Everyday Driver Review - Emira/Cayman GTS/C8

[Climber]

I have both a 2015 Cayman GTS and Evora GT. I’m being asked all the time which is better.
Answer whichever one I'm driving.
Two very different cars both engaging and great fun to drive.
When the Emira eventually / hopefully arrives think my answer will be the same.

Have a 2015 Boxster GTS drove a Evora GT and really enjoyed it also drove the Emira in Houston, beautiful, captivating Gorgeous. The drive was to short to really make a judgement. Nothing stud out as a flaw. Looking forward to owning both and hopefully making the same comment!

 

[Lotus64]

Is it possible for a car to be so well engineered and so good it's actually somewhat boring? That's the way I felt when watching and listening to the Porsche.

This is exactly right. The side effect of refining a car is more distance between car and driver.

 

[Johnson]

Having poured over the design of the Emira for two years, I think the styling of the rear end is not terribly successful. But the side profile is an absolute classic. Ferrari 308 classic.

As for American reviews, I love their enthusiasm… but still struggle with the idea that a car runs on “gas” (it’s called petrol). And to hear them complain about the cost… I’ve just bought one for $200k here, which definitely hurt. I’ve yet to drive it, so hopefully all that wallet pain will evaporate.

 

[Nova]

Having poured over the design of the Emira for two years, I think the styling of the rear end is not terribly successful. But the side profile is an absolute classic. Ferrari 308 classic.

As for American reviews, I love their enthusiasm… but still struggle with the idea that a car runs on “gas” (it’s called petrol). And to hear them complain about the cost… I’ve just bought one for $200k here, which definitely hurt. I’ve yet to drive it, so hopefully all that wallet pain will evaporate.

We call it gas because gasoline is volatile and will evaporate into vapor format at normal temperature ranges unless it is stored under pressure. Gasoline literally means "gas derived from oil". UK calls petrol "petrol" as a shorthand for petroleum, which is rather odd since diesel is also a petroleum product.

In other words, we are right, you are wrong.

USA! USA! USA!

 

[dgrace]

We call it gas because gasoline is volatile and will evaporate into vapor format at normal temperature ranges unless it is stored under pressure. Gasoline literally means "gas derived from oil". UK calls petrol "petrol" as a shorthand for petroleum, which is rather odd since diesel is also a petroleum product.

In other words, we are right, you are wrong.

USA! USA! USA!

Though of course our Aussie friend has the mic-drop option of actually stepping into his car and driving off...

 

[Johnson]

We call it gas because gasoline is volatile and will evaporate into vapor format at normal temperature ranges unless it is stored under pressure. Gasoline literally means "gas derived from oil". UK calls petrol "petrol" as a shorthand for petroleum, which is rather odd since diesel is also a petroleum product.

In other words, we are right, you are wrong.

USA! USA! USA!

Yeah, good call. Although “Gazoline” was originally a brand name. It’s like calling a vacuum cleaner a “Hoover“ (oh… waitaminit)…

I think I’m still a bit scarred from our driving holiday in the US last year. We hired a few different cars, driving around New England. The roads are huge, every second vehicle is a massive truck, and road rules are a “suggestion”. I usually drive around 10% higher than the speed limit, but we were getting beeped and passed by just about everyone. Driving into Boston was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

 

[K_Squared]

Yeah, good call. Although “Gazoline” was originally a brand name. It’s like calling a vacuum cleaner a “Hoover“ (oh… waitaminit)…

I think I’m still a bit scarred from our driving holiday in the US last year. We hired a few different cars, driving around New England. The roads are huge, every second vehicle is a massive truck, and road rules are a “suggestion”. I usually drive around 10% higher than the speed limit, but we were getting beeped and passed by just about everyone. Driving into Boston was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

Welcome to northern drivers New York drivers (and New Englanders in general) are generally considered by many to have more aggressive driving habits that outsiders might view as rude. It's quite a bit different down here in the South although the big trucks are still everywhere. If that scared you, go do some driving in Latin America (or even worse in India I hear) where road rules aren't really even a suggestion but more of an afterthought.

Many years ago I loved driving around in Bogota, Colombia where it was just nuts. My Colombian g/f (at the time) was terrified of driving there so I would drive everywhere just bleeping my horn at everyone (which was completely normal there). It was a blast to me but I suppose not for the faint of heart!

 

[EspritGuy]

Though of course our Aussie friend has the mic-drop option of actually stepping into his car and driving off...

Wait for it..... this chat is called Gas-lighting.

 

[EspritGuy]

Yeah, good call. Although “Gazoline” was originally a brand name. It’s like calling a vacuum cleaner a “Hoover“ (oh… waitaminit)…

I think I’m still a bit scarred from our driving holiday in the US last year. We hired a few different cars, driving around New England. The roads are huge, every second vehicle is a massive truck, and road rules are a “suggestion”. I usually drive around 10% higher than the speed limit, but we were getting beeped and passed by just about everyone. Driving into Boston was one of the scariest experiences of my life.

Yeah...what he said. As I was told, and learned, the trick to successful driving in traffic was not to make eye contact.

 

[Maurice R]

Come to Texas we are the most non aggressive and law abiding drivers in the US

 

[nelly111s]

Definitely on board with this. Initially I was all in for DV and tan but the pictures I've seen and comments I've read made me waver. This might be the nail in the coffin!

Seneca Blue or Magma Red it is then!

Sports cars have to be bright colours. When you were a kid, was the poster on your bedroom wall of an Agate Grey Porsche? Nope. Be a kid again.

