Lotus Driving Experience Cancelled

[emiraspain]

The Taste of Lotus on the 23rd July was a well organised event at the Lotus driving academy, for many of us present it was the first opportunity to see some of the colours and certainly to experience driving Emira.

The academy currently has five cars on their fleet, one of each colour apart from Magma red. On Saturday only four were present, the grey car was away on GT safety car duties. The four cars in use were an equal mix of touring (yellow and nimbus) and sports suspension (dv and blue) with Goodyear tyres on the touring and Michelin Cup2 on the sporting, there was also a mix of leather and alcantara trim for comparison.

My first drive was in the yellow touring, settling into the comfortable leather seats, a good driving position was easy to obtain, even for someone of short stature (5'7") starting via the button on the centre console summons the beautiful purr of the V6, the clutch did not seem heavy at all, engaging first gear with a positive action, the parking brake releases automatically as we set off and we head onto the circuit.

It was immediately apparent that the touring suspension was compliant, it coped well with the uneven surface before we joined the track, no squeaks or rattles although wearing a crash helmet may have masked noise somewhat, once on the smooth surface of the circuit, building speed, the car came to life, agile, precise and composed despite my clumsy attempts to unsettle the suspension, the engine thrives on being exercised, the V6 purr turns to a howl as we accelerate into three figures, gear changes are precise and mechanical, the steering feedback and braking are superb and predictable, turn in is delightful and grip is fantastic even on the Goodyears.

Before long we are called in, trying to decipher the experience and is difficult with such a short session but the overall feeling is of satisfaction that the decision to purchase Emira is a good one and that touring would be a comfortable choice for a GT type car.

My second experience was in the dark verdant sporting suspension car with alcantara seat and steering wheel, not something I would specify although the extra grip from the material is obvious.

My guide Jack encouraged me to push the car further, again the time passed far too quickly, my efforts to "feel the car," to react to the instructions to balance the car and drive the circuit were dismal, we did explore the acceleration and extra grip of the Cup2 tyres, braking and cornering were both sublime, Jack tried hard to coax me into employing better track craft, but this 62 year old might be a little slower learning than his usual customers, he decided an extra lap was in order so one last banshee wail saw us heading towards 130mph before easing back to the academy, ecstatic with the experience and the car.

The Taste of Lotus is a great introduction to Emira, I would recommend it to all prospective buyers, it allows an opportunity to see, hear and drive the car, the engine sounds great but is not overly loud, a refined but purposeful sound which when allowed to rev out is a beautiful six cylinder wail which is addictive. View attachment 7673

how much do we owe you? for your very professional review. Thank you... any idea why there was no magma red? There did seem to be one there before.... just my luck hah.
Would you describe the gear change as a bit notchy? That would be my guess at least... fine, but notchy no?

 

[Tailslides]

how much do we owe you? for your very professional review. Thank you... any idea why there was no magma red? There did seem to be one there before.... just my luck hah.
Would you describe the gear change as a bit notchy? That would be my guess at least... fine, but notchy no?

Thank you. Your description would be correct, it is notchy compared to my other cars, but precise, it may become less notchy with use although I didn't find the experience compromised by the action, not once did I miss a shift.

Stewart explained that he could specify five cars for the academy, Magma red was the one that was omitted, I would say it was an oversight not to have six cars featuring all FE colours. He kindly took me to see the car in the images as red is the colour I have specified.

 

[Leonard]

The Taste of Lotus on the 23rd July was a well organised event at the Lotus driving academy, for many of us present it was the first opportunity to see some of the colours and certainly to experience driving Emira.

The academy currently has five cars on their fleet, one of each colour apart from Magma red. On Saturday only four were present, the grey car was away on GT safety car duties. The four cars in use were an equal mix of touring (yellow and nimbus) and sports suspension (dv and blue) with Goodyear tyres on the touring and Michelin Cup2 on the sporting, there was also a mix of leather and alcantara trim for comparison.

