confident that the Emira’s driving experience will meet my expectations, but I know the tech and infotainment will be a step down. As someone who’s really into tech (and the associated benefits like built in dashcam, preheating remotely, remote tracking, etc), that’s been one of the biggest reasons I’ve stuck with Tesla for so long. CarPlay helps ease that concern a bit, but I’d love to hear from those who have made the switch—how do you feel about the trade-offs, do you regret it at all?

Before discovering the Emira, I was ready to pull the trigger on a Model S Plaid, so this would be a big shift. Any insights would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[FlyNavy01]

Agree with all the above posts except disagree that the Emira is "more fun" than a Tesla or any EV. I'd argue they're both equally fun, just in entirely different ways and use cases. I got the first Model 3 Performance delivered to Florida back in July 2018 and drove it exclusively for 6 years (including two 4,000 mile road trips) until I added the Emira last Spring. The 1.1 second 40-60mph time in my cheap commuter car is absolutely just as fun (and useful in traffic) today as it was 80k+ miles ago. I think a quick EV for daily and a small analog sports car for weekends/canyons is the ultimate two car solution currently.

Assuming you have charging at home, the cost per mile (excluding depreciation lol), convenience, effortlessness and practicality of EV's is absolutely head and shoulders above any ICE for daily use. I could easily see mine lasting 200k+ miles if I decided to keep it that long. Having said that, as a driving enthusiast I still absolutely prefer the Emira over an EV when I want the full sensory experience.

An analogy I like to use is an Apple Watch versus a Breitling. One has way more useful features and useabulity, but the other is much more desirable and timeless. Most people understandably prefer the latter, but if you can, have both.

 

[chirowolf]

Are you seriously debating keeping the Tesla over an Emira? lmao

Like many owners of both stated. 2 very different animals. If you have the means and room, get both. I love my Lotus cars, but if I could only own one car, I would have to say the Tesla would win. practicality, smoothness, maintenance and reliability.
For love of driving? LOTUS

 

[marc1adrien]

Agree with all the above posts except disagree that the Emira is "more fun" than a Tesla or any EV. I'd argue they're both equally fun, just in entirely different ways and use cases. I got the first Model 3 Performance delivered to Florida back in July 2018 and drove it exclusively for 6 years (including two 4,000 mile road trips) until I added the Emira last Spring. The 1.1 second 40-60mph time in my cheap commuter car is absolutely just as fun (and useful in traffic) today as it was 80k+ miles ago. I think a quick EV for daily and a small analog sports car for weekends/canyons is the ultimate two car solution currently.

Assuming you have charging at home, the cost per mile (excluding depreciation lol), convenience, effortlessness and practicality of EV's is absolutely head and shoulders above any ICE for daily use. I could easily see mine lasting 200k+ miles if I decided to keep it that long. Having said that, as a driving enthusiast I still absolutely prefer the Emira over an EV when I want the full sensory experience.

An analogy I like to use is an Apple Watch versus a Breitling. One has way more useful features and useabulity, but the other is much more desirable and timeless. Most people understandably prefer the latter, but if you can, have both.

Fair.

I love that one of your watches is timeless! (I slay me)

 

[daSchtick]

I think a quick EV for daily and a small analog sports car for weekends/canyons is the ultimate two car solution currently.

This is my thought exactly. One cannot replace the other, but instead rather complement each other.

The Tesla is the perfect daily driver. Fantastic power and response, amazing technology, almost no maintenance required, and super low cost of operation when charging at home.

The Emira is a beautiful, soulful, and analog experience. Its a throwback to earlier times is a modern mid-engine sports car with a warranty.

Comparing these two is like comparing a car to a motorcycle - completely different experiences.

Once my Emira arrives, I will have both!

 

[EatAHelicopter]

In case anyone was wondering or cared, I had my test drive today at the Lotus dealer in Rockville, MD. After all the back-and-forth in this thread about going from a Tesla to an Emira, I figured I’d share my first impressions.

After my first loop on the roads around the dealership, which was just a few miles, I wasn’t entirely sure what to think. The car was much smaller than I imagined, but I was actually impressed with the interior space when the seats were fully back. That said, when adjusted to my driving position, it felt like the interior wrapped around me, feeling tight, but in a good way. I actually struggled to get out of the car in that position, so I think I'll be using both memory settings, one for getting in/out, and one for driving.