Lotus only made Nimbus and Shadow Grey to appeal to the boring Porsche drivers

 

[GetawayDriving]

Having poured over the design of the Emira for two years, I think the styling of the rear end is not terribly successful. But the side profile is an absolute classic. Ferrari 308 classic.

As for American reviews, I love their enthusiasm… but still struggle with the idea that a car runs on “gas” (it’s called petrol). And to hear them complain about the cost… I’ve just bought one for $200k here, which definitely hurt. I’ve yet to drive it, so hopefully all that wallet pain will evaporate.

I agree the back of the Emira is the weakest link (still good but not quite up to the rest). Personal taste, but I think the Emira could be improved easily by the aftermarket with a taillight mod. Just extend the LED beam to full (uninterrupted width) and lower it slightly to align it more with the rest of the family (Eletre, and assuming Envya). Then black out the surrounds. Yellow indicators in smoke below on each side, third brake lights in smoke above. Or do multi-colored LEDs and give the smoke surrounds a carbon look and make the dips on each side slotted like vents.

 

[JClem]

Sports cars have to be bright colours. When you were a kid, was the poster on your bedroom wall of an Agate Grey Porsche? Nope. Be a kid again.

Lotus only made Nimbus and Shadow Grey to appeal to the boring Porsche drivers

I had a bright orange Nissan 300ZX and Countach on my wall as a lad. Waiting for the response from Cayman owners!

 

[dgrace]

I agree the back of the Emira is the weakest link (still good but not quite up to the rest). Personal taste, but I think the Emira could be improved easily by the aftermarket with a taillight mod. Just extend the LED beam to full (uninterrupted width) and lower it slightly to align it more with the rest of the family (Eletre, and assuming Envya). Then black out the surrounds. Yellow indicators in smoke below on each side, third brake lights in smoke above. Or do multi-colored LEDs and give the smoke surrounds a carbon look and make the dips on each side slotted like vents.

View attachment 27867

Also change the badge to “BUICK”

 

[CanadianEmira]

I agree the back of the Emira is the weakest link (still good but not quite up to the rest). Personal taste, but I think the Emira could be improved easily by the aftermarket with a taillight mod. Just extend the LED beam to full (uninterrupted width) and lower it slightly to align it more with the rest of the family (Eletre, and assuming Envya). Then black out the surrounds. Yellow indicators in smoke below on each side, third brake lights in smoke above. Or do multi-colored LEDs and give the smoke surrounds a carbon look and make the dips on each side slotted like vents.

View attachment 27867

Maybe I’m outspoken on this but I absolutely love the rear. When I first saw the Emira I thought to myself how classy it looked compared to many current supercar rear-ends.

Love that you can see in to the tires too.

 

[eriegz]

Maybe I’m outspoken on this but I absolutely love the rear. When I first saw the Emira I thought to myself how classy it looked compared to many current supercar rear-ends.

Love that you can see in to the tires too.

Same here. I think the back is as perfect as they could've possibly made it, given where this car sits in the range.

After having fallen in love with the Evija design a year (?) earlier, and knowing that they would likely carry over a lot of this design language into the Emira, I started getting worried seeing all the crude (fan-made) renders that were circulating leading up to the Emira's unveiling. However, all those fears were put to rest the instant I laid eyes on the Emira. I can't think of a single part of the car's design that I would change.

 

[EspritGuy]

Sports cars have to be bright colours. When you were a kid, was the poster on your bedroom wall of an Agate Grey Porsche? Nope. Be a kid again.

Lotus only made Nimbus and Shadow Grey to appeal to the boring Porsche drivers

And the gauntlet has been thrown down ...

 

[KCMO68_510]

Sports cars have to be bright colours. When you were a kid, was the poster on your bedroom wall of an Agate Grey Porsche? Nope. Be a kid again.

Lotus only made Nimbus and Shadow Grey to appeal to the boring Porsche drivers

My inner kid though wants red leather interior. None of the bright colors seem to go well with red seats. 10 year old me says to make an homage to the NSX-R and go White, Black Roof, and Red Seats.

 

[K_Squared]

I agree the back of the Emira is the weakest link (still good but not quite up to the rest). Personal taste, but I think the Emira could be improved easily by the aftermarket with a taillight mod. Just extend the LED beam to full (uninterrupted width) and lower it slightly to align it more with the rest of the family (Eletre, and assuming Envya). Then black out the surrounds. Yellow indicators in smoke below on each side, third brake lights in smoke above. Or do multi-colored LEDs and give the smoke surrounds a carbon look and make the dips on each side slotted like vents.

View attachment 27867

Appearance being subjective, I'm SO THANKFUL they did NOT do the tail light like this. I can't stand cars with long, full length rear LEDs like this. To each his/her own, however.

 

[Magicman]

I agree the back of the Emira is the weakest link (still good but not quite up to the rest). Personal taste, but I think the Emira could be improved easily by the aftermarket with a taillight mod. Just extend the LED beam to full (uninterrupted width) and lower it slightly to align it more with the rest of the family (Eletre, and assuming Envya). Then black out the surrounds. Yellow indicators in smoke below on each side, third brake lights in smoke above. Or do multi-colored LEDs and give the smoke surrounds a carbon look and make the dips on each side slotted like vents.

View attachment 27867

100% can not agree with that, the back is stunning, rear ¾ my favourite view

Judging by some of the you tube reviews and especially this Lotus have done the Emira dirty by abandoning marketing on it