Emira Review Index [V6 FE]

Eagle7 · Oct 9, 2022

There seems to be a continuing mis-representation of what the Emira is. A lot of you seem to think it was designed to be an £80k car and are disappointed it's not faster than the outgoing Evora 410 which actually was an £80k car. You're thinking the FE is the car the Emira was designed to be because of its price, but it's not. The Emira was designed and positioned to be a £60k car which is why it's not faster than the £80k car it's replacing. The FE is just the £60k car with all the options bundled as a launch spec edition.

If Lotus had wanted to make the Emira the fastest street car they've ever produced, they could have, but the price would have been at least £80k+. They'd already done that with the Evora, and it wasn't exactly tearing up the sales charts. They needed to do something different, and they did. They designed a gorgeous sports car, gave it adequate performance, upgraded the interior and lowered the price by £20k so it would appeal to a wider audience. The order book tells the story. It was the right move business-wise. Hard-core enthusiast-wise? Not so much. That's why some of you are looking at a Z06 or something else with more power. You're not going to pay £60k for a Z06 though, but if power and acceleration are your main thing, and there's no doubt that is exciting, the Emira is not going to scratch that itch.

In my opinion, what some of you should do is either change your order to a base model, or go ahead and buy the FE, drive it a bit, then sell it (unless you decide you want to keep it after all). For the price difference of an FE versus a base model, you could buy the mods to get the performance you want, and then you'd have it all; looks and performance. It's there, it's possible, it's just going to take you spending the money Lotus didn't want to spend, so they could meet their price target.

Leonard · Oct 9, 2022

Eagle7 said:
There seems to be a continuing mis-representation of what the Emira is. A lot of you seem to think it was designed to be an £80k car and are disappointed it's not faster than the outgoing Evora 410 which actually was an £80k car. You're thinking the FE is the car the Emira was designed to be because of its price, but it's not. The Emira was designed and positioned to be a £60k car which is why it's not faster than the £80k car it's replacing. The FE is just the £60k car with all the options bundled as a launch spec edition.

If Lotus had wanted to make the Emira the fastest street car they've ever produced, they could have, but the price would have been at least £80k+. They'd already done that with the Evora, and it wasn't exactly tearing up the sales charts. They needed to do something different, and they did. They designed a gorgeous sports car, gave it adequate performance, upgraded the interior and lowered the price by £20k so it would appeal to a wider audience. The order book tells the story. It was the right move business-wise. Hard-core enthusiast-wise? Not so much. That's why some of you are looking at a Z06 or something else with more power. You're not going to pay £60k for a Z06 though, but if power and acceleration are your main thing, and there's no doubt that is exciting, the Emira is not going to scratch that itch.

In my opinion, what some of you should do is either change your order to a base model, or go ahead and buy the FE, drive it a bit, then sell it (unless you decide you want to keep it after all). For the price difference of an FE versus a base model, you could buy the mods to get the performance you want, and then you'd have it all; looks and performance. It's there, it's possible, it's just going to take you spending the money Lotus didn't want to spend, so they could meet their price target.

Ok i will bite
But....
In line with every other auto maker you would also expect it to outperform the outgoing car (Evora). We all know its a continuation of that model in architecture and drive train. Plus in my eyes Lotus almost implied it by not making an Evora Final Edition.
Yes the Emira is a 'cheaper' car from a literal perspective. But Lotus hand building the Evora compared to mass producing the Emira is a completely different proposition.
I'm still at a loss to why Lotus would dull the performance of the Emira in both engine and chassis. Its not money as its almost all purely set up. Yes they could have developed a costly variable suspension set up which would have helped in todays market I think, but this could have been carried over to the new EV models.
Finally its positioned at the price it is solely to compete with the Porsche 718 and no other reason (even their marketing echos this) So again why restrict overall performance and not give it a chance to compete with the one car that it is pitched at as a rival

And yes I know this car was a 'rush job' , an interim measure, a look at me I'm new Lotus. But again why not make it as good as it can be.... At present it's just an incredibly good looking average sports car. That doesn't get you very far in the marketplace and is not great for residuals. The test is going to be when Lotus tweak their finance APR again and 6.9 goes north of 12%

Evotion · Oct 9, 2022

Lotus have still smashed their very specific brief.
They will still be a financial success despite the cash flow delay.

