No regrets on reversing my position

[Eagle7]

I think it's also our fault, where now day to day drivers have given all the credit to the reviewers. It's as if we didn't have enough judgment to comment on our own experiences and therefore we take reviewers opinion as gospel.

My F80 ZCP had mixed reviews, and I think it's a blast and works well enough for me. I don't need a reviewer to tell me that I will spin because it struggles to put the power down...well obviously. Or that it's too heavy relative to an E30. Duh. When I read the modern reviews of my E46 M3 I laugh because everyone talks about it as the holy grail simply because others say so. I love it, and drive it a lot. But well, it's still a 20y old car and underpowered. But it's perfect for me.

True, but some of that also has to do with where you live, and the availability to be able to actually test drive some of these cars. That's where these video reviewers can provide a genuine service, by having access to and being able to drive cars that a great many probably can't.

Like anything that starts out with enthusiasts and good intentions (like the internet itself), it always seems to evolve into a business and the motivations shift from enthusiast to how to use it to make money. YouTube videos have become that for the most part. It changes people's behaviors and expectations.

I want to read what the first customers in the U.K. have to say about the car, as they own it and drive it in the real world the way real people actually do. Those reviews will count for more to me than paid reviews.

 

[Weyland]

Yeah this part has been a bit strange. Why give the same people previews of the ADAS prototype VP 007 car, just a few weeks before giving them these pre-production cars? Why not wait until final spec production cars are ready for the big media splash we've seen today?

The only thing that makes any sense is what you said; they're using these experiences to tweak cars for production. Though I don't understand why in-house personnel couldn't have discovered these same things without it going out into the press. Maybe they feel they're too close to it, and wanted feedback from people not involved with making the car. Who knows.

Mclaren have done a very similar thing in the past - they made a point of saying that this wasn't the 100% finished prod car to avoid bad press on what should have been a hot car. They then used the 'it's not a 100% production car' , tweaked some areas of the car immediately prior to launch & it went down well

 

[switchlanez]

Jethro Bovingdon was really critical, if not the most critical, of the Emira. But despite his brutal honesty, he compared it to the Evora in this way:

"I watched a few videos on this car and read a few things early on about it, and I was really frustrated that no one compared it to an Evora. But now I sort of understand why because it doesn't call to mind an Evora. It doesn't feel like a re-body or development of the Evora. It's just a different feel. The interior is so much better, the quality feels better. For the money, for the first time ever, a Lotus feels like a bargain rather than something that's really pushing and will only appeal to super hardcore Lotus enthusiasts."

Linked at this timestamp:

 

[SJR202]

Jethro and EVO are pretty genuine reviewers, (they were the only ones to strongly criticise the Aston DB9 when it was released and had to go and explain themselves to Aston at the time) - also Ferrari, ECOTY 2018, the F8 didnt finish that high as it wasnt as good to drive as the ones which beat it, the same year the Cayman GTS finished 7 of 8 and the 992 Turbo S 8 of 8, whereas Top Gear raved about the Turbo... yes its all subjective, but on the day on those tyres I'd say Jethro probably has it right. It will be interesting to see a longer road review from them coming in the magazine I believe to really get under its skin.

As far as the OP keeping the Evora, do what is right, but dropping the Emira before driving it seems quite premature, but it might not be the right car, for most the Evora is too compromised and the extra power of the latter cars isnt a big deal that the Emira isnt as quick. The Emira will sell in bigger numbers but its appeal will be to a broader audience so I dont think anyone needs worry about depreciation too much when ICE cars are limited, there wont be an Emira mk2.

 

[note89]

Glad I pulled my deposit placed at good wood at Xmas .The reviews mirror my thoughts the new skin look lovely but my evora is lighter therefore faster ,sounds better and will be rarer and I bought it with 2k miles at 74k .As expected the emira is a reskinned evora but hasn’t improved in the key driving areas ie gear change response steering etc . It’s a good marketing exercise by geely to sell the evora in a new skin and get circa 83k per unit and the first editions are not capped by numbers so potentially the first editions could number quite a few thousand .The step change will be the auto in 2023 and will be circa 15k cheaper ,good look to those still hanging on for delivery ,if your out my alpine has took over the lotus mantra ie light characterful driving always a joy ,on my second and each one has been trouble free ,retains good residuals and are rare I’m told only 400 sold in England so far and with production finishing in a year or so buy one of those save yourself 15k and forget the depreciation they will be sought out in 5 years time whereas I suspect the emira will be more common place and with the limited production runs of the 4 litre cayman if you wish to spend 80k will be a far safer place for your money -no regrets

Hmm am i the only one with a non refundable deposit?

