Emira Review Index [V6 FE]

Leonard · Oct 8, 2022

xen said:
I’m sorry but this, if true, is a lazy cop-out. In essence they dialled out the “right” set-up for the target audience? Who is this target audience? So much for the drivers.

Asian consumer Market and your global posers

Twin Cam · Oct 8, 2022

emiraspain said:
No surprises if we take notice of all other reviewers..... Its not a track weapon and wasnt designed to be, nore is the sports suspension version, it wont compete with the Cayman no matter how hard people on here want dream that it will, it simply wont. Those people should await the 99% for sure will come souppppped up version, which is a VERY easy thing for Lotus to do and I estimate its virtually done, its simply a case of deciding when best to release it.
If the V6 continues to get negative press for track driving, I feel the souppped up car will be released next year to quell those who say.... what have Lotus done? And then you will have a car that will potentially give some competition to the GTS/GT4... simple.
I'm kind of happy everyone says its a great road car.... most sensible none delusional buyers will not be tracking it more than 1 or 3 times a year and I am sure it will be fun, but not as much fun as any of the cars it "replaced". Different demographic looked for and found.
This guy seemed fair and none insulting in his review and I feel he is spot on with everything. A bit underpowered, a crappy gear box for a "new car" in 2022! Should not be flat lining at 6500 for a sports car, but for a road car, great looking and about the right power to not kill yourself and handling adequate for 97% of its market.
The forum over complicates this car and wants it to be something to all, but it cant be.... wait for your 440 HP, firmer suspension... dont set yourself up for disappointment .....

Couldn’t agree more

kitkat · Oct 8, 2022

Wizardwings said:
Here are some TL;DR notes

Pros:

Strong brakes

Very beautiful (if it didn't have a Lotus badge it could pass as a modern Ferrari Dino)

Good car for the price and feature set

Enjoyable on the road (but not so much on the track)

Cons:

Frustrating gear box (ratio/efficiencity of shifts/slow shifting)

Soft frontend (believe he was on Sport suspension w/ Goodyear Eagle F1 tires)

Rear is planted but to a fault (difficult to get rotation with the soft frontend)

Lacks the performance he was expecting (disappointing lap time compared to its peers)

To expand on the gearbox, he also says 2nd is too long.

kitkat · Oct 8, 2022

This car is really going to need to wow me in a test drive to get me to buy it.

xen · Oct 8, 2022

Eagle7 said:
It's hard not to see that the fly in the ointment seems to be the Goodyear Eagle F1's. I'm wondering how much better the tour suspension is going to be with a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tires on it. That's such a good tire, it may be the magic combo on the street for both the tour and sport chassis.

…I thought Gavin tested tons of tire compounds to select these. A bit disappointing to read this.

frazzer · Oct 8, 2022

xen said:
…I thought Gavin tested tons of tire compounds to select these. A bit disappointing to read this.

Likely just setup, some understeer dialed in to aid the less experienced driver. In fact I believe this was confirmed by Gavan. How many people avoided early 911s for their reputation as window makers? With it's wider appeal this is not something Lotus will want a reputation for, though tbh. I would have thought the excellent TC would take care of that mostly.

Eagle7 · Oct 8, 2022

My comment about the Goodyears was with regards to the lap time chart that was posted. The tire that Gavan had Goodyear make was for a street tire, not a track tire. I have no doubt he ran all kinds of brands on the car when in development, but for some reason he chose Goodyear. When I first saw Cup 2 for track and then Goodyear for the street, I wondered why he didn't just stick with Michelin since they make excellent street tires. I use them on my cars regardless of what the OEM tire was. Who knows what kind of deal or politics were involved with Gav choosing Goodyear. Does Geely have a deal with Goodyear elsewhere?

At any rate, it would be interesting to take a tour chassis Emira, and do a track test comparing the Eagle F1 to the 4S just to see what the track results would be. The Goodyears are probably fine for the street. I'll know when I drive mine for the first time what kind of feel they give back. Whenever I've switched from any OEM tire to Michelin, the first thing I notice is the improved steering response and feel. Sure you can make some suspension adjustments, but the average customer on the street has no clue what they are, what to ask for or why. Most simply change tires.

