Emira Review Index [V6 FE]

For those looking for the latest Emira V6 FE reviews scheduled to be released today, I've self-volunteered to maintain a quick reference index here.
Please let me know of any missing articles and I'll update accordingly.

Reviewer	Type	Direct Link
Edmunds	Article	New Lotus Emira Is Worth the Wait | Edmunds The 2022 Lotus Emira, powered by a supercharged 3.5-liter V6, is both the end and the beginning of an era as the automaker transitions to a world of fully electrified supercars and crossovers. www.edmunds.com
Harry's Garage (Harry Metcalfe)	Video Review	Harry drives the Sports and Tour suspension back to back on the same road and shares his thoughts.
Schmee150 (Tim Burton)	Video Review	Published 21st June Bought the Right Car?! LOTUS EMIRA V6 FIRST DRIVE The countdown is on! The folks at Lotus have delivered an Emira V6 First Edition to @TheShmuseum in a near-identical spec to my inbound car, to take for a fi... www.youtube.com
Carwow (Mat Watson)	Video Review	Lotus Emira review - and my BANNED test! Looking to sell your car? Then you've come to the right place. carwow is the free, easy way to change your car online. Check it out here: https://bit.ly/Buy-... www.youtube.com
TopGear	Articles and Video	Published 3rd July Chris Harris talks about the Lotus Emira Chris Harris On… The All-New Lotus Emira | Top Gear Series 32 “I’d feel a bit scared if I were a McLaren or an Aston Martin at the moment” Chris Harris chats to Top Gear Magazine’s Jack Rix about the all-new Lotus Emira... youtu.be Published 20th June Lotus Emira Review 2023 | Top Gear The last ever petrol-powered Lotus looks fantastic and drives with precision, but not quite as much emotion as we might’ve hoped www.topgear.com The big sportscar test: Lotus Emira vs Porsche Cayman vs Alpine A110 www.topgear.com
AutoTrader (Rory Reid)	Video Review	NEW Lotus Emira: The Last REAL Lotus? | 4K Rory reviews the new Lotus Emira, Lotus' last ever petrol sports car. Soon the company will transition to electric cars, but for this last hurrah the Emira p... www.youtube.com
Evo	Article and Video Review	2023 Lotus Emira review – strong showing for Porsche Cayman GTS rival | Evo The first new Lotus for a generation, and the last to be petrol powered, shows great promise but needs some polish www.evo.co.uk
CAR	Article and Video Review	Published 22nd July Lotus Emira vs Porsche Cayman GTS vs Alpine A110 group test review CAR magazine UK compares the Lotus Emira sports car with the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0 and Alpine A110 S www.carmagazine.co.uk Lotus Emira (2023) review: new 2.0-litre engine driven The brand new Lotus Emira, tested on road and track by CAR magazine. www.carmagazine.co.uk Lotus Emira vs Cayman 718 GTS vs Alpine 110s
Autocar	Article and Video Review	Lotus Emira V6 First Edition 2022 UK first drive | Autocar Most important Lotus in decades heralds a new era and sees out an old one, being the firm's last petrol sports car www.autocar.co.uk
Pistonheads	Article	2022 Lotus Emira | PH Review The Emira is one step closer to production-ready. And the good news (mostly) keeps coming www.pistonheads.com
KHTV	Video Review
The Drive	Article	2023 Lotus Emira First Drive Review: Lotus Grows Up, and Just in Time The Lotus Emira is the last of its kind, the final gas-powered car from the legendary company. And what a thrilling sendoff it is. www.thedrive.com
AutoExpress	Article	New Lotus Emira V6 First Edition review | Auto Express We hit road and track in the new Lotus Emira - the model that redefines the brand as a sports car maker www.autoexpress.co.uk Pictures: New Lotus Emira 2022 review - pictures | Auto Express Pictures of the new Lotus Emira www.autoexpress.co.uk
WhichCar	Article	2022 Lotus Emira review: V6 First Edition, international launch Lotus wants to compete with daily-driver premium sportscars like the Cayman and its new Emira V6 First Edition is a big step in the right direction www.whichcar.com.au
