📓 Journals New member with actual Emira

[Billyidoliser]

Not much to say about brakes, oher than they are excellent. Initial bite is strong, but not grabby and there is plenty of adjustability in braking power, so its possible to balance on limit so that ABS will not activate . Brakes are sure enough for occasional track use.

My car has touring spec suspension and GTS has also softer version from 2 which can be specified. Overall stiffness is comparable and Emira's setup feels also much like Exige V6. Main difference is that GTS has electronically adjustable dampers, while Emira has passive setup. GTS suspension works better on low speed, while Emira is bit struggling. From 80 kmh up there is not much difference and Emira feels planted with no bodyroll in the corners. Maybe on track with sticky tyres it would benefit from stiffer suspension, but on public road I never felt that its too soft and roadholding was good on uneven surfaces. Even at speeds over 150 kmh it coped well with occasional road undulations. I don't have comparison with sport setup, so difficult to give definitive verdict. Whats sure, is that passive setup has limitations compared to adjustable damping.

Last about Emiras strongest and weakest points compared to GTS. Where its weakest, is engine. 4,0 feels like masterpiece and sounds like it as well. Mostly due to acoustical engineering which brings intake sound into cabin via tube between seats. Like it has carbon airbox. Have owned E30 M3 with such setup and its very much same. GTS revs 1000 rpm higher and is naturally aspirated, so there is immideate pedal response and strong relation between revs and power, the higher you go the better and better it gets. Due to long gearing its very difficult to take it to redline higher than in 2 gear, but even at 2/3 revs its like symphony.

Emiras engine is very similar to Exige V6, pedal response in sport mode is good and it pulls strong from low revs. Just when revs go higher not much is changing, its very linear and therefore not that exciting. Rev limiter is low, but its even not worth to go all out, rather take next gear and ride on torque. It does its work, but no theatre and no drama. You hear little supercharger noise and in sport mode exhaust sounds nice. Not loud, but you can hear that V6 clearly. Default should be sport, because on tour throttle response is lazy and exhaust is quiet. Sport sharpens things up. What I didn't like much about sport is that Lotus has programmed bangs and pops while letting of throttle. Sounds good at first, but it gets old quickly in normal city driving from one traffic light to another and becomes silly. I preferred tour in stop and go traffic. On highway like said before, sport was my preference in order to stop hearing supercharger whine. It felt that after 800 km engine was getting more responsive and with more power. Difficult to say if claims about 400 hp are correct ? GTS feels definetly stronger, but it maybe due to fact that Emira has linear power delivery. For me engine was not suprise, as I have owned Exige for 9 years and knew well what to expect ?

Where Emira is strongest, is its steering. Again feels much like Exige, but with added comfort of power steering. Its very informative, you can feel exactly whats happening under front wheels, turn in is sharp and precice. GTS steering is heavier, but there is not much communication between road and your hands. Makes driving Emira such an occasion, like you have road directly unders your palms. Ultimately GTS has more front grip, but Emira is better by mile unless you are doing trackday and chase laptime.

Few words about the route I took and overall verdict. From Mendig I went down to Freiburg, about 500 km trip. Revisited road #500 from Baden-Baden to south based on good memories from 15 years back. Dissapointingly, its now with 50 kmh speed limit, like in so many cases with good driving roads. Most towns there have now 30 kmh limit and lots of cameras, so I dont think I will return to Schwartswald for driving.

Next day started from SW corner of Germany and after another 500 km finished in SE corner, in Brechtesgaden. Most of the way I followed route called: https://www.deutsche-alpenstrasse.de/en/alpine-road This I can reccommend, lots of nice curvy stretches and good quality roads passing through alpine villages.

View attachment 10099

Didn't stop for pictures, there wasnt that many suitable places. Here is just one with world famous Neuschwanstein castle in background.

View attachment 10100

Last leg of the trip was autobahn back to Mendig. In the end trip computer showed following:

View attachment 10101

As summary, I have made lots of comparison with Porsche, some of it not favourable to Emira. It does not mean that I would prefer one over another - they are cars with different backgrounds and philosphy. Porsche manufactures 60 000 sport cars every year, has dominated racetracks for 50+ years up to present and has might of VAG group behind it. Lotus probably struggles to push even 1000 out of its gates this year. Rationally P car wins, but emotionally I would say Emira offers more. And I bought Emira based on emotion. It looks like supermodel, has exotic construction, but is actually analog and kind of oldschool. Its flaws are not that significant and I'm driving something very rare, almoust hand made by tiny company with lots of heritage.

Thanks for reading.

Great read, thank you, I know its early days.....but, fuel consumption...obviously new engine and running in, but curious!?

 

[digilotus]

Great read, thank you, I know its early days.....but, fuel consumption...obviously new engine and running in, but curious!?

