Race to the first i4

[Superman]

Tbh, I was sort of hoping mine wouldn't be built/delivered yet, hoping for a bit more time for early teething troubles to be sorted, but not going to turn it down now!

 

[TomE]

Typically delivery/collection will be the month after “build month” for UK cars.

 

[Tokion]

Till today almost a dozen of i4s have been delivered in China as promised. However, ALLLLLLLLLLLLLL of their engine lights have showed up after driving 50kms or more. Local dealer said there were sensors' problem which could not explain the frustration i4 owners are facing at the moment. Kinda losing confidence in this model. Tbh, I would rather get my emira delivered later comparing with getting a vehicle only works one day a week.
In the following video, the owner got his delivered in late August and his engine light went on almost every single day. I have to say I will think twice before taking the car home.

Hi 0pirates0

I found your report about engine lights in all i4 delivered to China very interesting. I suppose these were the very first batch produced at Hethel UK for delivery to end users, not only in China, but the whole World. “Gremlins” will of course emerge in early cars, but we hope they are not too major and that they are easily fixable.

Could you please continue to research this issue and report here in the emiraforum? Was the problem easily located, and was it easily fixed (maybe there is a long wait for parts to arrive from UK?) Can the problem be fixed without “serious surgery” (and a need to remove the engine from the car - for example).

This is very useful information for all of us worldwide who are also waiting (more than 2 years) for delivery of our ordered i4. And we hope that “gremlins” can be deleted and that the i4 model becomes a reliable car with a potential for everyday use.

Thank you 0pirates0

 

[0pirates0]

Hi 0pirates0

I found your report about engine lights in all i4 delivered to Chine very interesting. I suppose these were the very first batch produced at Hethel UK for delivery to end users, not only in China, but the whole World. “Gremlins” will of course emerge in early cars, but we hope they are not too major and that they are easily fixable.

Could you please continue to research this issue and report here in the emiraforum? Was the problem easily located, and was it easily fixed (maybe there is a long wait for parts to arrive from UK?) Can the problem be fixed without “serious surgery” (and a need to remove the engine from the car - for example).

This is very useful information for all of us worldwide who are also waiting (more than 2 years) for delivery of our ordered i4. And we hope that “gremlins” can be deleted and that the i4 model becomes a reliable car with a potential for everyday use.

Thank you 0pirates0

i will try my best to keep updating

 

[0pirates0]

Latest update:
An Emira i4 was delivery in Beijing this morning.
1. After taking photos and signing documents, the front wheels were still locked while the rear wheels kept going(I personally doubt if the floor was too clean?). 2. The air pump was not working.
3. Failed to pump gas into the vehicle.
The owner made a new record of shortest driving time to repair the emira

 

[ADC]

Latest update:
An Emira i4 was delivery in Beijing this morning.
1. After taking photos and signing documents, the front wheels were still locked while the rear wheels kept going(I personally doubt if the floor was too clean?). 2. The air pump was not working.
3. Failed to pump gas into the vehicle.
The owner made a new record of shortest driving time to repair the emira

At least it was just a simple u-turn into the service bay, I guess... unless the steering pump went as well.

 

[Tokion]

Typically delivery/collection will be the month after “build month” for UK cars.

I wonder if our dear moderators can look at the fact that the issue of poor quality EMIRA i4 (2.0) are running parallell in two separate threads. It would be better to integrate this subject in ONE thread.

Thanks

 

[Mitcheroo]

I was Sept 21 deposit and currently have October build. I wonder if there's any impact on differing specs and lead times for differently components. Not that there are many options to choose from of course.

When I contacted CS last week the rep had told me Sept with Oct handover. Having seemingly slipped a month with yesterday's e-mail I'm now expecting Oct with Nov handover (still ahead of my original Q1 '24 estimate). As such yours may be Nov with Dec handover.

Many thanks

 

[Jack Stone]

What's the latest regarding I4 demonstrators arriving at at UK "agents"? Still hoping for this month?