They have also definitely put more eyes onto the brand and their EV products.

Tick.

Now, Emira vs Z06.
The Emira is one the best looking cars ever made and will be fondly remembered.

However...

For me, a car has to have 4 key aspects nailed to be a supercar.

Looks
Engine
Noise
Drama
Speed

No, not even handling actually. It either has it by design or it doesn't matter one iota. Eg Countach

So.. Emira scores on Looks ONLY.
THEREFORE it is of course just a sports car and then ticks all the boxes.

The Z06 scores on everything BUT looks. Nails drama though and for some that gives it supercar status.

Would I have the Z06 oner the Emia?
Yes, of course!! It beats it 4 to 1.

The problem in THE UK is the current dollar strength which means given import, taxes, exchange rate and rarity it might well be at least the current equivalent of $150k.

So... the Emira still wins... for me, right now.

Plus I have an engine at least on par with the Chevvy in my Ferrari so I might have bought it the same price even , say, if it 2 dollars to the pound. But that's just old luck me.

EspritGuy · Oct 9, 2022

freefall_junkie said:
I'm currently taking a course in philosophy at Edinburgh University which makes you question absolutely everything you ever thought you knew, so I like your philosophical take on all this

If a car fails on the track and no one is there to editorialize it, did it really happen?

Evotion · Oct 9, 2022

Evotion said:
Lotus have still smashed their very specific brief.
They will still be a financial success despite the cash flow delay.

They have also definitely put more eyes onto the brand and their EV products.

Tick.

Now, Emira vs Z06.
The Emira is one the best looking cars ever made and will be fondly remembered.

However...

For me, a car has to have 4 key aspects nailed to be a supercar.

Looks

Engine

Noise

Drama

Speed

No, not even handling actually. It either has it by design or it doesn't matter one iota. Eg Countach

So.. Emira scores on Looks ONLY.
THEREFORE it is of course just a sports car and then ticks all the boxes.

The Z06 scores on everything BUT looks. Nails drama though and for some that gives it supercar status.

Would I have the Z06 oner the Emia?
Yes, of course!! It beats it 4 to 1.

The problem in THE UK is the current dollar strength which means given import, taxes, exchange rate and rarity it might well be at least the current equivalent of $150k.

So... the Emira still wins... for me, right now.

Plus I have an engine at least on par with the Chevvy in my Ferrari so I might have bought it the same price even , say, if it 2 dollars to the pound. But that's just old luck me.

Ooh, I'll add....IF the Emira was 500hp I would have paid £100+ £ for it

frazzer · Oct 9, 2022

Lotustoronto said:
for those that have never seen it....

Poor Keira Knightly

emiraspain · Oct 9, 2022

Lotustoronto said:
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.

Yes, but our J clarkson didnt buy an 8C (I dont think), as pretty as it was, and it was! He bought, amongst other things of course, the ugly, raw, but incredible Ford, which he couldn't even fit in.... then got the next edition, which he could.
So looks are great and important too, I value them very highly myself, but they wont lead to you keeping a car, as you know..... they will only lead you to sleeping with it, I mean purchasing a night, I mean buying it...
However, for me, as good as the Vette is, and I am sure the investment in the car is WAYYYYY more than Lotus have spent on any car, ever, it looks awful for my money and I could not be seen in it, car snob. Red line over 8000, fantastic, in almost every way better than the Emira, but I couldn't approach the car without thinking.... "I hope no one sees me"

