So I got to take a test drive.... :)

[Shyatic]

My argument is mass production and increased buying power and access to group parts should negate this

And inflation and larger profit margins eat into that.

Savings aren't passed onto the customers, they are reaped as rewards

 

[Dabjbr]

I think folk thinking they are going to run an Emira for free for 6 to 12 months may be disappointed...

I’d be willing to take a loss for 1 year ownership assuming it was a moderate 10k (maybe upwards of 15-18k) accounting for taxes.

 

[Eagle7]

I know you won't be swayed, but we can genuinely and rightly compare it with the 718 as Lotus has priced it to match that model to the £.
Plus I think it's also fair to compare it to the cars that it replaces from within the Lotus stable.
I find it ironic that Lotus have moved from being a small quirky boutique brand to one of global appeal and mass production and defenders of its modernity are using all of the arguments that one would use in defending a small boutique brand like Morgan etc lol. "It looks good, it's built to a price point, it utilises older technology"
Lotus have done an amazing job and yes it's just the start. BUT as we know it's also the end for an ICE car like this and that is why I personally find it a shame that it doesn't offer the full performance/dynamic package to back up the looks and everyday refinement.
I agree money/pricepoint is a consideration with this. Its almost as if they have shackled the Emira by trying to keep it dollar for dollar with the Porsche 718.
They would have sold more if it was 10% more and that little bit more rounded I'm sure. Or maybe they just couldn't make it any better in the timeframe and that is the end of it

Yeah you can compare it to the 718, but not everybody wants a Porsche. I've never been a fan or wanted one, but that's just me. Probably why I have an Alfa Romeo and an order in for an Emira.

I actually don't see the Emira as a replacement for the 3 cars they just discontinued; those are from a different era with a different purpose and mindset. I see the Emira as the first of their new era, but with the very last of the old era as a way to transition from the old to the new. The new era is style, body and interior design, quality/fit/finish, modern electronic technology and overall usability. When the ICE technology goes away, all those other things will continue.

Geely's investment wasn't to make the ultimate ICE car, but to prepare Lotus to be a very serious and viable electric car brand. With the exception of the power plant and drivetrain, everything else they're doing is going to carry over to producing electric cars. The Emira is almost like a practice run for them. Based on their history with ICE cars, I don't think anybody in the company actually expected the reaction they got with the Emira. They clearly weren't prepared for it. It probably changed their business plans more than just a little too.

 

[Leonard]

Yeah you can compare it to the 718, but not everybody wants a Porsche. I've never been a fan or wanted one, but that's just me. Probably why I have an Alfa Romeo and an order in for an Emira.

I actually don't see the Emira as a replacement for the 3 cars they just discontinued; those are from a different era with a different purpose and mindset. I see the Emira as the first of their new era, but with the very last of the old era as a way to transition from the old to the new. The new era is style, body and interior design, quality/fit/finish, modern electronic technology and overall usability. When the ICE technology goes away, all those other things will continue.

Geely's investment wasn't to make the ultimate ICE car, but to prepare Lotus to be a very serious and viable electric car brand. With the exception of the power plant and drivetrain, everything else they're doing is going to carry over to producing electric cars. The Emira is almost like a practice run for them. Based on their history with ICE cars, I don't think anybody in the company actually expected the reaction they got with the Emira. They clearly weren't prepared for it. It probably changed their business plans more than just a little too.

OK we definitely aren't going to agree on what the Emira should have been.
I'm genuinely happy it meets all of your requirements. As a British petrol head and Lotus enthusiast of a certain age I personally find it a shame that their last ICE car isn't showcasing everything that they are renowned for. No doubt there were internal conversations about this and what the Emira should be, but Geely involvement and Asia market demands won out. I hope the Lotus DNA isn't completely lost.
I'd argue that you can have both, using Toyota as a prime example
Will leave it at that.

 

[Leonard]

I’d be willing to take a loss for 1 year ownership assuming it was a moderate 10k (maybe upwards of 15-18k) accounting for taxes.

Don't get me wrong it won't be bad especially over the long term.
I'm figuring in 10% year one and a further 8% year two before levelling out.
And it will no doubt be better in some markets I'm only looking at UK

 

[Shyatic]

Yeah you can compare it to the 718, but not everybody wants a Porsche. I've never been a fan or wanted one, but that's just me. Probably why I have an Alfa Romeo and an order in for an Emira.

I actually don't see the Emira as a replacement for the 3 cars they just discontinued; those are from a different era with a different purpose and mindset. I see the Emira as the first of their new era, but with the very last of the old era as a way to transition from the old to the new. The new era is style, body and interior design, quality/fit/finish, modern electronic technology and overall usability. When the ICE technology goes away, all those other things will continue.