 

[Evotion]

Hmm am i the only one with a non refundable deposit?

Yes

 

[~el~jefe~]

Elise and Exige were pre-YouTube era where everyone became an "expert" and says "notchy" to describe shift feel, "induction" noise (half of them don't really know what that is) , and other nomenclature. Now everyone complains because there is a platform...

oh hell yes this is truth. really f***n annoying beta male copy cat crap.
- Oh the sound of the new 718 2.0 and 2.5, horrible! where is the pos slow heavier 6 cylinder wwaaaah
- Oh i want a "notchy" shifter. News for people, I have a 2019 ND2 MX-5 RF. The shifter is super notchy. It is really annoying and gimmicky. finally at 18,000 miles driven it is sort of smoother and easier. 2017 BRZ had a more pleasant and enjoyable gearbox, but wasnt "notchy"
- induction noise lol... sure sign of a beta male tester (not a beta tester).

Good gosh we have some terrible reviewers in our sphere. The only thing important about a gearbox is how fast you can slam shift that sucker in a race or a get-away situation, or how smooth and easy it is to shift in traffic dense situations. it being "notchy" is so poser of a desire.

I was looking to get a Hellcat Challenger with MT more than any of the cars i have on order. That gearbox is a tremec type and has 0 notch but hauls ass. Stellantis is a stupid company though and cant relist or figure out how to put them out this year. So emira + boxster T is my super stupid expense.

 

[Evotion]

I don't expect to beat 6 seconds 0-60MPH as I will be looking after the car and that burst off the line is not 'that' important to me. However, up and moving, on national speed limit roads I will be 'avin it.

 

[TXEMIRA]

I don't expect to beat 6 seconds 0-60MPH as I will be looking after the car and that burst off the line is not 'that' important to me. However, up and moving, on national speed limit roads I will be 'avin it.

I’m not at all a professional driver, even on a closed course, and I am with you here.

Basically 0-60, unless you’re a pro, would probably be faster in an automatic right?

But, on the highway doing like 50-60, and needing to get over 2-3 lanes, it’ll be fun to down shift that thing and get up to 70-80 when needed.

I think I’m saying all that right…

#ForTheLooks

 

[d15b7]

I think the 0-60 test and the 1/4 mile test (when it’s a manual) have some variability to them with respect to how much you care about your car. Case in point (I’m in the USA): back in the day before YouTube and internet, I was still always hungry for every scrap of info I could get on cars. I subscribed to 4 sometimes 5 car magazines a month! (This was 80s-90s timeframes). One of the magazines would ALWAYS have the fastest 0-60 and 1/4 mile times for the manual cars they tested; sometimes as much as .5 or .7 sec faster than any of the other mags. And their manuals were always faster than the automatics. Their automatic times were usually comparable to the other magazines. This ‘fast manual test’ magazine was called Hot Rod Magazine. The others I subscribed to were Road & Track, Car & Driver, and Motortrend, and Autoweek. Why was this? Well, it turned out that the test driver Hot Rod was using was a 1960s / 70s pro stock drag racer who was accustomed to manual transmission. His test procedure was to rev up, side step the clutch, then hold the throttle flat to the floor and literally YANK the lever from 1st to 2nd, and 2nd to 3rd, and 3rd to 4th. Without depressing clutch, or lifting at all. This was called power shifting. He was so good that he could get most cars to go through the gears a few times like this to get the times, without miss shifting or blowing up. And got a fantastic result. All of the other car magazine editors/testers would use the clutch and ‘granny shift’ (as fast as they could shift using the clutch and lifting throttle).

So, the moral is — what do you consider the actual number? What a car can do at its absolute best most brutal ‘I don’t care what wear/tear I’m putting on it’ driving style, or is the number more representative if you’re granny shifting it and preserving its longevity?

I bet the Emira could shave another .3-.5 sec if you power shifted it. But would you want to? I wouldn’t, not if I owned it!!