If the Goodyears were engineered for the average driver (not me), and under-perform for me the way I'm reading in some of the reviews, I'll switch to Michelin. The 5s will probably be out by then. The Michelin's aren't cheap, but you get what you pay for. Steering response is more important to me than absolute cornering force grip, since I'm not going to be driving at or near the limits on the street.

emiraspain · Oct 8, 2022

ma

Eagle7 said:
My comment about the Goodyears was with regards to the lap time chart that was posted. The tire that Gavan had Goodyear make was for a street tire, not a track tire. I have no doubt he ran all kinds of brands on the car when in development, but for some reason he chose Goodyear. When I first saw Cup 2 for track and then Goodyear for the street, I wondered why he didn't just stick with Michelin since they make excellent street tires. I use them on my cars regardless of what the OEM tire was. Who knows what kind of deal or politics were involved with Gav choosing Goodyear. Does Geely have a deal with Goodyear elsewhere?

At any rate, it would be interesting to take a tour chassis Emira, and do a track test comparing the Eagle F1 to the 4S just to see what the track results would be. The Goodyears are probably fine for the street. I'll know when I drive mine for the first time what kind of feel they give back. Whenever I've switched from any OEM tire to Michelin, the first thing I notice is the improved steering response and feel. Sure you can make some suspension adjustments, but the average customer on the street has no clue what they are, what to ask for or why. Most simply change tires.

If the Goodyears were engineered for the average driver (not me), and under-perform for me the way I'm reading in some of the reviews, I'll switch to Michelin. The 5s will probably be out by then. The Michelin's aren't cheap, but you get what you pay for. Steering response is more important to me than absolute cornering force grip, since I'm not going to be driving at or near the limits on the street.

maybe he knew this year would turn out to be, as it is, a Bad Year and he just figured he would balance it out with a...........

couldn't resist

VL3X · Oct 8, 2022

Can we all just acknowledge that Lotus is known for their sublime handling abilities and most of us turn a blind eye to the lack of power increase with the Emira because "well it's a Lotus and not about 0-60 and all about handling and driving experience." Yet here we are with the Emira's handling getting criticized by nearly every professional driver/journalist.

kitkat · Oct 8, 2022

VL3X said:
Can we all just acknowledge that Lotus is known for their sublime handling abilities and most of us turn a blind eye to the lack of power increase with the Emira because "well it's a Lotus and not about 0-60 and all about handling and driving experience." Yet here we are with the Emira's handling getting criticized by nearly every professional driver/journalist.

The more I wait, the more I’m realizing it’s just not really great at anything except for looking like a smaller Ferrari.

It’s decent or good at a lot of things, but so are a lot of far cheaper cars.

KusaKusa · Oct 8, 2022

For the understeer, I think Lotus may have still been too heavy handed and could've leaned more neutral while still being safe. First off, the Emira rear tires are SUPER wide. The Emira has 245/35/20 and 295/30/20 front and rear, and the Cayman GTS 4.0 in comparison has 235/35/20 and 265/35/20. The Cayman is well known to be very neutral and not hard to control, so Lotus may not have needed to be so rear biased with the tires in designing understeer. And even if those were tuned more towards oversteer, the Emira has an LSD and its traction system it worked on with Bosch and hyped up to be able to control oversteer and stay safe.

VL3X · Oct 8, 2022

kitkat said:
The more I wait, the more I’m realizing it’s just not really great at anything except for looking like a smaller Ferrari.

It’s decent or good at a lot of things, but so are a lot of far cheaper cars.

Yeah, you're kinda right. Lotus is a quirky brand for quirky people. The Emira will be a fun car for sure and ticks all the boxes for me, but it's not the logical purchase. It would just be nice if it was the best at something.

Not to bring up the new Vette again, but I'm currently watching the latest Throttle House review and they're both so excited about it. Everything is so awesome and outstanding and there are basically no complaints... Meanwhile the Emira reviews are all pretty mellow.

Lotustoronto · Oct 8, 2022

ADC said:
... except that Lotus also worked with Michelin for the Sport setup. If there was any financially-motivated "deal" to be had, surely it would be struck with Michelin to supply both setups. I see a lot of Cup 2 on that leaderboard, which is just in a whole other league of tyre.

