Emira looks

[Tokion]

Actually the car currently on sale is “Emira V6”, which engine and gearbox wise is an Evora clone, not representative of the abilities and performance of the true “Emira” that is still under wraps and supposedly exist surrounded under deep secrecy. There has hardly been a leak, and despite false sightings (and AI inspired videos) in the land of the owner organization, the truth about the genuine “Emira” is still unknown. So it is hard to say much about the awesome performance potential that waits to be realized.

Some superficial similarities between the bodywork of the latest Lotus design and a bunch of Ferraries (and others) are strongly exaggerated, and as a whole the design by Russel Carr and his Lotus team is brilliant and unique (the greatest similarity is with the Lotus super car Evija). Besides, the general trend of what a sportscar should look like is not anymore unique to Ferrari, but it is shared among countless sports car brands from various countries.

The Lotus Emira (including the V6) is easy enough to pick from “the bunch” of super cars on the market. Recently while being driven (by my friend) on the German autobahn. I spotted an Emira ahead going in the same direction. I never mistook it for a Ferrari or any other car brand. It was unmistakenly a Lotus

 

[Steve24]

 

[CanadianEmira]

In short lotus is a poor man’s Ferrari….

A lotus handles better than a Ferrari.

 

[CanadianEmira]

Check these for more modern comparisons:

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www.emiraforum.com

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www.emiraforum.com

 

[Steve24]

A new McLaren / Ferrari is 3-4 times the price of the Emira in Oz.

You’re looking at $700k minimum on the road compared to $200k.

I’ve driven a number of modern Ferraris and sold a classic Ferrari which I owned for 12 years to buy the Emira.

Do I really think a new Ferrari or McLaren is worth the extra over the Lotus?
Sure, you’d buy the Ferrari if money was no object (McLaren do nothing for me, especially the 720S), but is it a 3-4 times better car?

Pffft. Not even close.

And I say that as someone who would definitely buy a new Ferrari if I could afford one.

But I reckon the Emira is a car that gives 90% of the ownership experience for 30% of the price.

 

[Steve24]

There's been so much said about the Emira's 'supercar' looks here, but does anyone else think it's a shame it doesn't look like a Lotus? I think pretty much every car that Lotus has designed thus far has been unmistakably a Lotus: Esprit, Elan, Elise, Exige, Evora - they were all really distinctive and didn't ape anything else.

And now we have the 'supercar'-looking Emira which is a blatant copy of Ferrari's designs, and there have been many comments here that people are hoping it will be mistaken for a Ferrari (and it probably will).

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(Ferrari 812)

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(Ferrari 488 Pista)

But it's got absolutely none of the performance of a Ferrari - even one from a few generations back. It doesn't even have the performance of Lotus's own outgoing final edition three E's, and lukewarm reviews where the previous E cars were pretty unanimously brilliantly received. Yet the Emira's looks have been designed to fake being a supecar, and people are lapping it up.

So what exactly is it then? It all feels a bit fake Rolex to me...

As an ex Ferrari owner, and someone who has driven most of the recent Ferraris, I couldn’t disagree with your post more.

This is the first Lotus since the Esprit that made me want to buy a Lotus.
And obviously I’m not alone.

Regardless how good the Elise / Exige / Evora may have been to drive they were not “desirable” to enough people to keep the company afloat.

The Emira has totally changed that, and I applaud the change of direction.

 

[Jack Stone]

As an ex Ferrari owner, and someone who has driven most of the recent Ferraris, I couldn’t disagree with your post more.

This is the first Lotus since the Esprit that made me want to buy a Lotus.
And obviously I’m not alone.

Regardless how good the Elise / Exige / Evora may have been to drive they were not “desirable” to enough people to keep the company afloat.

The Emira has totally changed that, and I applaud the change of direction.

Spiritual successor IMHO...

 

[action_turtle]

Looking like a Ferrari and/or a supercar is a side effect of modern regulations. Watched a designer talk on youtube about min max regs, and how they affect the designs. For example, the windscreen has to be within a certain degree, side windows have to start and end at a correct range depending on seat position. The seat must conform to certain dimensions. Legs must be a distance from the front of the car. Crash structures must be connected at certain points. Wing mirrors have to be visible from a certain point. etc etc.

Once you take all the regs into account, there is a finite amount of designs you can make when you want to factor in performance/aero. Then once all that is done, you make the design your own.

I guess the extreme example of this is F1, when all the cars "look the same". But when you get each one side by side you can pick out the hundreds of differences.

 

[Wolfram]

A lotus handles better than a Ferrari.

No, it does not.

https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/488-gtb/ride-and-handling

 

[Maurice R]

No, it does not.

https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/488-gtb/ride-and-handling

It looks better than a Ferrari

 

[CanadianEmira]

No, it does not.

https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/488-gtb/ride-and-handling

Yes, it does.

 

[JimH]

 

[CanadianEmira]

This is exactly how I pictured myself as I said that.

 

[Toomanyloti]

Once upon a time the Esprit was a big sports car.......

 

[DJS]

Once upon a time the Esprit was a big sports car.......

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Great photos

 

[CanadianEmira]

Once upon a time the Esprit was a big sports car.......

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Hethel Yellow is sure pretty.

 

[Mistral]

My Emira is over 3200 miles now and when we arrived into Bourton-on-the-Water on Tuesday, a group of Japanese tourists were decidedly excited on seeing it. Not quite the 6 feet off the ground of the spectators in Campofelice when Nino Vaccarella screamed through in a Ferrari or Alfa during a 1960s Targa Florio, but very apparent nonetheless as we slowly made our way through the narrow streets.

 

[kratedisease]

Once upon a time the Esprit was a big sports car.......

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Looking at these photos makes me wish that the EMIRA had a bespoke V8 like the 1996 lotus Esprit had. That would have made the EMIRA a more exotic. ( AMG I4 is not bad , but just low on the power)

 

[Speedy Emira]

I have just read this thread from start to finish and I’m really surprised with the amount of negative comments about the Emira.
I never thought of getting an Elise because at the time I was into Jap imports, but I did really like the Evora.
I always like the Ferrari 488 but it’s a lot of money for what it is and although the performance is good there are plenty of sub £70k car that be modified to beat them.
Personally looking more like a supercar with improved aerodynamics isn’t a bad thing and to honest Geely have saved Lotus. For as long as I can remember Lotus was always on the edge of going bust and was never a threat to the top manufacturers.
I agree it would have been great if they had fitted a V8 turbo but with the heated issues with the i4 I can’t imagine it would be an easy task. Maybe a 90s V8 with 350hp but nothing in the 6-700hp range would be easy. I read the JUBU big power upgrades have to use the vent cover in replace of the rear glass.
I think if Lotus hadn’t moved with the times it would probably been gone by now and we are lucky they decided to even bother making another IC car. It will be a sad day if I am forced to own and drive a soulless electric car. Don’t get me wrong I wouldn’t turn down an Eviija but I’d want to keep the Emira as well.
I understand the owners with minimalistic older Lotus cars that love that raw driving experience but at least those cars are still around and will never rust into a pile of scrap.

 

[EZcheezy]

i think its the most gorgeous new car you can buy right now. the only cars that compete looks wise are in the $300k range and even still, its a toss up