i4 FE - When are we going to see it? Getting annoyed

[MickOpalak]

I drove 4 cylinder sports cars exclusively for 24 years. I never thought one of them sounded bad. As good as a snarly Evora? No, but still not bad, just different.

 

[0pirates0]

I drove 4 cylinder sports cars exclusively for 24 years. I never thought one of them sounded bad. As good as a snarly Evora? No, but still not bad, just different.

The main problem is that when are we going to see the 2.0T model

 

[Fido]

While Lotus has declared their product strategy to fully electrify, the news of possible E-Fuel exemption from the EU ICE ban might just provide an option to extend Emira production. I think coupled with the issues EVs are having with infrastructure and availability of green electricity and the problems in the UK with battery supply (Britishvolt saga), the door may be open especially for track focussed variants through to until 2035. Given that capital investment in the product and the manufacturing facility will be paid back, there is a chance exploit a cash cow extension to EOP maybe?

See Kentviking’s latest post

 

[Cutting42]

I spoke to CS today and they told me that test drives for the i4 will be be early June 2023 with the booking process kicking off early May.
Also they said that any spec changes should be possible until asked to confirm specs closer to production

 

[MajHall04]

I spoke to CS today and they told me that test drives for the i4 will be be early June 2023 with the booking process kicking off early May.
Also they said that any spec changes should be possible until asked to confirm specs closer to production

What about Prices $USD?

 

[Cutting42]

What about Prices $USD?

Sorry, I did not ask about pricing. I am in the UK and the new prices are in place for all the i4's.

 

[DerTheDer]

I saw this on Instagram, any truth to it?

 

[simonb]

I saw this on Instagram, any truth to it?

You need someone to answer that

 

[simonb]

I spoke to CS today and they told me that test drives for the i4 will be be early June 2023 with the booking process kicking off early May.
Also they said that any spec changes should be possible until asked to confirm specs closer to production

I suspect this will be closely followed by slippage on the first "july build" cars

 

[Cutting42]

I suspect this will be closely followed by slippage on the first "july build" cars

I have been telling myself that since I got the last build month to keep expecting more slippage. TBH, until I see i4's out there being demo'd and reviewed I am struggling to even believe the i4 is happening. I keep looking at the V6's coming up for sale and am tempted.

 

[JimH]

Posted today on The Lotus Forums…..Hopefully press cars and then dealer demonstrators….

 

[Matthaus]

I think we all know they've had heat issues with the i4 but I heard recently its so bad they had to change the orientation of the engine to solve it, anyone know if this is true?

 

[JimH]

I think we all know they've had heat issues with the i4 but I heard recently its so bad they had to change the orientation of the engine to solve it, anyone know if this is true?

Sounds like someone may have heard that the M139 was designed in the "opposite" orientation to it's predecessor, and confused two (non?)issues...... There's nothing but perpetuating forum "comments around any ongoing heat issues in the i4 Emira that I've seen?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_M139_engine

"Unlike the normal M260, the AMG engineers rotated the engine block 180 degrees so that the intake system is in the front of the engine while the turbochargers and exhaust headers are situated between the engine and firewall" (quite from the article above - which relates to a front-engine installation of course...)

As fitted in the Emira :

 

[Fido]

So it’s in the same orientation as in the AMG. PTs are not cheap to design and you’d only do something as dramatic as changing the orientation with a very substantial redesign. This kind of thing would be completely out of Lotus’ budget for the installation. I see no fundamental reasons for there to be a major cooling issue. The car would have been designed to a required thermal capacity from the very outset. There may have been some minor problems to resolve that may have resulted in some delays but it’s not like Lotus are new to the industry and haven’t worked out a product development process.
I like the light green shade though, although that’s not how anyone would normally choose to tease new colours!

 

[Fido]

An interesting pic of the installation. The engine cover will sit nice and low (lower than the v6) so there looks like there might be a handy bit of stowage space in the back to pop your take-away in to keep it warm!

 

[vantager]

Sorry, I did not ask about pricing. I am in the UK and the new prices are in place for all the i4's.

Is that for the base i4 (I know the configurator has FE i4 prices) ? If so, where did you see a base i4 price please?

 

[vantager]

I have been telling myself that since I got the last build month to keep expecting more slippage. TBH, until I see i4's out there being demo'd and reviewed I am struggling to even believe the i4 is happening. I keep looking at the V6's coming up for sale and am tempted.

Me too!

 

[JimH]

Is that for the base i4 (I know the configurator has FE i4 prices) ? If so, where did you see a base i4 price please?

The original "headline" UK base price of "from" £59,995 was removed from the lotus website when the FE price increases were published - as far as I know no new UK base i4 price has been seen since.....

 

[Cutting42]

Is that for the base i4 (I know the configurator has FE i4 prices) ? If so, where did you see a base i4 price please?

Base i4 was always supposed to be £60k but we have had a price increase since then so no clue really.

 

[vantager]

Given someone already posted the BASE 6 cylinder price as 71,995 (10k less than FE) I would suppose the BASE i4 is also 10k less than FE - making it 67,795 + options + OTR - or 70k OTR before any options. Quite a jump (7,800 or 13%) from the 60k original.