Emira Test Drive by Forum Member

[Bertelli]

Thanks for the insight!
The suspension choice has been a difficult one & I thought I'd settled on touring... maybe we need a group day out at Hethel before finally choosing.
I'm not a fan of cup2s though, they are just plain dangerous on a wet UK road.

 

[Markc]

Thanks for the updates and pictures, great to read. We all hoped (some of us believed!) it would be a great drive but it’s reassuring to have feedback from people other than journalists.

Important question: what did you think of the seats?

And to pre-empt the upcoming Sports vs Touring debate, it’s no great surprise the Sports + Cup2s setup works better on track at Hethel, as that’s exactly the use case it’s designed for. Remember Harry ordered Sports for his Emira after a passenger ride round Hethel, then switched to Touring after driving both variants on his typical UK B-roads. But don’t let that stop us from continuing the debate!

Tom have you booked in? If so, when?

 

[Green]

What I expected DV is more black than green. Glad I switched to Nimbus and sport suspension. Thank you for the post.

 

[Leonard]

This is great information thanks for sharing!
Hopefully just the start of more drives and more feedback
Exciting stuff!!!!

 

[Andrew P]

Just seen this on FB forum. Did you meet Neil Shaw?
Went to Classic Team Lotus today a great tour with most of the F1 cars Lotus produced took the chance to look through the main gates at the factory and sneak a photo of two Emiras. Then towards the end of the tour a guy joined from having been driving an Emira on the half day track experience - did not get a chance to talk the detail but he loved the car and how it drove. He had driven both touring and sport set ups. Did not ask but assume only the V6. I am going next Friday on the full day experience - can’t wait.

I am also going to the full experience next Friday so see you there. Colour comments / pictures are pretty much what I saw at the factory tour a month ago - DV is more D than V - not for me, along with the dark grey colour which does the car few favours in my view. Seneca & Nimbus strongest for different reasons - Seneca has real impact & Nimbus shows off the lines to the maximum.

 

[Dommo]

Cue the "I'm so glad I chose the sport suspension" comments

I'm so glad I chose sports suspension

 

[R1272]

I'm so glad I chose sport suspension too.

 

[Leonard]

Shhhhhh now I want Sports Suspension

 

[Joel]

I am also going to the full experience next Friday so see you there. Colour comments / pictures are pretty much what I saw at the factory tour a month ago - DV is more D than V - not for me, along with the dark grey colour which does the car few favours in my view. Seneca & Nimbus strongest for different reasons - Seneca has real impact & Nimbus shows off the lines to the maximum.

I'll see both of you there next Friday too, wonder how many from the forum will be there

 

[scoates]

A Dark Verdant car exists? And people have driven it?!

This is fantastic news! Glad to hear the car is great to drive. Still excited for mine, hopefully not long now!

 

[TXEMIRA]

I said they thought it was black not green, I should have said presumed. It’s very light dependent, definitively green at times, lots of reflections too making the photography more complicated. My choice was Seneca before and still is, the DV is like incognito green

I thought the seats were great, very supportive, but I should say I haven’t owned a car like this before for finer comparisons. I’m 6’, long body short legs, fit fine without a helmet, had to lay the seat quite far back with.

The track’s a lovely surface so sport felt great, I’d still go tour for the real world and it was still confidence inspiring (to me ).

#IncognitoGreen for the win.

Great call. This is very exciting. Wow!

Thank you so much.

 

[Citizen]

Thank you so much for share the experience !

 

[Scruff111S]

I had the chance to attend the Lotus Academy event this morning and drove the sport and tour variants around the Lotus test track. I’ll cut to the chase the car is fantastic. The handling of both the sport and tour were excellent. For track the sport setup felt tighter and better resolved, and very flat through turns, the car hides it weight well, direction changes reminiscent of my V6 Exige. The engine felt strong and the gear change for me was excellent. The Tour variant had more body role and less front end grip (under steer) when pushing through the tighter corners. I also noticed the tour felt less stable under hard braking, but this is probably more tyre related. For both variants I used the tour and sport settings didn’t have the opportunity to use race. As said above the car is fantastic I don’t think anyone will be disappointed, can’t wait for mine to arrive.
A side note I have ordered Dark Verdant, today was the first time I have seen the colour in person on an actual car, it is dark, darker than I expected, I still love it some pictures below.

Great feedback, my Emira spec is Sport/Cup2, having never even been in either to compare, which would have been ideal. I will only be using it as a trackday and weekend toy. In my case, the spec chosen was perhaps a bit of a gamble, but now I think it was the right thing for me. Having had 2 Caterhams and an S2 Elise, each used as daily, I think the Emira will be just right. Besides, with my car history and use, anything this side of an Ariel Atom will be a luxury.

 

[NicolasB]

Thanks for sharing! Amazing you were allowed to take pics!

I think I am about to switch my locked in order for Nimbus or Magma after seeing how DV kind of takes away the excitement of the car's looks...

 

[New to Lotus]

I think lots of people not going to be happy with dv.
I'm locked in that colour which I thought had the most promise but in reality not the best.
Nimbus is the best colour I have seen so far.

 

[Dlirium]

Sure appreciate the post, very informative and helpful. What I REALLY liked was the front end picture. I've looked at a LOT of Emira pictures but have never seen that low angle. So impressive!!

And, yes - i have Sport coming ;-)

 

[TomE]

I'll see both of you there next Friday too, wonder how many from the forum will be there

Please enlist anyone there who isn’t a member and ask them to post their experiences too

 

[VL3X]

I'm so glad I chose sport suspension too.

I'm so glad I chose sport suspension three.

 

[TomE]

Tom have you booked in? If so, when?

Covered here

https://www.emiraforum.com/threads/message-from-matt-windle-regarding-emira-delays.1500/post-42786

 

[JXJ]

Thanks for sharing! Amazing you were allowed to take pics!

I think I am about to switch my locked in order for Nimbus or Magma after seeing how DV kind of takes away the excitement of the car's looks...

Some more pics of DV in full sunlight and the privacy glass