EDIT: I guess it just seems weird to me to pin this underperformance directly on the Goodyear tyres (which are known to be very good), when there are so many other aspects that are known to contribute to a "poor" lap time.

This is very true. Maybe the Goodyear really is just meant for the street and provided better ride vs other brands. Either way - I have only seen two track times for Emira... Both with good year's... Strange. I'm sure more sport/cup 2's are on the way to get some better answers.

Cachaco131 · Oct 8, 2022

VL3X said:
Can we all just acknowledge that Lotus is known for their sublime handling abilities and most of us turn a blind eye to the lack of power increase with the Emira because "well it's a Lotus and not about 0-60 and all about handling and driving experience." Yet here we are with the Emira's handling getting criticized by nearly every professional driver/journalist.

Since you have made your conclusion, why are you spending more of your valuable time on this forum? Why not search for a better alternative (informed by those expert reviewers) and avoid contributing to the negativity in here?

frazzer · Oct 8, 2022

I'm conflicted on this and suffer from an exaggerated philosophical bent as midnight approaches.

Some experiences are special yet the components are not, that specialness builds with acquaintance which takes time, it's not immediately apparent, it's below the surface. This has little to do with perfection, often more to do with imperfection. We all experience this in some way or another, cars or otherwise.

Is the Emira going to be special? I have no idea and frankly I doubt a test drive will make a difference. Those sudden encounters rarely reveal the soul of a thing how it'll grow on you and the connection that can be had with it.

I can't read it - Lotus has always made great driving experiences, so do they secretly know something that can only be known with time? or have they designed the Emira by committee to maximise it's success rather than brilliance? Has the underdog lost it's way now it has a break at the big times, backed by that juicy $100m? Just questions here, I don't have any answers.

So many of those highly sought after great cars of the past were not considered so great in their day. And so many considered great in their day and viewed differently now....is the Emira one of these, or just a pretty face?

All I know is cars driven by fire and fuel from the bowels of the earth made up of millions of dead creatures from a pre-historic age, that roar when you summon them to respond to your alert mind through the subtlety your moving hands and feet, those aren't going to be around so long. So my order's still in, but my confidence is out and I'm ok with that.

eriegz · Oct 8, 2022

kitkat said:
The more I wait, the more I’m realizing it’s just not really great at anything except for looking like a smaller Ferrari.

It’s decent or good at a lot of things, but so are a lot of far cheaper cars.

As other forum members have said, if you can think of a better, brand new car available today that's more exciting than the Emira, then you should go buy that car! Personally, I only see a handful of possible contenders:

Corvette C8 Z06
Porsche 911
Porsche Cayman

Those 3 cars are all about the same price as the Emira, so if one of them seems like a better fit for you, then go buy it, and don't look back.

I know that a lot of forum members were disappointed that the Emira didn't turn out to be what they thought it would be. I admit, hearing review after review saying that the Emira isn't quite as good as the car it replaces is disappointing (however, for my money, the Emira looks 10x better than the Evora). I don't know how this happened, or what Lotus can do about that, if anything. But ultimately, we all still have to make a decision: buy the Emira, or buy something else?

I'm still excited for my Emira, but I'm also excited about the new Z06, and I have a deposit down for one of those too. Those two cars are different beasts, and I think both have their own unique value proposition. But the cars are what they are, and no amount of "It would've been nice if Lotus had..." is going to change that, at this point.

kitkat · Oct 8, 2022

eriegz said:
As other forum members have said, if you can think of a better, brand new car available today that's more exciting than the Emira, then you should go buy that car! Personally, I only see a handful of possible contenders:

Corvette C8 Z06

Porsche 911

Porsche Cayman

Those 3 cars are all about the same price as the Emira, so if one of them seems like a better fit for you, then go buy it, and don't look back.

I know that a lot of forum members were disappointed that the Emira didn't turn out to be what they thought it would be. I admit, hearing review after review saying that the Emira isn't quite as good as the car it replaces is disappointing (however, for my money, the Emira looks 10x better than the Evora). I don't know how this happened, or what Lotus can do about that, if anything. But ultimately, we all still have to make a decision: buy the Emira, or buy something else?

I'm still excited for my Emira, but I'm also excited about the new Z06, and I have a deposit down for one of those too. Those two cars are different beasts, and I think both have their own unique value proposition. But the cars are what they are, and no amount of "It would've been nice if Lotus had..." is going to change that, at this point.