I got a few chances to really get on the throttle and hear the exhaust, which I have to say... surprised me. Personally, exhaust sound never really appealed to me--but this car is something else. After doing it a few times, I was exhilarated, and was starting to understand. But even after that first loop, I wasn’t completely sold on the car. It just felt different--not bad, just an adjustment. So I took it for another loop, and by the time I pulled back into the dealership, I was hooked. Once I got used to how the Emira drives, I was thrilled, and the drive home in my Tesla felt boring.

A few other things stood out to me:
- The touchscreen was bigger than I expected, and CarPlay worked well. No complaints there.
- I had spent a lot of time planning a stereo upgrade, but honestly, the KEF system wasn’t as bad as I expected. We had just driven a Rivian with the premium audio upgrade, and the KEF was almost as good. Maybe they sized up the front speakers? I’ll probably still upgrade it at some point, but it’s not as urgent as I initially thought.
- I was hoping to see the Ice Grey interior in person, but they didn’t have one on the lot. The leather steering wheel surprised me—it was much harder than I expected, and the perforations weren’t what I was expecting based on online photos. It didn’t look bad, but it wasn’t for me. I also tried an Alcantara wheel and really liked it, even knowing it’ll take some effort to maintain.

I’ve never driven anything quite like this, and everyone who said it’s a special experience was absolutely right. Now I really can’t wait to get mine. Thanks to everyone in this thread for their input—this was the confirmation I needed.

 

[chirowolf]

In case anyone was wondering or cared, I had my test drive today at the Lotus dealer in Rockville, MD. After all the back-and-forth in this thread about going from a Tesla to an Emira, I figured I’d share my first impressions.

After my first loop on the roads around the dealership, which was just a few miles, I wasn’t entirely sure what to think. The car was much smaller than I imagined, but I was actually impressed with the interior space when the seats were fully back. That said, when adjusted to my driving position, it felt like the interior wrapped around me, feeling tight, but in a good way. I actually struggled to get out of the car in that position, so I think I'll be using both memory settings, one for getting in/out, and one for driving.

I got a few chances to really get on the throttle and hear the exhaust, which I have to say... surprised me. Personally, exhaust sound never really appealed to me--but this car is something else. After doing it a few times, I was exhilarated, and was starting to understand. But even after that first loop, I wasn’t completely sold on the car. It just felt different--not bad, just an adjustment. So I took it for another loop, and by the time I pulled back into the dealership, I was hooked. Once I got used to how the Emira drives, I was thrilled, and the drive home in my Tesla felt boring.

A few other things stood out to me:
- The touchscreen was bigger than I expected, and CarPlay worked well. No complaints there.
- I had spent a lot of time planning a stereo upgrade, but honestly, the KEF system wasn’t as bad as I expected. We had just driven a Rivian with the premium audio upgrade, and the KEF was almost as good. Maybe they sized up the front speakers? I’ll probably still upgrade it at some point, but it’s not as urgent as I initially thought.
- I was hoping to see the Ice Grey interior in person, but they didn’t have one on the lot. The leather steering wheel surprised me—it was much harder than I expected, and the perforations weren’t what I was expecting based on online photos. It didn’t look bad, but it wasn’t for me. I also tried an Alcantara wheel and really liked it, even knowing it’ll take some effort to maintain.

I’ve never driven anything quite like this, and everyone who said it’s a special experience was absolutely right. Now I really can’t wait to get mine. Thanks to everyone in this thread for their input—this was the confirmation I needed.

All valid points. My Tesla Plaid is the biggest sedan I have ever owned. The Tesla feels (and is) huge compared to the Miata ND which it replaced. While I like my Tesla sometimes you need that small car to throw around. At one point I had a S2000, Evora, and Mini Cooper Clubman S all at the same time. No EV is going to give the feel of a real sports car. I drove a Taycan and was told I would not feel the weight. You feel the weight. So, I went with the Tesla. Half the price and almost twice the range with a better charging network. Still think the Taycan is a bit better looking but that is subjective.

If you like cars and like engagement with the road you cannot go wrong with the Emira
I'm glad I have both.
I treat my Tesla like a beater (sounds strange when you say that out loud). It's the car to run the more mundane task, goes out in the rain and snow and definitely get cleaned less. But it is reliable, drives very well, and dirt cheap to maintain.

Congrats and Welcome
Now you are hooked

 

[geoffbland]

Even after that first loop, I wasn’t completely sold on the car. It just felt different--not bad, just an adjustment. So I took it for another loop, and by the time I pulled back into the dealership, I was hooked. Once I got used to how the Emira drives, I was thrilled, and the drive home in my Tesla felt boring.

This reminds me very much of my first drive of an Elise S1 30 years ago. Welcome to the world of Lotus.