The 992 looks great for my money, but you need the gt3 to be exciting, a touring of course, as spoliers look awful and do just what they are supposed to, spoil things.
Its a shame it will be a good year or so before 90% of the forum members will actually be able to say they have the car and then say its a keeper, or an "almost famous", also ran. Everyone loves the way it looks, but that wont and isn't enough. You will I am sure love the steering, the breaking is fine too, it feels fast enough...... but for the ultimate drivers, many on here, it wont float your boat, I am sure of it.
IF I had the money and it was NO objective, as to some on here, the GT3 touring would be the way to go, there is NO competition, but there shouldn't be either, as a GT3 in the UK or EU will run to 200k, apples and iphones comparisons.

frazzer · Oct 9, 2022

freefall_junkie said:
I'm currently taking a course in philosophy at Edinburgh University which makes you question absolutely everything you ever thought you knew, so I like your philosophical take on all this

This Emira experience raises a number of epistemological issues

frazzer · Oct 9, 2022

EspritGuy said:
If a car fails on the track and no one is there to editorialize it, did it really happen?

that's one for the physicists - I'd say it never happened. Jethro is an AI generated avatar

roundincircles · Oct 9, 2022

Leonard said:
Ok i will bite
But....
In line with every other auto maker you would also expect it to outperform the outgoing car (Evora). We all know its a continuation of that model in architecture and drive train. Plus in my eyes Lotus almost implied it by not making an Evora Final Edition.
Yes the Emira is a 'cheaper' car from a literal perspective. But Lotus hand building the Evora compared to mass producing the Emira is a completely different proposition.
I'm still at a loss to why Lotus would dull the performance of the Emira in both engine and chassis. Its not money as its almost all purely set up. Yes they could have developed a costly variable suspension set up which would have helped in todays market I think, but this could have been carried over to the new EV models.
Finally its positioned at the price it is solely to compete with the Porsche 718 and no other reason (even their marketing echos this) So again why restrict overall performance and not give it a chance to compete with the one car that it is pitched at as a rival
And yes I know this car was a 'rush job' , an interim measure, a look at me I'm new Lotus. But again why not make it as good as it can be.... At present it's just an incredibly good looking average sports car. That doesn't get you very far in the marketplace and is not great for residuals. The test is going to be when Lotus tweak their finance APR again and 6.9 goes north of 12%

So, as has been pointed out, this is a £60k car with £60k car performance.

It does not compete with other cars, it competes to get the cash out of your pocket.

So the Emira GT will be an £80k car with £80k car performance
The Emira GTS will be a £96k car with £96k car performance
The Emira GTS Ghia Chapman edition will be a £110k car covered in bling.

Trust me as I cannot tell lies or mislead. You heard it here first.

Leonard · Oct 9, 2022

Evotion said:
Ooh, I'll add....IF the Emira was 500hp I would have paid £100+ £ for it

I said the same to the Lotus team at the reveal.
If they had given it a bespoke 500bhp engine made with Cosworth or similar it would have been a 110k car all day every day.

Leonard · Oct 9, 2022

roundincircles said:
So, as has been pointed out, this is a £60k car with £60k car performance.

It does not compete with other cars, it competes to get the cash out of your pocket.

So the Emira GT will be an £80k car with £80k car performance
The Emira GTS will be a £96k car with £96k car performance
The Emira GTS Ghia Chapman edition will be a £110k car covered in bling.

Trust me as I cannot tell lies or mislead. You heard it here first.

Lol @Ghia Chapman

Leonard · Oct 9, 2022

roundincircles said:
So, as has been pointed out, this is a £60k car with £60k car performance.

But it does it competes with the Cayman and the Cayman is already out in its top guise for FE money which you are arguing is still base in planned future hierarchy.
How many Evora GTS are going to be sold at 90k and GT4s at 100k with the same engine but with a tune (or a borrowed 4cyl chipped up)

Green · Oct 9, 2022

kitkat said:
I clearly want a balance, if I wanted a track only car I’d have kept my S2000.

