Perspective on reviews

[ksegg]

So the Emira is softer than expected. The Evora got progressively firmer setups throughout its life with the initial NA model being the softest and this was Evo car of the year when launched. Maybe they will follow the same path with the Emira.

I imagine that would be the case. My assumption is that the Emira GT4 is the dedicated track-focused version with variations of Emira's between Base and GT4.

 

[Pegasi]

People are saying the Emira is a re-skinned Evora. Now that reviews are out, people seem to want a re-skinned Evora.

 

[Hedge]

People are saying the Emira is a re-skinned Evora. Now that reviews are out, people seem to want a re-skinned Evora.

For me the concern was that some aspects of the Emira are purely for marketing reasons and not for the drivers (that could catch on!) like the decision to go with 20” front wheels.

 

[Pegasi]

For me the concern was that some aspects of the Emira are purely for marketing reasons and not for the drivers (that could catch on!) like the decision to go with 20” front wheels.

I tend to stay out of these discussions because I have only tracked an Evora GT once and I have only seen a few Lotuses my whole life so I am not a Lotus purist. For me, new to the brand, this car will probably be one of the best handling cars I have owned. But to just counter your point, everyone is well aware of the Lotus sales figures in the past meaning maybe not a lot of past customers. Therefore, if the majority of Emira owners are newbies, then "for the drivers" is really still valid IMO from a marketing standpoint.

I realized from the beginning that Lotus had a difficult line to walk. Keeping purists and attracting newbies. It will interesting how the purists compare the car to Evora/Exige/Elise.

 

[Hedge]

I tend to stay out of these discussions because I have only tracked an Evora GT once and I have only seen a few Lotuses my whole life so I am not a Lotus purist. For me, new to the brand, this car will probably be one of the best handling cars I have owned. But to just counter your point, everyone is well aware of the Lotus sales figures in the past meaning maybe not a lot of past customers. Therefore, if the majority of Emira owners are newbies, then "for the drivers" is really still valid IMO from a marketing standpoint.

I realized from the beginning that Lotus had a difficult line to walk. Keeping purists and attracting newbies. It will interesting how the purists compare the car to Evora/Exige/Elise.

Very good points. I think we are spoiled in the U.K. with a selection of pretty much any Lotus made.

It will be a great car in its own right. I don’t think there’s any doubt on it.

The Emira gets Lotus to more markets and buyers - that is a great thing.

 

[Pegasi]

Very good points. I think we are spoiled in the U.K. with a selection of pretty much any Lotus made.

It will be a great car in its own right. I don’t think there’s any doubt on it.

The Emira gets Lotus to more markets and buyers - that is a great thing.

A UK member on the forum predicted last year that when the Emira comes out the price used Evoras would go up. His rationale was the brand was not well known. Once people get Emiras that will say, "What else does Lotus have?!" This will drive Evora prices up.

I am paraphrasing his post. When I went to the launch and sat in an Evora, I thought it was just too small. Then I tracked it. Now, I could really careless which one I get. I am hoping to be fortunate to pick up an Evora a couple of years after the Emira. So I am a living example of what he said would happen.

 

[Pegasi]

In other words do not sell your Evora yet!

 

[Hedge]

A UK member on the forum predicted last year that when the Emira comes out the price used Evoras would go up. His rationale was the brand was not well known. Once people get Emiras that will say, "What else does Lotus have?!" This will drive Evora prices up.

I am paraphrasing his post. When I went to the launch and sat in an Evora, I thought it was just too small. Then I tracked it. Now, I could really careless which one I get. I am hoping to be fortunate to pick up an Evora a couple of years after the Emira. So I am a living example of what he said would happen.

Could be something in that!

 

[TomE]

If you’re talking about ride, then it may have got harder listening to Harry Metcalfe. He loved the sport suspension in the Evora 410 review but really not in the Emira with sports suspension. Too hard for his liking and he mentioned it was tending towards a 911 GT3 level of firmness. Hence he asked for a touring suspension car in the test and loved it.

Which is odd, because Lotus have said all along that the Emira Sports suspension is most like the Evora GT410 suspension setup.

 

[TomE]

I still find it hard to get my head around the Emira being quicker round Hethel than an Exige 410. That would be a pretty amazing achievement for Gav and the team given that the Exige is so much lighter. Lap times are not particularly relevant in the real world of course, but they are a reasonably objective measure of overall performance. If it really can out lap an Evora GT 430 or Exige 410, and until confirmed it is still quite a big if in my mind, it would help clear up the nagging doubts about the Emira's dynamics being dumbed-down for a wider audience.

On test drives, my betting is that when real customers get to drive the car, including our own Mr Grumpy Pants, their reaction is likely to be a lot more like Harry than Jethro

As others picked up, I’d said NOT as quick as the Evora GT 430 and Exige Cup cars. But quicker than the others.

Just because the dynamics have been “softened” from a driver perspective doesn’t necessarily make the car slower. BHP/tonne is important but not the only factor. The wider track helps carry more speed through the corners and the aero gives more downforce and stability at higher speeds.

So it’s entirely possible the Emira is that quick. But I agree, let’s wait for official confirmation.

 

[Hedge]

Which is odd, because Lotus have said all along that the Emira Sports suspension is most like the Evora GT410 suspension setup.