Geely's investment wasn't to make the ultimate ICE car, but to prepare Lotus to be a very serious and viable electric car brand. With the exception of the power plant and drivetrain, everything else they're doing is going to carry over to producing electric cars. The Emira is almost like a practice run for them. Based on their history with ICE cars, I don't think anybody in the company actually expected the reaction they got with the Emira. They clearly weren't prepared for it. It probably changed their business plans more than just a little too.

Agree -- part of my allure to the Emira is that I've wanted a Lotus for a long time. When I was younger I lusted after an Elise; something I thought I'd be able to afford "one day", as I grew up in a pretty lower income home.

Me being able to afford the Emira now some 20 years later is the culmination of a dream achieved. Granted I still want the best value for my money, but the compromises made in the Emira I am okay with. I've owned powerful cars and made cars more powerful (boost!). My favorite car to date was my Mazda RX-8. Wasn't super fast, wasn't that powerful, but man was it fun going around a corner. The Lotus is in the same ballpark as that, and with the exclusivity, achievement of a dream, and the stunning looks -- I am totally cool with it over competitors.

 

[Eagle7]

OK we definitely aren't going to agree on what the Emira should have been.
I'm genuinely happy it meets all of your requirements. As a British petrol head and Lotus enthusiast of a certain age I personally find it a shame that their last ICE car isn't showcasing everything that they are renowned for. No doubt there were internal conversations about this and what the Emira should be, but Geely involvement and Asia market demands won out. I hope the Lotus DNA isn't completely lost.
I'd argue that you can have both, using Toyota as a prime example
Will leave it at that.

If that was their goal, they would have built that. The Evora was the last of that ethos; performance through lightness. The Emira is a different ethos car. The Lotus of your era has passed. I know the feeling though. The queen's passing affected me much more than I thought it would. I've been aware that my era has been passing, but with her death it felt like it's now truly passed and gone. Her stoic fortitude and sense of decorum was exemplary, and to me was symbolic of the older generation I grew up with. When her casket descended into the floor, it felt like my world/era was going with it. It was very disturbing for me to see the image of her colorful 3 dimensional casket being sealed over with a flat, 2 dimensional monochrome plate. She was much more than that.

Regardless of our lives, the next day the sun comes up, and it all continues as though we were never here. I had the same feeling when I retired. Even though I was with the company 20 years, the second I walked out the door, business continued as though I had never worked there. It's probably why I find myself much more focused on people now instead of bucket lists or other accomplishments.

 

[Eagle7]

Agree -- part of my allure to the Emira is that I've wanted a Lotus for a long time. When I was younger I lusted after an Elise; something I thought I'd be able to afford "one day", as I grew up in a pretty lower income home.

Me being able to afford the Emira now some 20 years later is the culmination of a dream achieved. Granted I still want the best value for my money, but the compromises made in the Emira I am okay with. I've owned powerful cars and made cars more powerful (boost!). My favorite car to date was my Mazda RX-8. Wasn't super fast, wasn't that powerful, but man was it fun going around a corner. The Lotus is in the same ballpark as that, and with the exclusivity, achievement of a dream, and the stunning looks -- I am totally cool with it over competitors.

Lol yeah I had an RX-8 too. I loved how it drove. One of the best shifters I've ever experienced. The Emira is going to be kind of like a combination of all kinds of cars I've had over the years. None of them perfect, but each had their own appeal in certain ways.

 

[ksegg]

The Emira itself doesn't really have any red flag faults to me, so I'm still looking forward to it; what ruined it for me is I got sick of the delays and radio silence from both Lotus and my dealer. But eh, what can you do. First World problems; I'll just suck it up.

I am, however, really keen on seeing a review/test drive that actually involves a PRODUCTION version though.

 

[emiraspain]

I dont wanna be that guy but it did look quite slow
Everything else looked pretty good though

I only saw 6 on the rev counter in sport mode..I did not see a 7 at all.. or was it my eyes?

 

[emiraspain]

​

Shyatic, BTW, you have excellent teeth !! good for you !!

here we go again... haha

 

[emiraspain]

Exactly this. If I had a budget of another $100k then I'm sure a Ferrari of some type would be far more fun and more my speed. But I don't, and so I have to consider the price point (which is already high for me, perhaps not for others), what I get, and what my own expectations are.

Ultimately the test drive reinforced the things that reviewers had rightly pointed out, and to me -- weren't as much a concern. I think I acknowledged most of the points they made as negatives, for me -- and it didn't bother me. I've had more powerful cars (hell, my Tesla is), but that's not what I want in a fun car anyway. Heck, I was debating on a Miata at some point, but figured I'd just wind up waiting. Should give you some idea of where my initial thoughts were

yeh and as your driving style leaves you spending more time in neutral than an actual gear, the gear box doesnt matter so much anyway... just kidding...
I would have so failed my spanish driving test done last year if I did that...
Question, was the only way to get to sports or race, whatever mode, through the menu system on the centre screen?? Surely not....... I want to change this with one click... not take my eyes off the road and enter into a maze in the centre screen.........