My first drive was in the yellow touring, settling into the comfortable leather seats, a good driving position was easy to obtain, even for someone of short stature (5'7") starting via the button on the centre console summons the beautiful purr of the V6, the clutch did not seem heavy at all, engaging first gear with a positive action, the parking brake releases automatically as we set off and we head onto the circuit.

It was immediately apparent that the touring suspension was compliant, it coped well with the uneven surface before we joined the track, no squeaks or rattles although wearing a crash helmet may have masked noise somewhat, once on the smooth surface of the circuit, building speed, the car came to life, agile, precise and composed despite my clumsy attempts to unsettle the suspension, the engine thrives on being exercised, the V6 purr turns to a howl as we accelerate into three figures, gear changes are precise and mechanical, the steering feedback and braking are superb and predictable, turn in is delightful and grip is fantastic even on the Goodyears.

Before long we are called in, trying to decipher the experience and is difficult with such a short session but the overall feeling is of satisfaction that the decision to purchase Emira is a good one and that touring would be a comfortable choice for a GT type car.

My second experience was in the dark verdant sporting suspension car with alcantara seat and steering wheel, not something I would specify although the extra grip from the material is obvious.

My guide Jack encouraged me to push the car further, again the time passed far too quickly, my efforts to "feel the car," to react to the instructions to balance the car and drive the circuit were dismal, we did explore the acceleration and extra grip of the Cup2 tyres, braking and cornering were both sublime, Jack tried hard to coax me into employing better track craft, but this 62 year old might be a little slower learning than his usual customers, he decided an extra lap was in order so one last banshee wail saw us heading towards 130mph before easing back to the academy, ecstatic with the experience and the car.

The Taste of Lotus is a great introduction to Emira, I would recommend it to all prospective buyers, it allows an opportunity to see, hear and drive the car, the engine sounds great but is not overly loud, a refined but purposeful sound which when allowed to rev out is a beautiful six cylinder wail and is addictive. View attachment 7673

Did you try the stereo?

 

[Tailslides]

Did you try the stereo?

I was overloaded as it was, I would have been in the gravel with plenty of time to reflect...

 

[emiraspain]

Thank you. Your description would be correct, it is notchy compared to my other cars, but precise, it may become less notchy with use although I didn't find the experience compromised by the action, not once did I miss a shift.

Stewart explained that he could specify five cars for the academy, Magma red was the one that was omitted, I would say it was an oversight not to have six cars featuring all FE colours. He kindly took me to see the car in the images as red is the colour I have specified.

So just like all other lotus's from the last few years then. I guess if you were very very precise and picky you could say you perhaps loose a few split seconds per change due to it being. "notchy", compared to other cars, but well, its all snakes and ladders.
Yes it would make sense to have all the FE colours and I've a red one so I'd like to see it also, outside.
I also want them to do a 0.60 test .....
Any negatives at all?

 

[Leonard]

I was overloaded as it was, I would have been in the gravel with plenty of time to reflect...

If you had put on some Rage Against the Machine you would have been up there with Gav

 

[First Lotus]

The Taste of Lotus on the 23rd July was a well organised event at the Lotus driving academy, for many of us present it was the first opportunity to see some of the colours and certainly to experience driving Emira.

The academy currently has five cars on their fleet, one of each colour apart from Magma red. On Saturday only four were present, the grey car was away on GT safety car duties. The four cars in use were an equal mix of touring (yellow and nimbus) and sports suspension (dv and blue) with Goodyear tyres on the touring and Michelin Cup2 on the sporting, there was also a mix of leather and alcantara trim for comparison.

My first drive was in the yellow touring, settling into the comfortable leather seats, a good driving position was easy to obtain, even for someone of short stature (5'7") starting via the button on the centre console summons the beautiful purr of the V6, the clutch did not seem heavy at all, engaging first gear with a positive action, the parking brake releases automatically as we set off and we head onto the circuit.