Also what’s the point of owning a sports car you can’t track a bunch of weekends a year? To sit in traffic in it? Park it at work?

Have you tried a Nissan GTR? They are very fast on the track and off.

frazzer · Oct 9, 2022

Green said:
Have you tried a Nissan GTR? They are very fast on the track and off.

very different driving experience to a Lotus or Cayman, powerful and heavy, fast in the straights, but doesn''t carry much speed in the corners.

emiraspain · Oct 9, 2022

kitkat said:
I clearly want a balance, if I wanted a track only car I’d have kept my S2000.

Also what’s the point of owning a sports car you can’t track a bunch of weekends a year? To sit in traffic in it? Park it at work?

country roads....... not everyone wants a sports car for tracking....id say the % is not as high as we may think.

Evotion · Oct 9, 2022

If the Emira really fails to satisfy me in how it makes me feel then I will simply go go my long standing Plan C which is to sell it and buy a late Exige.

Green · Oct 9, 2022

frazzer said:
very different driving experience to a Lotus or Cayman, powerful and heavy, fast in the straights, but doesn''t carry much speed in the corners.

Have you tracked a GTR? I have and would say you are totally incorrect about corner speed. NISMO GTR is #14 at Nurburgring. Regular GTR is #30. They are so easy to drive fast they become boring.

Jonhklee · Oct 9, 2022

I so want i4 to be the fastest Emira….. and I’m sure it will be after wee tune.

Lotustoronto · Oct 9, 2022

emiraspain said:
Yes, but our J clarkson didnt buy an 8C (I dont think), as pretty as it was, and it was! He bought, amongst other things of course, the ugly, raw, but incredible Ford, which he couldn't even fit in.... then got the next edition, which he could.
So looks are great and important too, I value them very highly myself, but they wont lead to you keeping a car, as you know..... they will only lead you to sleeping with it, I mean purchasing a night, I mean buying it...
However, for me, as good as the Vette is, and I am sure the investment in the car is WAYYYYY more than Lotus have spent on any car, ever, it looks awful for my money and I could not be seen in it, car snob. Red line over 8000, fantastic, in almost every way better than the Emira, but I couldn't approach the car without thinking.... "I hope no one sees me"

The 992 looks great for my money, but you need the gt3 to be exciting, a touring of course, as spoliers look awful and do just what they are supposed to, spoil things.
Its a shame it will be a good year or so before 90% of the forum members will actually be able to say they have the car and then say its a keeper, or an "almost famous", also ran. Everyone loves the way it looks, but that wont and isn't enough. You will I am sure love the steering, the breaking is fine too, it feels fast enough...... but for the ultimate drivers, many on here, it wont float your boat, I am sure of it.
IF I had the money and it was NO objective, as to some on here, the GT3 touring would be the way to go, there is NO competition, but there shouldn't be either, as a GT3 in the UK or EU will run to 200k, apples and iphones comparisons.

The GT3 touring is IMO a pinnacle for a drivers car. Here in Canada, it is almost 3X the price of the Emira. I can not compare it, but yes it's better. Emira is a sports car, the GT3 touring is a track car made for the road. GT3RS is just a race car made road legal, not my cup of tea.

Clarkson didn't buy a lot of cars that I would gladly own... he didn't even really like Porsche's lol. But the comparison to what the Alfa 8C was back then is similar to what the Emira is today. I am ok with that. For the same price, only the Cayman competes and right now I still lean Emira > Cayman. It's a new old car. Nobody else is making one that looks anywhere near this good.

Sport Suspension / Cup 2's and a 430 BHP tune for 1,300 pounds. Probably the same price for @emiraspain monthly "rental" allowance by the hour over in Catalunya.

If the Emira was DCT i4 only, I wouldn't be here even if it gets to 500 BHP and is quicker than a GT4. Not what I was looking for. Even though that will be the fastest version no doubt.

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

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