There's a photo of the fuel consumption here:

10.1 l/100km - avg speed 83 km/h

📓 Journals - New member with actual Emira

Thanks for the write up. Comparison with the GTS particularly interesting. I look forward to your next installment.

www.emiraforum.com

 

[Billyidoliser]

There's a photo of the fuel consumption here:

10.1 l/100km - avg speed 83 km/h

📓 Journals - New member with actual Emira

Thanks for the write up. Comparison with the GTS particularly interesting. I look forward to your next installment.

www.emiraforum.com

28 to the Gallon, that's pretty good!

 

[Leonard]

28 to the Gallon, that's pretty good!

Glad someone else worked that out

 

[ott]

That car cover looks great!

Did you end up buying it through the dealer or was it bundled?

Asked if I can buy it, but they had just one. Was nice, thick and soft.

 

[ott]

Glad someone else worked that out

Driving on autobahn. Its good on fuel, did 150+ kmh on unrestricted parts of road, but lots of roadworks and 130 limits took avg speed down.

 

[Citizen]

View attachment 10143
Driving on autobahn. Its good on fuel, did 150+ kmh on unrestricted parts of road, but lots of roadworks and 130 limits took avg down.

How many liters full tank ?

 

[ott]

How many liters full tank ?

Dealer said 54, don't know if true ? With full tank indicated range was 530-560 km.

 

[CoryC]

Great, honest and useful review! I think I agree with all of it

Not much to say about brakes, oher than they are excellent. Initial bite is strong, but not grabby and there is plenty of adjustability in braking power, so its possible to balance on limit so that ABS will not activate . Brakes are sure enough for occasional track use.

My car has touring spec suspension and GTS has also softer version from 2 which can be specified. Overall stiffness is comparable and Emira's setup feels also much like Exige V6. Main difference is that GTS has electronically adjustable dampers, while Emira has passive setup. GTS suspension works better on low speed, while Emira is bit struggling. From 80 kmh up there is not much difference and Emira feels planted with no bodyroll in the corners. Maybe on track with sticky tyres it would benefit from stiffer suspension, but on public road I never felt that its too soft and roadholding was good on uneven surfaces. Even at speeds over 150 kmh it coped well with occasional road undulations. I don't have comparison with sport setup, so difficult to give definitive verdict. Whats sure, is that passive setup has limitations compared to adjustable damping.

Last about Emiras strongest and weakest points compared to GTS. Where its weakest, is engine. 4,0 feels like masterpiece and sounds like it as well. Mostly due to acoustical engineering which brings intake sound into cabin via tube between seats. Like it has carbon airbox. Have owned E30 M3 with such setup and its very much same. GTS revs 1000 rpm higher and is naturally aspirated, so there is immideate pedal response and strong relation between revs and power, the higher you go the better and better it gets. Due to long gearing its very difficult to take it to redline higher than in 2 gear, but even at 2/3 revs its like symphony.

Emiras engine is very similar to Exige V6, pedal response in sport mode is good and it pulls strong from low revs. Just when revs go higher not much is changing, its very linear and therefore not that exciting. Rev limiter is low, but its even not worth to go all out, rather take next gear and ride on torque. It does its work, but no theatre and no drama. You hear little supercharger noise and in sport mode exhaust sounds nice. Not loud, but you can hear that V6 clearly. Default should be sport, because on tour throttle response is lazy and exhaust is quiet. Sport sharpens things up. What I didn't like much about sport is that Lotus has programmed bangs and pops while letting of throttle. Sounds good at first, but it gets old quickly in normal city driving from one traffic light to another and becomes silly. I preferred tour in stop and go traffic. On highway like said before, sport was my preference in order to stop hearing supercharger whine. It felt that after 800 km engine was getting more responsive and with more power. Difficult to say if claims about 400 hp are correct ? GTS feels definetly stronger, but it maybe due to fact that Emira has linear power delivery. For me engine was not suprise, as I have owned Exige for 9 years and knew well what to expect ?

Where Emira is strongest, is its steering. Again feels much like Exige, but with added comfort of power steering. Its very informative, you can feel exactly whats happening under front wheels, turn in is sharp and precice. GTS steering is heavier, but there is not much communication between road and your hands. Makes driving Emira such an occasion, like you have road directly unders your palms. Ultimately GTS has more front grip, but Emira is better by mile unless you are doing trackday and chase laptime.

Few words about the route I took and overall verdict. From Mendig I went down to Freiburg, about 500 km trip. Revisited road #500 from Baden-Baden to south based on good memories from 15 years back. Dissapointingly, its now with 50 kmh speed limit, like in so many cases with good driving roads. Most towns there have now 30 kmh limit and lots of cameras, so I dont think I will return to Schwartswald for driving.