It was immediately apparent that the touring suspension was compliant, it coped well with the uneven surface before we joined the track, no squeaks or rattles although wearing a crash helmet may have masked noise somewhat, once on the smooth surface of the circuit, building speed, the car came to life, agile, precise and composed despite my clumsy attempts to unsettle the suspension, the engine thrives on being exercised, the V6 purr turns to a howl as we accelerate into three figures, gear changes are precise and mechanical, the steering feedback and braking are superb and predictable, turn in is delightful and grip is fantastic even on the Goodyears.

Before long we are called in, trying to decipher the experience and is difficult with such a short session but the overall feeling is of satisfaction that the decision to purchase Emira is a good one and that touring would be a comfortable choice for a GT type car.

My second experience was in the dark verdant sporting suspension car with alcantara seat and steering wheel, not something I would specify although the extra grip from the material is obvious.

My guide Jack encouraged me to push the car further, again the time passed far too quickly, my efforts to "feel the car," to react to the instructions to balance the car and drive the circuit were dismal, we did explore the acceleration and extra grip of the Cup2 tyres, braking and cornering were both sublime, Jack tried hard to coax me into employing better track craft, but this 62 year old might be a little slower learning than his usual customers, he decided an extra lap was in order so one last banshee wail saw us heading towards 130mph before easing back to the academy, ecstatic with the experience and the car.

The Taste of Lotus is a great introduction to Emira, I would recommend it to all prospective buyers, it allows an opportunity to see, hear and drive the car, the engine sounds great but is not overly loud, a refined but purposeful sound which when allowed to rev out is a beautiful six cylinder wail and is addictive. View attachment 7673

Thanks for the review. One thing is for certain... I want black wheels on my Nimbus! Damn... That's the only thing I got wrong on my first spec!

 

[Tailslides]

So just like all other lotus's from the last few years then. I guess if you were very very precise and picky you could say you perhaps loose a few split seconds per change due to it being. "notchy", compared to other cars, but well, its all snakes and ladders.
Yes it would make sense to have all the FE colours and I've a red one so I'd like to see it also, outside.
I also want them to do a 0.60 test .....
Any negatives at all?

Being new to Lotus, I can only compare the shift to other cars I have driven, "notchy" is not bad, the shift is precise and functional.

No negatives about Emira really, I suppose the £180 to drive Emira and the short duration of the drive. I knew full well the cost when I signed up for the Taste of Lotus and thought the expense was justifiable for the opportunity to try before I buy. It's a small sum compared to the £80k I will be investing and peace of mind specifying my vehicle options is paramount.

It would be great to have a longer trial, something like twenty four or forty eight hour loan, we know the issues vehicle manufacturers are facing and this is unlikely to ever be a possibility for Emira, this was the best option for now.

 

[Leonard]

Being new to Lotus, I can only compare the shift to other cars I have driven, "notchy" is not bad, the shift is precise and functional.

No negatives about Emira really, I suppose the £180 to drive Emira and the short duration of the drive. I knew full well the cost when I signed up for the Taste of Lotus and thought the expense was justifiable for the opportunity to try before I buy. It's a small sum compared to the £80k I will be investing and peace of mind specifying my vehicle options is paramount.

It would be great to have a longer trial, something like twenty four or forty eight hour loan, we know the issues vehicle manufacturers are facing and this is unlikely to ever be a possibility for Emira, this was the best option for now.

Where did 180 pounds come from? Was sure it was 600 last time we looked???

 

[_w_]

Where did 180 pounds come from? Was sure it was 600 last time we looked???

£180 is the taste of lotus cost, ‘half day’ session including 20 mins driving time. IIRC the full day is about £700 and includes historic visit

 

[PhilCP]

The Taste of Lotus on the 23rd July was a well organised event at the Lotus driving academy, for many of us present it was the first opportunity to see some of the colours and certainly to experience driving Emira.