View attachment 9577
View attachment 9579
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Honestly it’s seeming less and less exciting than my m4, considerably slower in every aspect, less practical, and far less aftermarket support.

Are some looks really worth about $105K USD? The Emira is nearly the same dimensions and likely slower than the MKV Supra.

Anyways, feeling a bit bummed out and don’t want to turn this thread into a VS. thread. I’ll wait for a test drive.

Cachaco131 · Oct 8, 2022

kitkat said:
Honestly it’s seeming less and less exciting than my m4, considerably slower in every aspect, less practical, and far less aftermarket support.

Are some looks really worth about $105K USD? The Emira is nearly the same dimensions and likely slower than the MKV Supra.

Anyways, feeling a bit bummed out and don’t want to turn this thread into a VS. thread. I’ll wait for a test drive.

How are these two cars remotely comparable? I've an F80 and can't possibly find anything in common with the Emira. Sure, the new one is probably Uber fast. It's still heavy and engagement is just not there.

Lotustoronto · Oct 8, 2022

frazzer said:
I'm conflicted on this and suffer from an exaggerated philosophical bent as midnight approaches.

Some experiences are special yet the components are not, that specialness builds with acquaintance which takes time, it's not immediately apparent, it's below the surface. This has little to do with perfection, often more to do with imperfection. We all experience this in some way or another, cars or otherwise.

Is the Emira going to be special? I have no idea and frankly I doubt a test drive will make a difference. Those sudden encounters rarely reveal the soul of a thing how it'll grow on you and the connection that can be had with it.

I can't read it - Lotus has always made great driving experiences, so do they secretly know something that can only be known with time? or have they designed the Emira by committee to maximise it's success rather than brilliance? Has the underdog lost it's way now it has a break at the big times, backed by that juicy $100m? Just questions here, I don't have any answers.

So many of those highly sought after great cars of the past were not considered so great in their day. And so many considered great in their day and viewed differently now....is the Emira one of these, or just a pretty face?

All I know is cars driven by fire and fuel from the bowels of the earth made up of millions of dead creatures from a pre-historic age, that roar when you summon them to respond to your alert mind through the subtlety your moving hands and feet, those aren't going to be around so long. So my order's still in, but my confidence is out and I'm ok with that.

eriegz said:
As other forum members have said, if you can think of a better, brand new car available today that's more exciting than the Emira, then you should go buy that car! Personally, I only see a handful of possible contenders:

Corvette C8 Z06

Porsche 911

Porsche Cayman

Those 3 cars are all about the same price as the Emira, so if one of them seems like a better fit for you, then go buy it, and don't look back.

I agree with @frazzer , I am hoping the Emira has the soul that is missing from the cars that @eriegz has mentioned as the most comparable to the Emira. I have owned a C8, 718 Spyder and 911 992. All are different. The C8 best bang for $, 911 most well rounded, almost too perfect, that can be daily driven with a classic styling. However it has lost it's soul and has become an outstanding GT. The 718 4.0's IMO is the best of the bunch, more sports car than GT. Certainly has the soul that Frazier was mentioning IMO.

My complaints and gripes with Lotus is mostly down to Comm's and my difference of opinion on marketing/CS, I digress.

I am keeping my Emira deposit until the car get's delivered and will drive it to find if it has that soul that is missing from so many of today's modern machines. I agree with the comment that many times the most celebrated cars aren't always the best of the generation. Emira certainly looks amazing and I think the old school mechanical feels that the journalists are pointing out may end up being it's most sought after attributes years from now. Flawed to a point of brilliance. The last Porsche I felt that in was a manual 911 997.2 generation. At the time it was not as highly regarded, but now sought after. It's not about the tech or track times to me personally. (although I still would like respectable track times...718 GTS comparably please ... lol) The feel we are looking for will be different for everyone, you just have to go with what works for you. I know what hasn't worked for me.

It has all the ingredients of being a special piece of automotive art. Reminds me a bit of the Alfa Romeo 8C... Clarkson did a great top gear episode on it, reminds me very much of how I feel about the Emira at the moment.

Lotustoronto · Oct 8, 2022

for those that have never seen it....

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 1,056 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

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