Lotus Emira Track Experience

[Pegasi]

Although all the evidence out there at present on those types of short twisty circuits says otherwise?

What evidence are you talking about? Initial track times posted on certain circuits?

 

[Leonard]

What evidence are you talking about? Initial track times posted on certain circuits?

Yes there have been a couple tested now on short twisty circuits.
Not sure where to find the details now though..

 

[Porter]

Explain this a little more please

Alignment settings. The early cars were set up biased quite strongly towards understeer, a poor choice for ultimate feel and performance but likely a choice for safety (and protecting their pre-production test cars) in the hands of dozens of hamfisted journalists.

Revising geo to be a bit more neutral is a simple affair, and that's true on a great many cars. Alignment settings are a massive part of balance, handling, and feel.

 

[GetawayDriving]

Has anyone commented on hard cornering in the Emira? I suppose that isn't possible on a test drive but it seems to me that aspect of the car is missing from forum reviews.

Possibly because this is the test drive thread. There is also a track experience thread that might provide more color. I spent a day hooning it around Hethel and I reached my limit long before the car did. If I missed an apex, I'd over-correct and the car simply complied, letting me know it had much more to offer. I'm no Jim Clark, but I've had on-track instruction 5 or 6 times and have participated in double-digit track days. My on-track experience has been with 911 (991 GTS), A110, Elise, 2-series BMW, Miata (ND) and Model 3 Performance. Of those, it's the most confidence-inspiring car I've ever driven. More planted than Elise, more nimble than 911. On the skid pad, was heavily tuned to understeer but I presume that can be dialed out.

 

[GetawayDriving]

On my test drive, I tried to induce understeer in tighter bends that had been pointed out by journalists… I couldn’t feel any understeer at the speed I would drive on b roads

To add to this, I didn't feel any understeer on-track either. Only on the skid pad did I feel it. Even with a wet skid pad, it was actually quite difficult to induce oversteer. The car is ridiculously planted. When the rear did break out, the car naturally wants to reel itself back in.

 

[Lotustoronto]

To add to this, I didn't feel any understeer on-track either. Only on the skid pad did I feel it. Even with a wet skid pad, it was actually quite difficult to induce oversteer. The car is ridiculously planted. When the rear did break out, the car naturally wants to reel itself back in.

This ^ - I drove it a bit hard/with some speed on my short test drive.... did not feel any understeer, very planted. I did not see much fault in the handling characteristics. I thought they were excellent.