The academy currently has five cars on their fleet, one of each colour apart from Magma red. On Saturday only four were present, the grey car was away on GT safety car duties. The four cars in use were an equal mix of touring (yellow and nimbus) and sports suspension (dv and blue) with Goodyear tyres on the touring and Michelin Cup2 on the sporting, there was also a mix of leather and alcantara trim for comparison.

My first drive was in the yellow touring, settling into the comfortable leather seats, a good driving position was easy to obtain, even for someone of short stature (5'7") starting via the button on the centre console summons the beautiful purr of the V6, the clutch did not seem heavy at all, engaging first gear with a positive action, the parking brake releases automatically as we set off and we head onto the circuit.

It was immediately apparent that the touring suspension was compliant, it coped well with the uneven surface before we joined the track, no squeaks or rattles although wearing a crash helmet may have masked noise somewhat, once on the smooth surface of the circuit, building speed, the car came to life, agile, precise and composed despite my clumsy attempts to unsettle the suspension, the engine thrives on being exercised, the V6 purr turns to a howl as we accelerate into three figures, gear changes are precise and mechanical, the steering feedback and braking are superb and predictable, turn in is delightful and grip is fantastic even on the Goodyears.

Before long we are called in, trying to decipher the experience and is difficult with such a short session but the overall feeling is of satisfaction that the decision to purchase Emira is a good one and that touring would be a comfortable choice for a GT type car.

My second experience was in the dark verdant sporting suspension car with alcantara seat and steering wheel, not something I would specify although the extra grip from the material is obvious.

My guide Jack encouraged me to push the car further, again the time passed far too quickly, my efforts to "feel the car," to react to the instructions to balance the car and drive the circuit were dismal, we did explore the acceleration and extra grip of the Cup2 tyres, braking and cornering were both sublime, Jack tried hard to coax me into employing better track craft, but this 62 year old might be a little slower learning than his usual customers, he decided an extra lap was in order so one last banshee wail saw us heading towards 130mph before easing back to the academy, ecstatic with the experience and the car.

The Taste of Lotus is a great introduction to Emira, I would recommend it to all prospective buyers, it allows an opportunity to see, hear and drive the car, the engine sounds great but is not overly loud, a refined but purposeful sound which when allowed to rev out is a beautiful six cylinder wail and is addictive. View attachment 7673

Did the Sports setup feel much different to Touring?
How did it handle the uneven surface?

 

[Tailslides]

Where did 180 pounds come from? Was sure it was 600 last time we looked???

It should have been £180 for twenty minutes, by a stroke of good fortune we were allowed almost double the time on track and the opportunity to drive both suspension set-ups

 

[Tailslides]

Did the Sports setup feel much different to Touring?
How did it handle the uneven surface?

Sports suspension definitely feels a little more firm, in reality there was only hundred yards of less than smooth surface to gauge how different.

They both handled very nicely, it did seem that the sports setup has less noticeable body movement. The difference was subtle and at less than full chat, it really didn't make a huge difference, dive under "full on" braking was minimal on the Sports suspension but I didn't push the touring as hard so I couldn't make a comparison.

 

[Chris2409]

Sports suspension definitely feels a little more firm, in reality there was only hundred yards of less than smooth surface to gauge how different.

They both handled very nicely, it did seem that the sports setup has less noticeable body movement. The difference was subtle and at less than full chat, it really didn't make a huge difference, dive under "full on" braking was minimal on the Sports suspension but I didn't push the touring as hard so I couldn't make a comparison.

How did you find the pedal placement? Any issues with the brake pedal dead travel that a couple of the journo reviews mentioned?

 

[Tailslides]

How did you find the pedal placement? Any issues with the brake pedal dead travel that a couple of the journo reviews mentioned?

Pedal placement was perfect for me.

Brakes are powerful and require less of a push than our 981, I didn't notice any dead travel on either car, in fact I started off being too heavy on the brakes when trying to finesse from parking to going onto the circuit, they certainly have bite and when pressing on, they inspire confidence.