Last of the V6s - 2024 Emira 430 Cup

[nosirrahx]

In your opinion do you see a lot of potential for tuners with a 100K USD car? I thought the tuners cars were less expensive like STI, BRZ, etc.

I'm in a pretty huge car community and everyone from the BRZ owners to the owners of 300K+ cars modifies their cars. Both of my 100K+ cars are modified and so is my Evora 400.

 

[VL3X]

I'm in a pretty huge car community and everyone from the BRZ owners to the owners of 300K+ cars modifies their cars. Both of my 100K+ cars are modified and so is my Evora 400.

Yep.. depends on the aftermarket offerings for the exotic. Wheels and exhaust upgrades are common, but I've seen plenty of twin turbo kits on Lambos and R8s too! It's a different game pricewise for sure. Most "tuner" cars are $500-1k for an exhaust and maybe 3-5k for a big turbo upgrade and tune. With the exotics, an exhaust alone can be $5-10k and turbo kits $20-50k!

Lotus offers are pretty slim, but priced somewhat reasonably. Except for the 2GR tunes... the HP per dollar is just ridiculous there.

 

[switchlanez]

I guess there's a disconnect in what "tuner" means. Its original connotation was with entry level cars of the 90s and 2000s. And that continues with today's entry level cars. But I've come to realize a more modern interpretation where those 90s and 2000s kids aren't driving Civics anymore. They're still modding whatever non-entry level sports car they drive now.

I believe we have one of the original pioneers [and celebrity] of that tuner era active in the Emira forums but he didn't acknowledge it when I asked. He was cross shopping Emira against some top tier 911.

 

[VL3X]

I guess there's a disconnect in what "tuner" means. Its original connotation was with entry level cars of the 90s and 2000s. And that continues with today's entry level cars. But I've come to realize a more modern perception where those 90s and 2000s kids aren't driving Civics anymore. They're still modding whatever non-entry level sports car they drive now.

Exactly.

 

[Leonard]

The Emira isn't really an expensive car nowadays. And is so underpowered for its looks, folk will be more than willing to spend a few bob modifying it. Being turbo charged will make it 'easy' as well. There will be 500bhp i4 Emiras within 6 months of launch.

 

[nosirrahx]

The Emira isn't really an expensive car nowadays. And is so underpowered for its looks, folk will be more than willing to spend a few bob modifying it. Being turbo charged will make it 'easy' as well. There will be 500bhp i4 Emiras within 6 months of launch.

The Evora is pretty awesome at 460HP so yep, I can see that as long as there isn't a super expensive gimp somewhere in the system. I'm also getting a manual Supra and I wont even be driving it stock.

 

[dgrace]

I'd love to hear the story about why Lotus doesn't show up in the Gran Turismo series any more. I can't think of many better ways to reach the young enthusiast audience they want to cultivate.

 

[Pav]

I'm at 'Tunerfest' this weekend. My 17 year old son lives for this stuff. I'm too old but it's cool to see the enthusiasm and I get the sheer fun of it a bit. I keep telling him our GR Yaris has more than enough power and the Emira at 400bhp and a shortish shift will pretty much be the perfect road car. He's not really interested unless it has over 600 (and preferably a MASSIVE turbo!) He's very excited about the Liberty Walk car appearing at Festival of Speed.

 

[VL3X]

The Emira isn't really an expensive car nowadays. And is so underpowered for its looks, folk will be more than willing to spend a few bob modifying it. Being turbo charged will make it 'easy' as well. There will be 500bhp i4 Emiras within 6 months of launch.

I'd honestly go for the i4 turbo and go crazy modding it, but I want manual transmission and that supercharged V6 just sounds so good. I have my tuner car to tinker with and beat up on the track, so I'm going to do my best to keep my FE [mostly] stock. If there was a simple pulley and tune upgrade that would safely get the V6 Emira to 475-500, I'd be all over it. Unfortunately the transmission is the weak point, which means I'd then be building a trans. Next thing I know, the mod addict tendencies will get the best of me and I've just spent $20k voiding the warranty on a $100k first model year car with shit dealer network (US) and spotty reputation.

 

[dgrace]

My guess is that the trick will be cooling the engine as you push the boost higher.

 

[Leonard]

My guess is that the trick will be cooling the engine as you push the boost higher.

Definitely, but tuners will work around it easy enough I'm sure

 

[TomE]

Lotus have spent 2 years engineering the thermal management for the i4. It's been one of the key challenges of using the AMG engine in a mid-engine RWD format. The turbo is already running at high boost.

Several tuners, including Litchfield, are going to take on the challenge but it's going to need some R&D.

 

[virtualmacho]

I think many who go this route will happily give up storage space and repurpose the trunk / boot for cooling equipment. Probably the glass hatch too.

 

[VL3X]

I think many who go this route will happily give up storage space and repurpose the trunk / boot for cooling equipment. Probably the glass hatch too.

I remember shopping first gen Caymans and there was a company who offered turbo kits with a bug front mount intercooler set up where the charge pipes would run the length of the car to the turbo in the rear. I'll see if I can find it...

 

[dgrace]

I'm imagining this big anvil thing stuck on the rear hatch. Cmon photoshop wizards make it happen!

 

[switchlanez]

I'd love to hear the story about why Lotus doesn't show up in the Gran Turismo series any more. I can't think of many better ways to reach the young enthusiast audience they want to cultivate.

With other marques, it's historically been about licensing issues. With Ferrari I think they were just protecting brand exclusivity in general. You may have heard stories of Ferrari suing owners who pose next to their cars in ways that are "un-Ferrari" or ill-aligned with brand culture. Porsches were missing early on as well, I believe due to exclusive licensing rights (maybe with EA).

Which suggests the issue with Lotus is likely Geely hasn't approved licensing for whatever reason. My dark speculation is there's a possibility older folk in the high ranks running Geely are still sour about historic crimes against humanity the Japanese performed on the Chinese (arguably worse than the Holocaust, just unspoken). So there's that possible cultural history factor.

 

[MCS]

My guess is that the trick will be cooling the engine as you push the boost higher.

Time for a roof scoop

 

[Leonard]

Time for a roof scoop

Oooof
Quite exciting to think what may be brought out. Wouldn't be too hard for some of the better/bigger tuners to do parts like these. Evolve do a lot of carbon work and with the Emira being monocoque it would certainly be slightly easier to do a full carbon roof and tailgate. With integrated scoop

 

[MickOpalak]

I don't think the Emira will draw in many "tuners". The Lotus crowd has traditionally been about mountain driving, autocrossing, HPDEs, etc. To me the tuner crowd is always about big wheels, big turbos, big subwoofers, slammed suspensions, underbody neon, over the top body kits, and sitting around at car shows. That's simply just not the Lotus drivers I know. Sure, there are a couple out there, but the vast majority of owners aren't like that.

 

[Leonard]

I don't think the Emira will draw in many "tuners". The Lotus crowd has traditionally been about mountain driving, autocrossing, HPDEs, etc. To me the tuner crowd is always about big wheels, big turbos, big subwoofers, slammed suspensions, underbody neon, over the top body kits, etc. That's simply just not the Lotus drivers I know. Sure, there are a couple out there, but the vast majority of owners aren't like that.

We have loads of tuners in the UK now that cater for the more grown up market.
All really nice expensive stuff.....
Be a lot of uptake I'm sure if they offer a 410bhp and 7200 redline software package for the V6 at 1500 squid.
Or a 425bhp map, exhaust and intercooler option for the i4 at £5k