PS. Back then my friend Johnny had a ‘89 Mustang 5.0 with 3.73 gears, headers, a cam, and a tune. He was a drag street racer. He took me for a ride once and we launched and he power shifted it through a full 1/4 mile. I’ve never felt anything as violent as that 1-2 shift; the glovebox flew open and the papers in it spilled into my lap!! No way I’d ever want to treat any car I owned like that!!

 

[HoweBank]

The modern world here folks where people outsource their thinking and media control you.

There will be plenty think they are strong enough to own their own mind but the reality is very different.

Those interested in purchase to own for a spell and get out financially undamaged should be on high alert.

Bad reviews from youtube platforms do spread like a cancer and can influence regardless if accurate in the assessment.

that is a reality not conspiracy. Those that dont care, good on you but to pretend it does not have an effect is not true imo

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Hmm am i the only one with a non refundable deposit?

makes 12 of us!

Don't worry, I´m sure we´ll enjoy it to the last cent

 

[digilotus]

makes 12 of us!

Don't worry, I´m sure we´ll enjoy it to the last cent

Add 110 people in Australia to the non-refundable list.

 

[Johnson]

Add 110 people in Australia to the non-refundable list.

Yeah, I feel as if we were the first in the world to have to lock in (was it January?). No wonder I’ve been having colour conniptions…

 

[note89]

makes 12 of us!

Don't worry, I´m sure we´ll enjoy it to the last cent

Haha well, it's literally my last cent. Cannot afford the car anymore, when placed my order it was around 25% of my portfolio value.
Now it's right below 100% of my portfolio.

Guess I will have to work up the money and pay for it, maybe there will be a special edition when I have done that.

 

[hagen111]

The bit that confuses me with the gear shift is that it is basically the same mechanism as used in the last Elise/Exige and Evora. Weren't too many complaints there...

Not sure what further work is needed to fix cross-gate shift feel? Probably go to the local hardware store and get a bigger can of grease and add a lithium washer? Or perhaps polish the burrs off any cast aluminium moving parts?

I loved the gear shift on my Exige V6…just worked really really nice! It’s the total opposite of a porsche however, which is a very short throw gear shift. If you are a porsche fanboy, you most likely won‘t like Lotus gearshift. I happen to like both…a lot!

 

[EF_Guest234]

Drive what you love. My guess is if an Emira, Evora and Alpine are parked side-by-side, only one of them will draw a crowd.

Yes the Porsche

 

[John 1963]

Glad I pulled my deposit placed at good wood at Xmas .The reviews mirror my thoughts the new skin look lovely but my evora is lighter therefore faster ,sounds better and will be rarer and I bought it with 2k miles at 74k .As expected the emira is a reskinned evora but hasn’t improved in the key driving areas ie gear change response steering etc . It’s a good marketing exercise by geely to sell the evora in a new skin and get circa 83k per unit and the first editions are not capped by numbers so potentially the first editions could number quite a few thousand .The step change will be the auto in 2023 and will be circa 15k cheaper ,good look to those still hanging on for delivery ,if your out my alpine has took over the lotus mantra ie light characterful driving always a joy ,on my second and each one has been trouble free ,retains good residuals and are rare I’m told only 400 sold in England so far and with production finishing in a year or so buy one of those save yourself 15k and forget the depreciation they will be sought out in 5 years time whereas I suspect the emira will be more common place and with the limited production runs of the 4 litre cayman if you wish to spend 80k will be a far safer place for your money -no regrets

 

[SemiF19]

I keep going back and forth........and honestly if Evora prices weren't so insanely high right now I'd get one of those. In fact I'm looking at an Evora GT and just based on pictures I can't honestly say I like the Emira better. I'm keeping my deposit in. The dealer will have an Emira in their showroom in October, so I'm gonna check it out and see what I'm feeling then.

 

[nahanni]

Haha well, it's literally my last cent. Cannot afford the car anymore, when placed my order it was around 25% of my portfolio value.
Now it's right below 100% of my portfolio.

Guess I will have to work up the money and pay for it, maybe there will be a special edition when I have done that.

Yes, I thought a part of my windfall crypto earnings would be used; felt like it was free. can't say that today. I am an optimist, but, have to say it feels like dark times.