I'm out - the cancellations thread

[Lotus64]

quite the opposite in fact - I think many are dissappointed it is not sporty enough and has been deliberately softened for mass market appeal

I don't agree. Many have said it they want more power, which is fine. But as far as saying the Emira sport chassis is soft, that's not really a logical opinion, as the the Emira sport / touring chasis overlap in stiffness with the Evora lineup (NA Evora, S, GT, etc.), not the Elise/exige lineup. It's barely gained any weight from the Evora as well.

 

[Ceejay]

I don't agree. Many have said it they want more power, which is fine. But as far as saying the Emira sport chassis is soft, that's not really a logical opinion, as the the Emira sport / touring chasis overlap in stiffness with the Evora lineup (NA Evora, S, GT, etc.), not the Elise/exige lineup. It's barely gained any weight from the Evora as well.

There’s a lot to like about the chassis but the car lacks that bit of theatre I’m looking for in a long term car. Power is lower than the later evoras and weight is up, neither helps.

 

[Lotus64]

There’s a lot to like about the chassis but the car lacks that bit of theatre I’m looking for in a long term car. Power is lower than the later evoras and weight is up, neither helps.

Look, I'm being objective. It's non sensical to say an Emira sport chassis is soft compared to a naturally aspirated Evora, regardless of how much theatre one subjectively wants.

 

[Eagle7]

Just out of curiosity so I can try and gain an insight into other people's perspectives, when some say the car isn't sporty enough, or lacks theatre, or is disappointing, etc., what exactly were/are you looking for that you feel the Emira doesn't have? Is it something specific? A combination of things? What would it need to be what you feel it isn't now?

 

[Lotustoronto]

quite the opposite in fact - I think many are dissappointed it is not sporty enough and has been deliberately softened for mass market appeal

If you look at the Forum poll of what Forum members are currently driving/coming from into an Emira.... the vast majority are coming from cars that are probably less "sport" focused than an Emira. So at least on this Forum, majority seems to lean ...

GT > Sport

 

[VL3X]

Just out of curiosity so I can try and gain an insight into other people's perspectives, when some say the car isn't sporty enough, or lacks theatre, or is disappointing, etc., what exactly were/are you looking for that you feel the Emira doesn't have? Is it something specific? A combination of things? What would it need to be what you feel it isn't now?

I think some are looking for a bit more drama... louder exhaust and being able to easily kick out the rear end. The Emira is just so planted with it's wide track, wide tires, and amazing suspension setup that it almost lacks drama during spirited street driving. It's not an easy car to slide and nearly impossible to break the tires loose when just playing around at relatively slower speeds. The power delivery is so linear too. One of the most linear dyno charts I've ever seen actually. With turbocharged vehicles, you get hit with that huge torque curve that throws you in the seat and allows you to modulate the pedals and shift just right to get it to slide out or spin a bit.

 

[Mctaff]

The theatre is about setting and performance.

I found the setting a bit meh - externally of course it’s total wow but you don’t see that once insude… then the seats not great (for me), pedal position odd, horrid plastic buttons on steering, and a little sparse

And performance - aural drama limited, annoying whine I really disliked, and not enough overt punch.

I love the car though and really hope it suceeds, it’s just not pushing my very particular buttons!

 

[Ceejay]

Look, I'm being objective. It's non sensical to say an Emira sport chassis is soft compared to a naturally aspirated Evora, regardless of how much theatre one subjectively wants.

Just to be clear I haven’t said the chassis is soft, I think you’re confusing my comments with others. I like the sports chassis, it’s probably the best thing about emira. But I didn’t get the connection with the car I’m personally looking for, it’s over tyred for the power which dulls it a little, the redline is a little on the low side ( I assume for reliability as lotus must be assuming there cars will do much higher mileages than it’s predecessors) and the sound inside is a bit lacking. As I said in my previous post I was prepared to modify to suit my tastes as the car has a lot of plus points but the process of buying a new lotus hasn’t been pleasant so far.

 

[Eagle7]

So what I'm gathering here so far, is some are disappointed by what the car isn't doing for them to just be in it, rather than what they're doing with it out on the road. Interesting.

For me, if I'm cornering in a, shall we say brisk manner, I've already begun dialing in steering correction as I'm moving through the apex. If I kick out the rear end, it irritates me greatly because it means I've screwed up the corner, and I've now lost momentum and exit speed coming out of the corner. I hate spinning the tires too, as I might as well just take a handful of twenties out of my wallet and throw them out the window. The tires will get enough wear going through the twisties.

