Lotus Emira Track Experience

[virtualmacho]

The green car was dirty by the time I video'd it, sorry.

Actually, great pictures to set realistic expectations. My car is going to have this Dirty Verdant look most of the time, and I don't mind. I think it helps tone down the otherwise exotic looks...

 

[emiraspain]

Thanks for your attention to detail and taking the trouble to write this up.

Did Lotus ask you to complete a questionnaire at the end of the day so that you could provide some feedback on the overall experience?

no they did not, they asked us to sing their praises on google maps and trip advisor etc..... but no, no obvious way to give feedback, although I have the boss's email though, from another source

 

[emiraspain]

Actually, great pictures to set realistic expectations. My car is going to have this Dirty Verdant look most of the time, and I don't mind. I think it helps tone down the otherwise exotic looks...

ahah.. yes. it was dirty from the skid pan...wet.....

 

[DerTheDer]

Thank you!

 

[emiraspain]

Is the KEF system LOUD? Can you hear it at 120KPH with the windows down?

I did not dare put it on with the car moving and instructor on board.
I am SURE you can hear it at 120 kph and windows down, but it was not OVERLY loud.... again, lets wait until we get a show room car, final spec and report back then.
Its an interesting subject as I said, it will probably be an expensive option and its worth knowing if its worth the money..

 

[Cachaco131]

Thanks a lot for the review. Importantly, how does it "feel"? Appreciate it's a subjective question but I care about the driving experience more than refinement. I've driven a GT4 extensively and, frankly, did not feel special. It's a Swiss Army knife, does it all perfectly, great track choice etc. But to me...it did not feel special. Neither suspension nor steering. I remember my Elise vividly for how it felt.

So, any comments much appreciated on the feel driving factor.

Y nuevamente gracias por la reseña. A ver si me pego un pase desde California a Hethel...

 

[Mistral]

Interesting that they're not using feedback to improve elements of the experience for future participants but at least you got a result with the email!

 

[Chris2409]

No, if you read last weeks, there was the guy who said it was over priced and the gear change in the two different cars was quite different and had a few other remarks....

Anyway, thats my take on it.... I'll send you a sick bag

That would have been me!

Thanks for the review ES - I think we agree with most if not all of your points!

 

[DenzilP]

very good write up, past a good hour this afternoon catching up, reading yours and others. Very interesting about the topic we don’t talk about. Might have to see if I can change my order to sports.

COLOURS
briefly as this is completely personal, but I did a few photos and videos with respect to this.
As before, there was the blue, yellow, nimbus grey, regular grey and green cars there, no magma red.
The green car was dirty by the time I video'd it, sorry.
My feelings, for what they are worth.... The green hides the lines of the car. You don't know its green 90% of the time in 90% of the light; it could be green, grey, black or any dark colour from even the slightest distance, but maybe you guys like the mystery.
Also 1 in 12 men are green colour blind, so this is something to bear in mind. I know people that have seen and love the colour, I am not one of them. I think the Emira's lines are its stand out feature and why dull them down... but each to their own.
The Nimbus looks good in photos and does not look bad in person, but I was not unhappy I didnt take someones advice to order it. I would not be unhappy with that colour, its very unusual and brave, but also its cool, a champagne colour for the ages and I don't think it will get old.
The yellow is yellow, a great colour, but not easy to sell and its not going to suit everyone, but yes looks good.
The blue for me is the standout colour, but yes perhaps a bit too shouty for some. Look at me I have a Lotus, but the thing is, I do (will/hope to) have a lotus and I dont mind people knowing it. It punches out and it was also the cleanest car there....maybe it repels the dirt and water more.. haha

The grey, regular grey looks very ordinary, but I think when its polished and with black wheels, it can also look good.
Ive not seen Magma red in person, but I dont care if people say "is that a ferrari", their problem, not one for me...
I took videos too, of colours, but too large.. i will try and remedy them latewriting

 

[emiraspain]

Thanks a lot for the review. Importantly, how does it "feel"? Appreciate it's a subjective question but I care about the driving experience more than refinement. I've driven a GT4 extensively and, frankly, did not feel special. It's a Swiss Army knife, does it all perfectly, great track choice etc. But to me...it did not feel special. Neither suspension nor steering. I remember my Elise vividly for how it felt.

So, any comments much appreciated on the feel driving factor.

Y nuevamente gracias por la reseña. A ver si me pego un pase desde California a Hethel...

Holaaa...
pues..... claro, todo es relativo y lo que es importante en el "feel" para uno, is maybe not so important for others.
In with allll the crap I wrote, I mentioned the Exige was a stunning car to drive, great power, great sound, great steering and it felt very fast, even if it wasnt as fast as a GT4, it felt it.
I have to say the feeling sick did take a bit of the "feel" away for me and to be honest, I would much prefer to have driven it without an instructor telling me what to do.
HOWEVER, the car does in MANY ways feel like a refined Exige and thats a compliment. It feels like your going faster than you are, where as I found my 718 felt it was going slower than it was. It was, and I am sure the GT4 is too, almost boring in its brilliance.

The Emira is not boring and is NOT perfect...
I wish I could tell you that you will enjoy it more than your GT4, but that depends on you, I think we are all looking for an amazing car at an amazing price and this is possibly not possible, but yes the car feels sporty, fast, and very stable!!.... Good noise, makes you feel alive, but again, I really want to drive it without anyone beside me to get comfortable with it, if you know what I mean.