St. Harry of the Good Review said what I posted, so must be true!
I re watched his review (very enjoyable) and it has me thinking I need to change spec to touring. But that would mean another year* onto the wait. And what if sport suspension indeed turns out to be like the Evora GT410? I’ll have added a year on for no reason.

*just a guess based on others experience and even if it’s just 6 months, I would wait till post April and half decent weather. So that’s 10 months delay at least.

 

[Hedge]

As others picked up, I’d said NOT as quick as the Evora GT 430 and Exige Cup cars. But quicker than the others.

Just because the dynamics have been “softened” from a driver perspective doesn’t necessarily make the car slower. BHP/tonne is important but not the only factor. The wider track helps carry more speed through the corners and the aero gives more downforce and stability at higher speeds.

So it’s entirely possible the Emira is that quick. But I agree, let’s wait for official confirmation.

They are being such teases.

 

[Bilbao-Emira]

Which is odd, because Lotus have said all along that the Emira Sports suspension is most like the Evora GT410 suspension setup.

Even more, I have been told in March by one of Lotus technicians on the road show, who claimed having tested both Tour and Sport, that Emira Sport was a little softer than Evora GT 410 Sport suspension

 

[Nova]

I am sitting here with my ticket stub, patiently waiting for my turn to buy one of these wonderful cars. The reviews have been disappointing, but the car will certainly not be.

 

[Magicman]

I'm still not sure why people are still going with "the reviews are disappointing? "
I re watched a few today and they're all hugely positive other than THAT one.

If you expected it to waltz in and rewrite the rule book, make porsche obsolete and be niggle free at its launch then what planet are you on

It does however appear to be a genuine alternative to a porsche, given that it looks like it does that's a huge win.

At least they didn't all break down on the press launch like the new Macca

 

[Nova]

I'm still not sure why people are still going with "the reviews are disappointing? "
I re watched a few today and they're all hugely positive other than THAT one.

If you expected it to waltz in and rewrite the rule book, make porsche obsolete and be niggle free at its launch then what planet are you on

It does however appear to be a genuine alternative to a porsche, given that it looks like it does that's a huge win.

At least they didn't all break down on the press launch like the new Macca

The reviews are disappointing in that they point to some non trivial faults with the car. For me the biggest one is shifting confidence. Of course, the car may turn out to shift just fine for me, but it is indeed somewhat disappointing that multiple reviews say the shifting is not that great.

 

[Hedge]

The reviews are disappointing in that they point to some non trivial faults with the car. For me the biggest one is shifting confidence. Of course, the car may turn out to shift just fine for me, but it is indeed somewhat disappointing that multiple reviews say the shifting is not that great.

I expect it to be a little different to this, but this is from my 2015 Elise Cup car going through gears 1 to 4. If you have the volume up, hopefully you can hear why I enjoyed it so much. It feels very mechanical. It is precise enough, note the engine isn’t warmed up. Later cars have some change to make it a little slicker/smoother. And of course the Emira has the V6 - but essentially the same concept. I did have a 2016 Exige V6 and that was similar, probably a little smoother but still lovely and mechanical feeling.

Is it good enough? Put it this way, I never had a problem keeping up with new supercars with DCT on B roads in this 220hp Elise with this gearbox.

 

[Leonard]

I'm still not sure why people are still going with "the reviews are disappointing? "

Because if you read too much into them, the seats are not great, the steering wheel is not great, the gearshift is not great, the suspension packages are a bit of an unkown and the front handling is a little soft over 8 tenths. If you were after a drivers car (#forthedrivers) then you may be forgiven for thinking all those key touch points are important
I have no doubt 'in the real world' it won't all be as bad as is made out. For now though whilst demo cars are not available, it just isn't very confidence inspiring

 

[Tonyshepp]

I was in a team meeting yesterday and some of the guys asked me about the Emira and was i excited to get it soon(ish). I told them i had concerns the reviews weren't as glowing as hoped. Their view was you are comparing the Emira to all the best sports cars out there, Alpine Cayman etc etc and they are all good. I was told in no uncertain terms to buy it, ditch my thought of swapping to an I4 as speed isn't everything and the emotion of the V6 noise more than makes up for it.
I watched the positive reviews again on the train home and the Instagram post from a dealer who showed a small video of Nimbus grey (my colour) Emira and i'm excited again,

 

[SJR202]

Intention was always to try before you buy and with a 2023 ETA thats easily done, I guess I wanted it to be a 5* car across the board, it obviously isnt in the current pre prod guise, maybe final tweaks will have been made since those press cars got built, but seems close to prod spec, so my thoughts...

Well at c£80k its really got to be perfect for me and leave me excited everytime I drive it, it wont go on track, Im going for Touring as a sort of non daily daily driver if that makes sense (2nd car). I've driven a Cayman GTS and its very good but a little clinical, I dont mind cars with some short falls as long as the character and qualities I look for are there, not driven the V6SC engine but there is a difference between a car being quick and 'feeling quick', depends on power delivery normally.
Cant wait to try it, hope it is what I want, keen to see the base V6 price and options/colours as if I can get the car and spec I really want for 60-70k then feels slightly less painful to the savings.