My sense of theatre is how does the car respond to what I'm trying to get it to do. My focus is looking through the windshield at the road ahead of me. As for sound, I don't like the exhaust to be loud necessarily, as I prefer tone and sound quality over being loud. I hate exhaust resonance. My desire for the interior is to be comfortable, solid (no rattles), and the controls are responsive and easy to use. The thrill of accelerating from a standing start is something I guess I've outgrown, as I now prefer a smoother start rather than something that will put undue stress on the drivetrain. Once up to speed, I enjoy competent, responsive performance from the car, which I guess would be my definition of 'sporty'.

I'm expecting the Emira to be just the type of car I enjoy driving, but I can see how those who want visual and acceleration drama might be disappointed. When Lotus says "For the Drivers" I take it to mean just that, rather than "For Those Who Want to be Entertained". Nothing wrong with wanting to be entertained, but it's a different dynamic from 'don't distract me, I'm driving'. Watching the recent video of that guy taking the Emira through that rally course, entertainment would be distracting. His focus is 100% on the road ahead and getting the car to respond to his input. In one part of the video he goes on about how good the setup of the shift lever is in relation to the steering wheel; you won't have to worry about it not being exactly and quickly within reach. That's something a driver would be concerned about, rather than how loud the car is or how the interior looks. In that video he's not even looking at the interior. He's a seriously good driver too.

I guess it all comes down to expectations, perceptions and desires. The Emira isn't and isn't going to be for everybody. Probably won't be for most actually, but for those who like to drive and especially momentum driving, it should be a very fun car to drive.

 

[Mctaff]

yeah but try doing that on the Bristol test route!!

edit: I also want all the things you described above... it didn't provide them for me.

I do not want to be entertained, I want to feel at one with the car and enter a flow state

 

[Eagle7]

yeah but try doing that on the Bristol test route!!

Yeah that's the rub, isn't it. Where and how are you planning on using it? If your main use is poking along in stop and go traffic on a commute to work and back, some entertainment would help to distract from the boredom of the drive. If it's going to be your only car, I can see how it may seem somewhat lacking in that area. However those are typically the kinds of things that are what modding is for, to customize the car to what you want it to be.

I guess it depends on if what's there to start with is enough to be worth buying and modding.

 

[Mctaff]

I want to throw it around twisty b-roads.

I got traffic, speed bumps and motorway

modding might give me more of what I want, but for 80k I can just buy another car that does what I want instead

anyway... don't let me get accused of being all negative... didn't do it for me but glad it does for others

 

[CarGuy07]

Don’t really want to get into it again on what the Emira should or shouldn’t be. Bottom line is that when it was stated that it is an Evora dialed up to 11, most (if not all) of us expected it to be one hell of a sports car. It simply isn’t.

I’ll put it in terms of what most men will understand: you see a very attractive girl, hear that she’s all that, and you build up in your head she is perfect. Then you take her on a date and learned that she might not be all there. Still, you persist because she is just so hot. Every time you text or call or get to know her and take her out again, she flip flops between answers and seems to always be busy, uncommitted, and uncommunicative. After trying for 1.5 years since that first meeting, you deem she’s not all that. THAT is how I (perhaps others) feel about the Emira, Lotus, and experience thus far.

 

[Mctaff]

lmfao!!

so in summary you no longer want to ride the Emira because it needs more cylinders and feedback?

 

[VL3X]

Don’t really want to get into it again on what the Emira should or shouldn’t be. Bottom line is that when it was stated that it is an Evora dialed up to 11, most (if not all) of us expected it to be one hell of a sports car. It simply isn’t.

I’ll put it in terms of what most men will understand: you see a very attractive girl, hear that she’s all that, and you build up in your head she is perfect. Then you take her on a date and learned that she might not be all there. Still, you persist because she is just so hot. Every time you text or call or get to know her and take her out again, she flip flops between answers and seems to always be busy, uncommitted, and uncommunicative. After trying for 1.5 years since that first meeting, you deem she’s not all that. THAT is how I (perhaps others) feel about the Emira, Lotus, and experience thus far.

Aka the juice isn't worth the squeeze, so to speak...

 

[CarGuy07]

In the words of P Diddy: what I need is simple- 5 foot 5 with dimples, potential wife credentials…times get hard cry with me, die with me.

I guarantee that after that lusting honeymoon period, many owners will be tired of the Emira. I might jump back in next year or two and buy it used. For now, I see 981 GTS in my future (not supermodel type but got a good head on her shoulder and proven).

 

[Eagle7]

Don’t really want to get into it again on what the Emira should or shouldn’t be. Bottom line is that when it was stated that it is an Evora dialed up to 11, most (if not all) of us expected it to be one hell of a sports car. It simply isn’t.

