Emira Test Drive by Forum Member

[amihon]

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.

Thanks for sharing! I have a deposit on an emira. I daily drive an M2 Competition. I'm wondering how the different suspensions compare to that if anyone knows.

Also how did you get access to the emira!? I'd fly to UMC if they're allowing track use of emiras.

 

[Lotustoronto]

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

A walk around video of the DV car would be amazing! Any additional thoughts on the suspension differences would be welcomed!

 

[eriegz]

Man, sucks for Dark Verdant owners! I'm hearing a lot of regret in this thread, and go figure — the Lotus configurator has shown 3 different "versions" of DV over the past year, and apparently none of them are even close to what it actually looks like in real life.

After looking at all of the pictures in this thread, the conclusion I've reached is that Dark Verdant is to green as La Croix is to fruit juice.

 

[Eagle7]

Man, sucks for Dark Verdant owners! I'm hearing a lot of regret in this thread, and go figure — the Lotus configurator has shown 3 different "versions" of DV over the past year, and apparently none of them are even close to what it actually like in real life.

After looking at all of the pictures in this thread, the conclusion I've reached is that Dark Verdant is to green as La Croix is to fruit juice.

I'm okay with it. I would have liked a bit more green, but this to me is by far the most enigmatic and exotic of the 6 FE colors.

 

[Lotustoronto]

Man, sucks for Dark Verdant owners! I'm hearing a lot of regret in this thread, and go figure — the Lotus configurator has shown 3 different "versions" of DV over the past year, and apparently none of them are even close to what it actually looks like in real life.

After looking at all of the pictures in this thread, the conclusion I've reached is that Dark Verdant is to green as La Croix is to fruit juice.

I ordered DV as well, and to be honest I am happy with it. It's got a stealth look like I like. Other colour I would have chosen is nimbus. Love Seneca as well, just doesn't fit my personality.

 

[Leonard]

Obviously too late for you to ask, but maybe somebody else can on their experience day... On the tour suspended vehicles, are they also equipped with the LSD? A few reviewers seemed to think that could have been the source of the understeery behaviour, so worth considering opting out of that if you are going with tour setup.
Doesn't affect me directly, as I presume the i4 will have some e-diff malarky, but could be useful knowledge for V6 buyers.

I dont understand this as I've always thought an LSD helps remove understeer if anything?
Anyone shed light on it for info sharing before I hit up Google

 

[emiraspain]

I ordered DV as well, and to be honest I am happy with it. It's got a stealth look like I like. Other colour I would have chosen is nimbus. Love Seneca as well, just doesn't fit my personality.

wouldnt it have been easier to change your personality?

. thats what I look like on a good day and I am going blue.
As for the DV people..... (I think the closer to black the better) but here's your answer to all future comments:

there was the same old lady with the middle finger up, but I thought I might be flagged by forum rules, although some of the language seems to go under the radar...

 

[Leonard]

Thanks for sharing! I have a deposit on an emira. I daily drive an M2 Competition. I'm wondering how the different suspensions compare to that if anyone knows.

Also how did you get access to the emira!? I'd fly to UMC if they're allowing track use of emiras.

Having had a Comp I'd be very very suprised if it wasn't more similar to the Sports set-up

 

[emiraspain]

I wonder if they will have a car with sport suspension and the "terrible" "good" years... which is my spec. I guess I will email them and hope they can sort that for my day in 12 days time.

I think as far as the rubber strip is, you just remove it .....
It was put there for aero high speed, which for most of us wont be a thing most of the time and if you go to a track, then a bit of masking tape across there for an hour and job done. For me and most of my driving I cant see that it will have any negative effect at all, it not being there. It may also look better if the seal was not quite so flush, but was pushed down somewhat but then I guess it would loose much of its benefit.

Perhaps we need a designer seal.... queue cue designers to work on something to replace it....

 

[Leonard]

I wonder if they will have a car with sport suspension and the "terrible" "good" years... which is my spec. I guess I will email them and hope they can sort that for my day in 12 days time.