Next day started from SW corner of Germany and after another 500 km finished in SE corner, in Brechtesgaden. Most of the way I followed route called: https://www.deutsche-alpenstrasse.de/en/alpine-road This I can reccommend, lots of nice curvy stretches and good quality roads passing through alpine villages.

View attachment 10099

Didn't stop for pictures, there wasnt that many suitable places. Here is just one with world famous Neuschwanstein castle in background.

View attachment 10100

Last leg of the trip was autobahn back to Mendig. In the end trip computer showed following:

View attachment 10101

As summary, I have made lots of comparison with Porsche, some of it not favourable to Emira. It does not mean that I would prefer one over another - they are cars with different backgrounds and philosphy. Porsche manufactures 60 000 sport cars every year, has dominated racetracks for 50+ years up to present and has might of VAG group behind it. Lotus probably struggles to push even 1000 out of its gates this year. Rationally P car wins, but emotionally I would say Emira offers more. And I bought Emira based on emotion. It looks like supermodel, has exotic construction, but is actually analog and kind of oldschool. Its flaws are not that significant and I'm driving something very rare, almoust hand made by tiny company with lots of heritage.

Thanks for reading.

Truly appreciate you taking the time to share. Great write-up, Ott... thank you.

 

[MaybeNeedEmira]

Ok .. I had to check on the "which gallons" question that's coming.

10.5 l/100km = 26.9 miles / UK gallon and 22.4 miles / US gallon.

Now - what's the wheel gap in cubits?

 

[Watstone]

You might want to change your profile picture before waving that last statement around

Chringe cringe cringe. The profile picture is there, so anybody interested or open minded enough to ask me how I found my 718 ownership was and to use one adjective, that would be SHITE.
Go away and have a rub off to a Porsche.

 

[Mistral]

Chringe cringe cringe. The profile picture is there, so anybody interested or open minded enough to ask me how I found my 718 ownership was and to use one adjective, that would be SHITE.
Go away and have a rub off to a Porsche.

OK. I'll bite because I'm interested in your thoughts about the GT4. Overall, I liked the GTS which I drove but not enough to buy it. It wasn't an event for me. How did you find the GT4 and Porsche ownership in general?

 

[Leonard]

OK. I'll bite because I'm interested in your thoughts about the GT4. Overall, I liked the GTS which I drove but not enough to buy it. It wasn't an event for me. How did you find the GT4 and Porsche ownership in general?

Same I will bite (and its not a GT4)
So how did your heavily modified 4 cylinder let you down so badly?
Taking into account the questionable rear wing, tints, grills, repeaters, wheels and of course no 500 pound remap and associatedengine issues?
I feel I can say that with no remourse as you have already quoted that
"stop criticizing people who prefer the Bespoke, Beautiful and Prestigious Lotus Emira"
Not planning any mods then?

 

[eriegz]

Chringe cringe cringe. The profile picture is there, so anybody interested or open minded enough to ask me how I found my 718 ownership was and to use one adjective, that would be SHITE.
Go away and have a rub off to a Porsche.

I didn't realize that the profile pic box on websites was intended as a place for "things that I hate, so that people can ask me why I hate them".

 

[Mistral]

Same I will bite (and its not a GT4)
So how did you heavily modified 4 cylinder let you down so badly?
Taking into account the questionable rear wing, tints, grills, repeaters, wheels and of course no 500 pound remap and associatedengine issues?
I feel I can say that with no remourse as you have already quoted that
"stop criticizing people who prefer the Bespoke, Beautiful and Prestigious Lotus Emira"
Not planning any mods then?

My error. I only saw the spoiler

 

[Leonard]

My error. I only saw the spoiler

I'm sure that was the only mod

 

[Lots_Of_Trouble]

Chringe cringe cringe. The profile picture is there, so anybody interested or open minded enough to ask me how I found my 718 ownership was and to use one adjective, that would be SHITE.
Go away and have a rub off to a Porsche.

Your boyfriend already finished me off, flower .

we got a bite over here

 

[1stczechemira]

Dealer said 54, don't know if true ? With full tank indicated range was 530-560 km.

I could tank 51 litres, the range before was 120 kms. The tank must be at least 63 - 64 litres... with full tank range max. 560 kms... my consumption between 10.1 (rush hour, driven as a 100 HP car) and 15.9 l/100 km (night, nearly no cars, sometimes floored, but max. 4800 rpm as recommended for first 800 kms).

 

[TomE]

The product specification has the tank capacity as 60 litres. I haven’t checked the handbook yet.

 

[1stczechemira]

The product specification has the tank capacity as 60 litres. I haven’t checked the handbook yet.