I’ll put it in terms of what most men will understand: you see a very attractive girl, hear that she’s all that, and you build up in your head she is perfect. Then you take her on a date and learned that she might not be all there. Still, you persist because she is just so hot. Every time you text or call or get to know her and take her out again, she flip flops between answers and seems to always be busy, uncommitted, and uncommunicative. After trying for 1.5 years since that first meeting, you deem she’s not all that. THAT is how I (perhaps others) feel about the Emira, Lotus, and experience thus far.

Way back when, when Gavan said that, the development car he was testing and driving probably was an Evora dialed up to 11. Then the reality of homologation and emissions, delays due to unforeseen issues outside of their control, etc., probably began to dial back that 11 to a 9.

It's unfortunate that the expectation of his statement has created a disappointment for those who wanted what he described, and I can certainly see and understand why. Can it be made to get back up to that standard with some mods? Probably. Just depends on if someone wants the car as it is enough to be willing to spend the extra bucks for the mods.

 

[VL3X]

Way back when, when Gavan said that, the development car he was testing and driving probably was an Evora dialed up to 11. Then the reality of homologation and emissions, delays due to unforeseen issues outside of their control, etc., probably began to dial back that 11 to a 9.

It's unfortunate that the expectation of his statement has created a disappointment for those who wanted what he described, and I can certainly see and understand why. Can it be made to get back up to that standard with some mods? Probably. Just depends on if someone wants the car as it is enough to be willing to spend the extra bucks for the mods.

I mod all my cars. Truthfully, I didn't want or expect to mod my first $100k+ exotic sports car. But here I am looking at exhaust mods, tunes, springs, etc. I guess it's just part of the game! I'm sure the majority of owners will be satisfied with the Emira as it is right from the factory, but a lot of us enthusiasts will likely enhance it a bit one way or another.

 

[BeHappy]

So what I'm gathering here so far, is some are disappointed by what the car isn't doing for them to just be in it, rather than what they're doing with it out on the road. Interesting.

For me, if I'm cornering in a, shall we say brisk manner, I've already begun dialing in steering correction as I'm moving through the apex. If I kick out the rear end, it irritates me greatly because it means I've screwed up the corner, and I've now lost momentum and exit speed coming out of the corner. I hate spinning the tires too, as I might as well just take a handful of twenties out of my wallet and throw them out the window. The tires will get enough wear going through the twisties.

My sense of theatre is how does the car respond to what I'm trying to get it to do. My focus is looking through the windshield at the road ahead of me. As for sound, I don't like the exhaust to be loud necessarily, as I prefer tone and sound quality over being loud. I hate exhaust resonance. My desire for the interior is to be comfortable, solid (no rattles), and the controls are responsive and easy to use. The thrill of accelerating from a standing start is something I guess I've outgrown, as I now prefer a smoother start rather than something that will put undue stress on the drivetrain. Once up to speed, I enjoy competent, responsive performance from the car, which I guess would be my definition of 'sporty'.

I'm expecting the Emira to be just the type of car I enjoy driving, but I can see how those who want visual and acceleration drama might be disappointed. When Lotus says "For the Drivers" I take it to mean just that, rather than "For Those Who Want to be Entertained". Nothing wrong with wanting to be entertained, but it's a different dynamic from 'don't distract me, I'm driving'. Watching the recent video of that guy taking the Emira through that rally course, entertainment would be distracting. His focus is 100% on the road ahead and getting the car to respond to his input. In one part of the video he goes on about how good the setup of the shift lever is in relation to the steering wheel; you won't have to worry about it not being exactly and quickly within reach. That's something a driver would be concerned about, rather than how loud the car is or how the interior looks. In that video he's not even looking at the interior. He's a seriously good driver too.

I guess it all comes down to expectations, perceptions and desires. The Emira isn't and isn't going to be for everybody. Probably won't be for most actually, but for those who like to drive and especially momentum driving, it should be a very fun car to drive.

So safe to say you’ll the Emira.
When do you get your demo ride to see you through to delivery

 

[Lotus64]

There are several valid reasons to be out (customer service, quality, dealer network, comms, etc.) But some of the narrative going around, like calling the Emira soft because it's not loud / won't kick out the rear end or calling it slow because it's not turbocharged / needs revs, are false mis-characterizations that won't make the alternatives shine any brighter or more sporting.

The Emira does have some GT attributes / levels of refinement; however the feedback through the chassis is pure sports car and its a disservice to say otherwise. Theatre is something different. My muscle car oozes theatre yet it couldn't be further from a sports car, as the feedback is missing.