 

[emiraspain]

very good write up, past a good hour this afternoon catching up, reading yours and others. Very interesting about the topic we don’t talk about. Might have to see if I can change my order to sports.

ohhh the Esprit in the "showroom" is fantastic..... If I could get one I could bank on, I think I'd never sell it, but I've said that about other cars and here I am.... with them sold.
Sports car, sports suspension..... I dont think any of us are going to get cronic back ache at the end of the day... worse case, you get a whoopy cushion or a memory foam thing under you, not too thick...

 

[emiraspain]

That would have been me!

Thanks for the review ES - I think we agree with most if not all of your points!

yes, I certainly agree with yours, but due to you not feeling sick and probably almost certanily being a faster driver you go to 120 mph or maybe more.. for that gear change, I didnt..... and as I said, 80mph felt really fast... but yes, I got past 80.. haha

 

[HeReigns]

Thank you for taking the time to describe your experience! Great info. I know you mentioned the engine sound was good. Was it a highlight for you from inside the cabin? I know it sounds pretty good from outside.

 

[TomE]

I’m entirely not surprised — from a spring selection point of view it makes sense too.

Edit: To expand — they’re likely using the exact same dampers just with a different more aggressive valving. Everything else will remain the same except for the springs which are only slightly stiffer than touring. With spring selection, they’re going with off the shelf springs and if you pick the same length spring, with a higher spring rate — then the sports would ride higher than the touring. So instead what they likely did was go with a spring that was shorter and stiffer than the touring springs.

Matching ride heights exactly by only changing spring rate is extremely unlikely for a car mfg picking off the shelf springs. No matter what anyone claims, the ride heights can’t be identical unless they have adjustable or different spring perches.

I’m going with sports legitimately being slightly lower than touring.

Very puzzling to read this about the ride heights. Several of us have been told by various different people at Lotus the ride height is identical for both setups. Gav Kershaw has said so on video (I think it's in the Smoking Tire podcast) and he and others from the ride & handling team confirmed it to me at Goodwood.

The Sports and Touring press cars at Goodwood were all the same height and they're the final iteration of pre-production before production.

We'll see it confirmed on production cars later this month, as most UK dealers will be getting one of each setup.

 

[Leonard]

I have to say the feeling sick did take a bit of the "feel" away for me and to be honest, I would much prefer to have driven it without an instructor telling me what to do.

Be a bit disappointing if the day at almost a 1000 pounds isn't centred around what you want to do.
I've done 5 Porsche days and only one instructor was a little controlling... #expolicepursuit
Rest of time they really let you push on and do your thing and would then give you really credible feedback at lunch #greatfood Before you putting it all into action after.
I'd even had enough one day completely caning it around the inner track (so much so we were forcing other drivers off the track! Thats how much they let you push) that I said can we just take this car off the circuit so I can experience it on the road. 2 sign outs of the venue later and off we went. Nice and chilled

 

[TomE]

I've never had an instructor at Hethel trying to get me to go slower, in fact always the opposite. For obvious reasons they have to stay in the car with you.

There are track days on the Hethel circuit where you can drive your own car solo.

 

[emiraspain]

Be a bit disappointing if the day at almost a 1000 pounds isn't centred around what you want to do.
I've done 5 Porsche days and only one instructor was a little controlling... #expolicepursuit
Rest of time they really let you push on and do your thing and would then give you really credible feedback at lunch #greatfood Before you putting it all into action after.
I'd even had enough one day completely caning it around the inner track (so much so we were forcing other drivers off the track! Thats how much they let you push) that I said can we just take this car off the circuit so I can experience it on the road. 2 sign outs of the venue later and off we went. Nice and chilled

maybe I explained myself wrong, of course I had the instructor with me and he would have done what ever I told him in the afternoon, although it was actually the go round the track time. All I was saying was, I wasnt feeling well and didnt really want anyone in the car at all, let alone someone trying to assist me to tell me what do do, he wasnt yelling or anything, just doing his job, but I would have preferred to be alone.... but again yes, I know thats not allowed.

 

[Leonard]

maybe I explained myself wrong, of course I had the instructor with me and he would have done what ever I told him in the afternoon, although it was actually the go round the track time. All I was saying was, I wasnt feeling well and didnt really want anyone in the car at all, let alone someone trying to assist me to tell me what do do, he wasnt yelling or anything, just doing his job, but I would have preferred to be alone.... but again yes, I know thats not allowed.

That's fair then. Can't really ask more from them to be honest.
Cheers for clearing up

 

[VL3X]

8. Wheel Gap - maybe you all know this, BUT I did not. Touring models have a much bigger wheel gap, about 2 to 3 fingers more than Sports. This is the way the car is designed and yes I am sure all things can be altered, but thats up to you. I am not even going down the road of that discussion, but just wanted to add that.

This needs to be confirmed right away! We've been told numerous times the ride heights are the exact same.

Who else is going to the driving experience at Hethel and can confirm back this week?

 

[VL3X]

I was concerned about this as soon as I saw the frameless windows. I've seen designs like this work, but most eventually end up tearing at the weatherstripping above the sideview mirror due to the window being put up while the door is open or just from wear and tear over time. I forget which vehicle I had that did this, but one got really bad and caused excessive wind noise on the road.