 

[Lotustoronto]

If that was their goal, they would have built that. The Evora was the last of that ethos; performance through lightness. The Emira is a different ethos car. The Lotus of your era has passed. I know the feeling though. The queen's passing affected me much more than I thought it would. I've been aware that my era has been passing, but with her death it felt like it's now truly passed and gone. Her stoic fortitude and sense of decorum was exemplary, and to me was symbolic of the older generation I grew up with. When her casket descended into the floor, it felt like my world/era was going with it. It was very disturbing for me to see the image of her colorful 3 dimensional casket being sealed over with a flat, 2 dimensional monochrome plate. She was much more than that.

Regardless of our lives, the next day the sun comes up, and it all continues as though we were never here. I had the same feeling when I retired. Even though I was with the company 20 years, the second I walked out the door, business continued as though I had never worked there. It's probably why I find myself much more focused on people now instead of bucket lists or other accomplishments.

It's funny you say that about the queen's passing. Although I am much younger, I felt the same sentiment. It was the passing of an era. I see it in my father's generation, they were built differently than what is happening with children today. Being in the middle of the two generations, (growing up in my teens without internet/cell phones - to full fledged iPhone launch in my early 20's) I certainly see the differences, both the good and the bad.

 

[michael2GRFE]

Awesome to hear, are they booking test drive time slots? Did you get an F/E from Oakville?

I put a deposit down at the start of March; it's not clear if I'm getting a First Edition yet or not (apparently, they don't know how many the dealership is being allocated). Tony @ Oakville said he would contact me once test drives are available for deposit holders. He expected to have the demo in late September when I last talked to him in mid-July.

 

[p.rob]

Called the Montreal dealership yesterday, they said they awaiting confirmation from lotus on the exact date but they expect to get 2 Emiras for a few days by the end of october.

Lotus should prioritize the northern dealers IMO, we have only about 1.5 months of snow free months left...

 

[Mistral]

yeh and as your driving style leaves you spending more time in neutral than an actual gear, the gear box doesnt matter so much anyway... just kidding...
I would have so failed my spanish driving test done last year if I did that...
Question, was the only way to get to sports or race, whatever mode, through the menu system on the centre screen?? Surely not....... I want to change this with one click... not take my eyes off the road and enter into a maze in the centre screen.........

Manual switch in front of the gear lever. You drove one didn't you?

 

[Pops68]

Honestly I don’t really agree. The reviews are usually spot on, their job is to write relatable reviews. Also, they were all spot on. We’ve also had a number of reviews from driving event participants which all stated the same things.

It feels like everyone is still in denial and hoping that these things will all change last second for production cars.

Pretty much anything that you have to wait for and have time to build your expectations is somewhat of a letdown once you finally get possession of whatever it is. And there is a direct correlation between height of expectation and length of wait. I wish it wasn't so. It would have helped to see that test drive on a nice windy road instead of just trudging along a city street. That's not exciting in any car...

 

[Pops68]

I remember watching the Emira vs Cayman video where the Cayman came out on top -- and it's a great car. But while on paper it does a lot of things better -- I'd never really get out of 2nd or 3rd gear based on the ratios they set.

I wanted an engaging car, the Emira is geared tighter and lets me row the gears. Can I give up some things to have some exclusivity, better steering feedback, stunning looks and a more engaging car? Sure I can. That's what my test drive told me.

Well said! That tall gearing is the reason I decided against a Cayman, an otherwise awesome car.

 

[Pops68]

Exactly this. If I had a budget of another $100k then I'm sure a Ferrari of some type would be far more fun and more my speed. But I don't, and so I have to consider the price point (which is already high for me, perhaps not for others), what I get, and what my own expectations are.

Ultimately the test drive reinforced the things that reviewers had rightly pointed out, and to me -- weren't as much a concern. I think I acknowledged most of the points they made as negatives, for me -- and it didn't bother me. I've had more powerful cars (hell, my Tesla is), but that's not what I want in a fun car anyway. Heck, I was debating on a Miata at some point, but figured I'd just wind up waiting. Should give you some idea of where my initial thoughts were

Exactly! I loved my c6Z06 and it had power well beyond what I could use on the street. As awesome of a car as it was I yearned for that "fun" factor that I got in my very first car, a little 85hp Datsun 510 that would happily drift around corners all day! That's my expectation of the Emira..

 

[Shyatic]

yeh and as your driving style leaves you spending more time in neutral than an actual gear, the gear box doesnt matter so much anyway... just kidding...
I would have so failed my spanish driving test done last year if I did that...
Question, was the only way to get to sports or race, whatever mode, through the menu system on the centre screen?? Surely not....... I want to change this with one click... not take my eyes off the road and enter into a maze in the centre screen.........

Old habits die hard -- I used to ride in NYC and NJ traffic for hours, so putting it into neutral was normal to save my leg