CarBuyer	Article	Lotus Emira coupe review | Carbuyer “The Emira marks a big step on in terms of design and quality for Lotus, and it’s great to drive” www.carbuyer.co.uk
Hagerty	Article	Lotus Emira first drive review: Will the fab four become the famous five? | Hagerty UK Is the Emira good enough to turn the fab four – Elite, Elan, Esprit, Elise – into the famous five? Read Andrew Frankel's review to find out. www.hagerty.co.uk
Road and Track	Article	Published 1st September Lotus Emira Road and Track Drive The Lotus Emira Is One of the Greats Lotus's final combustion-engined sports car starts a new era for the English automaker, and a prime example of what a well-funded Lotus can build. www.roadandtrack.com The 2023 Emira Is an All-Time High For Lotus The Emira comes from a bygone era. www.roadandtrack.com
Goodwood	Article	First Drive: Lotus Emira 2022 Review | GRR The Emira is the final combustion-engined Lotus, and it might finally be a match for the Porsche Cayman... www.goodwood.com
The Intercooler	Podcast	Reasonably good post-embargo Emira discussion on The Intercooler. Apple Podcasts Web Embed embed.podcasts.apple.com
Motortrend	Article	2023 Lotus Emira First Drive Review: The Porsche Substitute Don’t want a Porsche Cayman? Try this. www.motortrend.com
Drive	Article	2022 Lotus Emira review: International first drive With a reborn and reinvigorated Lotus looking to a new and very different future, is the Emira the first excuse-free Lotus? www.drive.com.au
AFR	Article	Lotus takes on Porsche with its $185,000 Emira This is a street car for buyers who appreciate luxury and great looks – although with a claimed top speed of 290km/h, it’s no slouch on the racetrack. www.afr.com
Parkers	Article	Lotus Emira Review (2024) Lotus Emira (2024) in-depth review. Read our experts' views on the engine, practicality, running costs, overall performance and more. www.parkers.co.uk
CarExpert	Article	2023 Lotus Emira review: First drive We drive the last Lotus without electrification around Mount Panorama to see if it's a worthy contender to the Porsche 718 Cayman. www.carexpert.com.au
Caffeine & Machine	Article	Caffeine & Machine Hitting the Alps in the summer, chasing the #cultofmachine in the brand spanking new Lotus Emira. Soul food at its best, delivered in spades across the myriad of special alpine roads littering the... www.facebook.com Photos on Instagram: Caffeine&Machine on Instagram: "Hitting the Alps in the summer, chasing the #cultofmachine in the brand spanking new Lotus Emira. Soul food at its best, delivered in spades across the myriad of special alpine roads littering the region. It would be 1,055 likes, 8 comments - caffeineandmachine on June 13, 2022: "Hitting the Alps in the summer, chasing the #cultofmachine in the brand spanking new Lotus Emira. Soul food at its best, delivered in spades across the myriad of special alpine roads littering the region. It would be so easy to... www.instagram.com
The Sunday Times Driving	Article	Lotus Emira V6 2022 on-track review: Lotus's last petrol car is more than significant ... it's good This isn't going to be one of our usual reviews, because our test drive of the new Lotus Emira wasn't usual, either, having experienced just three and a half laps behind the wheel around Goodwood Motor Circuit,. www.driving.co.uk
Car and Driver	Article	2023 Emira Is a Grown-Up Lotus The last gas-powered Lotus also may be the first you don't have to make excuses for. www.caranddriver.com
The Sun	Article	I've driven the Lotus Emira - you can use it every day and it's saving BRITAIN THERE’S only one type of person who wouldn’t fall in love with the Lotus Emira. Those Twitter-dwelling keyboard warriors who think they know more about cars than everyone else. I’ve seen a few comm… www.thesun.co.uk
AutoCar UK	Article	Published 2nd July Lotus Emira vs Porsche 718 Cayman | Autocar Lotus’s new sports car is a great car in its own right - but can it hold its own against the class leader? www.autocar.co.uk