I think as far as the rubber strip is, you just remove it .....
It was put there for aero high speed, which for most of us wont be a thing most of the time and if you go to a track, then a bit of masking tape across there for an hour and job done. For me and most of my driving I cant see that it will have any negative effect at all, it not being there. It may also look better if the seal was not quite so flush, but was pushed down somewhat but then I guess it would loose much of its benefit.

Perhaps we need a designer seal.... queue cue designers to work on something to replace it....

One with LEDs in it so we can all pretend we are David Hasselhoff

 

[Nick in Sydney]

Don’t shout me down it’s just the way my little thinks

Did you not read the part where he said the cars were missing some parts? If Lotus could be delivering finished production cars to customers, they would be.

 

[Nick in Sydney]

Could be a long wait. I think it is black with a very slight hint of green.

That's exactly how I think about DV. It's a black car with a really interesting "green aspect" to it.

 

[First Lotus]

I wonder if they will have a car with sport suspension and the "terrible" "good" years... which is my spec. I guess I will email them and hope they can sort that for my day in 12 days time.

I think as far as the rubber strip is, you just remove it .....
It was put there for aero high speed, which for most of us wont be a thing most of the time and if you go to a track, then a bit of masking tape across there for an hour and job done. For me and most of my driving I cant see that it will have any negative effect at all, it not being there. It may also look better if the seal was not quite so flush, but was pushed down somewhat but then I guess it would loose much of its benefit.

Perhaps we need a designer seal.... queue cue designers to work on something to replace it....

What's your date?

I'm 3rd August

 

[First Lotus]

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.

Thanks @JXJ. That's just a nice summery and exactly what I wanted to hear so obviously I like it .

I really like DV. Have gone for nimbus but DV is definitely in second place for me ATM. Will be able to make up my mind on 3rd August.

 

[emiraspain]

What's your date?

I'm 3rd August

I changed from the 29th to the 6th of august, figuring more chance of the cars being ready....

 

[duff]

I dont understand this as I've always thought an LSD helps remove understeer if anything?
Anyone shed light on it for info sharing before I hit up Google

The short answer is along the lines of - An LSD allows power to be laid down more effectively which means a rear wheel car will push the car forwards with more force and thus the front tyres need to work harder to maintain the required line when cornering.
Ultimately though the balance is defined by the chassis and its setup and not whether it has an LSD or not.

 

[BeHappy]

Did you not read the part where he said the cars were missing some parts? If Lotus could be delivering finished production cars to customers, they would be.

Yes but I don’t believe a word Lotus say anymore all cloak and dangers. Like the Lotus guy saying on camera at Goodwood that deliveries were from now , what a load of BS. I hate BS loose all respect in my eyes

 

[_w_]

Thanks for posting! Couple of questions if you don’t mind!

Was the gear change good on both cars that you drove?

How about pedal placement for heel toe?

Also who were the instructors that ran the day? The old academy had some pretty good names (BRDC members) have they kept this?

Don’t know if I was overexcited initially but I was heavy handed with the shifting and holding the lever completely different to usual in the tour setup car so quite messy , sure it was me rather than the car and no issues second time out.

The instructors were all racers, for tour I was with Katie Milner and then for support I was lucky enough to go out with Martin Donnelly - he completely changed my braking approach, fastest I’ve ever gone round a chicane, so good loading the car correctly and having it bite in hard at the front (only downside is not getting to then do the same thing in tour for the comparison )

 

[Andrew P]

Surprised by the universal favour of Sport vs Tour. It is inevitable that Sport with Cup tyres is going to perform best on the track but if you’re on the average UK road the outcome will be completely different given rubbish surface / potholes & dampness for plenty of the time. For me it comes back to where you are in the world & how you want to use it - for regular UK road use I suspect Tour will be the better package - as per Harry’s Garage which seems to be the only road back to back comparison. As another example (totally different car I know) I had a S1 Elise many years ago and switched from standard to Lotus sport suspension and it did not improve the overall package on the road.

 

[PhilCP]

I wonder if they will have a car with sport suspension and the "terrible" "good" years... which is my spec. I guess I will email them and hope they can sort that for my day in 12 days time.

I’m not sure driving round Hethel is going to be a good indicator of the different suspension characteristics.

As demonstrated by Harry choosing Sport and changing to Touring after a B road blast.