 

[Martylemoo]

Beginning of October is what Hendy are saying but I take it all with a pinch of salt.

 

[Cutting42]

What's the latest regarding I4 demonstrators arriving at at UK "agents"? Still hoping for this month?

I really doubt it. All along the suggested demo availability dates have mirrored my own car build/delivery dates. As mine have moved, so have the demo dates. I am assuming the demonstrators and the first batch of customer cars will be the same build times.

 

[DJManc]

What's the latest regarding I4 demonstrators arriving at at UK "agents"? Still hoping for this month?

I wish they would hurry up and formally announce what is happening about the I4 demo's, especially as they have recently dropped a load of emails advising of October build slots for the I4 (me included). I am currently very anxious to experience how this transmission feels in reality, given the amount of negative press around. Beginning to worry if I have made the right decision going i4 and if I should be changing to V6!
I also chose the sport chassis option, as I was happy with this in the V6 and have always preferred driving my previous cars with active suspension, in the firmer sport mode. Now there are reports that the sport chassis on the i4 is much firmer and more fidgety than the V6. This is one stressful car buying journey!
Surely Lotus are not thinking that people are going to make the final commitment before actually driving the i4!!!

 

[TomE]

I’d heard both UK demo cars and first customer cars were delayed (at quite short notice - like 1-2 weeks) to Oct.

Maybe they are doing some software tweaks to address the feedback from the press reviews about gear change and tune?

 

[Tokion]

I’d heard both UK demo cars and first customer cars were delayed (at quite short notice - like 1-2 weeks) to Oct.

Maybe they are doing some software tweaks to address the feedback from the press reviews about gear change and tune?

Another possible explanation is that the Lotus Hethel team is frantically sorting out all those QC issues that seem to have popped up in most of (all of) the first i4 cars that were exported to China, as reported by 0pirates0. And this should help to prevent that i4 cars produced from now on also become “born as lemons”.

We really must demand near perfect quality from Lotus if they are now (seemingly) aspiring to become a top luxury brand.

(Edited for clarity, and omission of non-essential comments)

 

[Jack Stone]

I’d heard both UK demo cars and first customer cars were delayed (at quite short notice - like 1-2 weeks) to Oct.

Maybe they are doing some software tweaks to address the feedback from the press reviews about gear change and tune?

You'd have hoped mister Head of attributes would have picked up on the gearshift issues before the press did...

 

[TomE]

Or AMG didn’t want the Lotus implementation upstaging their own applications?

 

[DJManc]

I’d heard both UK demo cars and first customer cars were delayed (at quite short notice - like 1-2 weeks) to Oct.

Maybe they are doing some software tweaks to address the feedback from the press reviews about gear change and tune?

I really hope your are right in this! Please keep us posted with anything you hear about it! I am on a real knife edge at the moment. Even considering the used market now for a V6 if there are no improvements in transmission!
The A45s is an absolutely awesome machine and I am under no illusion that the i4 would be nearly as powerful, but I did expect it to have a rapid DCT transmission which could easily keep up with spirited driving up and down the gears and through the corners etc. Every other car I have driven with a DCT by other manufacturers has managed this and AMG should be up there with the best! What the hell are they playing at, I thought Lotus would have tested the i4 relentlessly by now. They must have known about these issues!!!

 

[ADC]

Or AMG didn’t want the Lotus implementation upstaging their own applications?

That, or they don't want to upstage the manual. Always reach for the most cynical explanation, that's what I say.

 

[Wiz33]

So I guess I should be glad that my production slot is in March 2024 (3rd overall i4 production batch and 2nd US batch?) for a mid summer US delivery

 

[Cutting42]

I’d heard both UK demo cars and first customer cars were delayed (at quite short notice - like 1-2 weeks) to Oct.

Maybe they are doing some software tweaks to address the feedback from the press reviews about gear change and tune?

That makes a lot of sense as I went from a verbally confirmed with CS Sept build to an Oct build email in around a week