 

[TomE]

Same here.

It's showing as Unlisted now for me, so you should see it.

 

[digilotus]

Sound. It now sounds like the later model Evora 400 with the valved exhaust in "valve open" mode.

The quality isn't great, but you get a rough idea from this windows-down tunnel run. There are average speed cameras covering the tunnel so a full-bore run isn't possible. Bear in mind too this is a 2011 Evora S, not a more recent 410/GT which has a louder stock exhaust.

TomE the hooligan!

 

[digilotus]

Added new Emira articles from down under into the index:

• Drive
• Australian Financial Review (AFR) - Bathurst Racing Circuit

 

[xen]

When did I "baulk" at budget being a factor?

You doubt because you want to, and because you seem to have this need to tamp down and/or outright dismiss most anything I say. The carry over is from the design studio; Russell Carr and his team, the same ones who designed the Evija. You can be sure they're paying attention to, and learning from the reaction to the Emira, which they also designed. Much of that is also being used by the engineering department who work together with the design department. Those tools, technologies and the experience they've gained with them will of course carry over. That should be painfully obvious to anyone who actually understands how design and development works. (See? I can do that too. Really comes across as warm and endearing, doesn't it.).

Ok, let's break this down.

You did baulk at the idea of the Emira not being a 'brand new' car and argued it was. It was mentioned numerous times this just wasn't financially feasible but you rejected that idea because 'matt / lotus said so'. As for carry over, I quoted your post, it wasn't just design you mentioned and I specifically noted 'platform' which indeed doesn't carry over.

Addressing the personal statement:

I don't doubt or have a need, What actually happens is you get carried away with your enthusiasm for the brand and draw pollyannaish conclusions. You have a record of these then get super defensive when you're corrected or wrong.

Remember the Atlantis blue car you were adamant was Atlantis blue even after people (including myself) that lived in Dubai and had relationships with the people that hosted the event told you it wasn't? Even after the original instagram poster admitted the dates were wrong and matched the exact window the shadow grey car was there you still didn't agree. Was this rational?

The China i4 specification. You were once again adamant it was 360hp regardless of all the information available suggesting otherwise. Everything that didn't support your position was wrong - even the official lotus website for China.

There was the infamous wheel gap discussion when you were certain the original blue show car was not lowered intentionally, it was only due to the weight of the battery. It turns out (as made sense to everyone else) this also wasn't the case. You kept arguing still.

Then the 'detuned' V6 from the Evora to the Emira. Granted it was a very minor change (when compared to the GT not the 430) but it was one regardless. Once again, despite published figures by Lotus showing this (416 / 430 vs 400 give or take) you argued it wasn't the case.

So no, I don't have an issue with 'you' but it doesn't mean we have to agree on everything.

 

[VL3X]

I've digested so many reviews these past 48 hours that I forget who said it, but I heard someone mention wireless Android Auto compatability. Has this been confirmed?

 

[FederGigant]

I've digested so many reviews these past 48 hours that I forget who said it, but I heard someone mention wireless Android Auto compatability. Has this been confirmed?

Not confirmed, but it was Matt Watson from Carwow saying it and he also showed his iPhone connected via CarPlay. Therefore I guess it's true, because why should he say it has wireless CarPlay and then connect his phone via a wire?

 

[Johnson]

Added new Emira articles from down under into the index:

• Drive
• Australian Financial Review (AFR) - Bathurst Racing Circuit

I can't help but wonder if these reviewers share ideas over a coffee/beer. The "stubborn" gearshift and wooden brake feel keeps coming up... these would have to be significant mechanical failings for every reviewer to pick them up so readily.

Plus, it seems incredibly odd that the Lotus guys wouldn't notice both of those things almost immediately. After all, braking and gear selection is pretty crucial for driver experience.

Shenanigans? Or straw clutching?

 

[digilotus]

Not confirmed, but it was Matt Watson from Carwow saying it and he also showed his iPhone connected via CarPlay. Therefore I guess it's true, because why should he say it has wireless CarPlay and then connect his phone via a wire?

Matt Watson has a Samsung Android phone. You could see it wasn't connected by any wire yet it was displaying full-screen Google Maps on the centre infotainment screen using Android Auto. It looked quite responsive too.

The icing on the cake would be if the phone holder under the temperature control buttons had a wireless charging pad in it.

 

[freefall_junkie]

Sound. It now sounds like the later model Evora 400 with the valved exhaust in "valve open" mode.

The quality isn't great, but you get a rough idea from this windows-down tunnel run. There are average speed cameras covering the tunnel so a full-bore run isn't possible. Bear in mind too this is a 2011 Evora S, not a more recent 410/GT which has a louder stock exhaust.

Nice! I'll reserve judgement until I have driven the Emira, but with several reviewers including Harry commenting the exhaust is toned down compared to the Evora 410 I am already thinking the 3rd cat delete will be an early mod for me. Maybe even a wee running in trip up to Aberdeenshire to allow Mr 2Bular to take the measurements to get one made

 

[digilotus]

I can't help but wonder if these reviewers share ideas over a coffee/beer. The "stubborn" gearshift and wooden brake feel keeps coming up... these would have to be significant mechanical failings for every reviewer to pick them up so readily.

Plus, it seems incredibly odd that the Lotus guys wouldn't notice both of those things almost immediately. After all, braking and gear selection is pretty crucial for driver experience.

Shenanigans? Or straw clutching?

Who knows!

The gearshift selector, transmission forks and shift lines are quite robust and i hear can take a bit of running in before they loosen up.

Wooden brakes with a low pedal indicate air in the line to me. But you would think that Lotus tested and ran-in these cars before handing them to media reviewers rather than taking a lucky dip.

I wonder what heat Gavan is getting back at Hethel as a result of some of these reviews! I would like to be a fly on the wall at Hethel right now.

 

[FederGigant]

Matt Watson has a Samsung Android phone. You could see it wasn't connected by any wire yet it was displaying full-screen Google Maps on the centre infotainment screen using Android Auto. It looked quite responsive too.

The icing on the cake would be if the phone holder under the temperature control buttons had a wireless charging pad in it.

You are right, it was Android Auto. However, if one works wirelessly, the other will, too.

 

[emiraspain]

3000 mile road trip! That must have been great!
Catchpole feels the headlights do a good job:
“The last few miles are done in darkness and it’s a relief to find that Lotus hasn’t skimped on the headlights. I’ve driven plenty of otherwise fun cars that appear to have been given budget bulbs to light the way at night. But the Emira’s are easy to use, quick to respond and bright enough to make driving in the dark enjoyable. Another tick in a box.”

at least they got something right . I actually find headlights a very important factor in both design and functionality, something which really only porsche have taken on board in the early LED and Laser days... glad to see lotus has got them right, but doubt they are laser like, but probably be an option on the EV

 

[emiraspain]

Who knows!

The gearshift selector, transmission forks and shift lines are quite robust and i hear can take a bit of running in before they loosen up.

Wooden brakes with a low pedal indicate air in the line to me. But you would think that Lotus tested and ran-in these cars before handing them to media reviewers rather than taking a lucky dip.

I wonder what heat Gavan is getting back at Hethel as a result of some of these reviews! I would like to be a fly on the wall at Hethel right now.

I have seen a much smaller company in a similar situation... re magazine reviewer comparing to the competition. The car that was hand assembled and given to the reviewer in this case was sent out probably worse than any customer finoshed car. There was NO quality control or care taken on the shop floor / QC doesnt exist there, and the door panel was hanging off, even tyre pressure was off etc. Obvioiusly the boss was furious, but at the same time its his neck on the line too.
I agree, all of these cars should have been gone over with a fine tooth comb 95% finished or not.

I do imagine, that if possible, the sports version will have a few tweaks to make it less loose on turn in, less understeer, as afterall, the sports version is for those who can put up with a bit more bone crunching, maybe not to GT3 lengths, but not far off.
Now we have Evo receiving another car very soon, with the correct tyres and I am guessing some suspension tweaks, but really Lotus need to be there with them...... taking feedback and making alterations there, those that can be made. have the discussion with the reviewers, although it could of course be that they are both looking to satisfy two different customers, hence it wont get to a harmonious conclusion. It will be nothing if not interesting to see their final verdict! In fact for me, that is now more interesting than any one else's including TG and shimety as that will tell us if Lotus listened and were able to make any changes and hence, which cars we will be getting.
I know I will love it, apart from the wideness of it, but thats the way all sports cars are going...

 

[emiraspain]

Not confirmed, but it was Matt Watson from Carwow saying it and he also showed his iPhone connected via CarPlay. Therefore I guess it's true, because why should he say it has wireless CarPlay and then connect his phone via a wire?

you cant trust anyone from Birmingham...... (yes I am originally

 

[Rollerskate]

The Motoring Press are in the business of rating different Marques against each other-it would be miraculous if they made a Lotus even the Emira a clear winner versus a Porsche. Lotus has a different approach to what a sports car driving experience should be, Porsche's ethos is different. I bought my S1 Exige after test driving a Porsche Boxster S and the Exige on the same day! The driver feedback and driving feel of the Lotus made the Porsche feel boring and disconnected. Brain may say Porsche but heart says Lotus and I think the Emira will be fabulous.

 

[Nick in Sydney]

I have seen a much smaller company in a similar situation... re magazine reviewer comparing to the competition. The car that was hand assembled and given to the reviewer in this case was sent out probably worse than any customer finoshed car. There was NO quality control or care taken on the shop floor / QC doesnt exist there, and the door panel was hanging off, even tyre pressure was off etc. Obvioiusly the boss was furious, but at the same time its his neck on the line too.
I agree, all of these cars should have been gone over with a fine tooth comb 95% finished or not.

I do imagine, that if possible, the sports version will have a few tweaks to make it less loose on turn in, less understeer, as afterall, the sports version is for those who can put up with a bit more bone crunching, maybe not to GT3 lengths, but not far off.
Now we have Evo receiving another car very soon, with the correct tyres and I am guessing some suspension tweaks, but really Lotus need to be there with them...... taking feedback and making alterations there, those that can be made. have the discussion with the reviewers, although it could of course be that they are both looking to satisfy two different customers, hence it wont get to a harmonious conclusion. It will be nothing if not interesting to see their final verdict! In fact for me, that is now more interesting than any one else's including TG and shimety as that will tell us if Lotus listened and were able to make any changes and hence, which cars we will be getting.
I know I will love it, apart from the wideness of it, but thats the way all sports cars are going...

Don't really agree that Lotus should be there "taking feedback and making alterations" as if the opinion of one Evo journalist doing a dozen laps is more valuable than the thousands of hours spent in the car by professional engineers at Lotus.

 

[freefall_junkie]

Excellent summary of the reviews so far regarding the Emira's on track performance

 

[Flashback]

Don't really agree that Lotus should be there "taking feedback and making alterations" as if the opinion of one Evo journalist doing a dozen laps is more valuable than the thousands of hours spent in the car by professional engineers at Lotus.

Absolutely.

Jethro has gone down in my estimations with this review. Not because he wasn't glowing with praise for the Lotus but because of how he (or Evo) went about this review.

It was lazy to just go to Angelsey, with an oddly convenient GT4 happening to be there at the same time, and then pick apart areas which were never going to be what he seemed to be looking for.

It's almost as if he's decided for himself that it's a track car and then complained that it's not.

 

[Leonard]

Absolutely.

Jethro has gone down in my estimations with this review. Not because he wasn't glowing with praise for the Lotus but because of how he (or Evo) went about this review.

It was lazy to just go to Angelsey, with an oddly convenient GT4 happening to be there at the same time, and then pick apart areas which were never going to be what he seemed to be looking for.

It's almost as if he's decided for himself that it's a track car and then complained that it's not.

I honestly believe he was as hyped as the rest of us. Maybe too much so, again like the rest of us. All based on the information coming out of Hethel. The tragedy with this whole scenario is that the car will be a star but the way Lotus have handled the comms has been shocking. They have over promised (no doubt with the best intentions) and now those promises are found to be lacking. I'm sure it's no suprise to learn my rose tinted glasses have been off for a while, so I have zero goodwill left. I just hope the test drive delivers enough of that Lotus magic to put some of the emotion I had for the brand a year ago back into my purchase experience for me to pull the trigger.

 

[Leonard]

, and then pick apart areas which were never going to be what he seemed to be looking for.

It's almost as if he's decided for himself that it's a track car and then complained that it's not.

See you can't say that. Yes the EVO review was lazy, BUT Lotus 'let them' do it.
Lotus have said from the beginning that the Sports chassis is the track option. Even that the Goodyear tyres are for those that want to drive on road but also take on track. That is what EVO did to be fair.
Jethro also didn't pick apart anything that most other testers haven't already mentioned. He was just more disappointed than most. But he does race cars and that is his opinion and what he was looking for in the car be it on road or track.