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

[krist]

If the EMIRA is around the same 0-60 of 3.8 sec as it should be then that is fast.

I believe the official time for the V6 is 4,3 sec, which does seem fast enough for a sports car

 

[digilotus]

I believe the official time for the V6 is 4,3 sec, which does seem fast enough for a sports car

Advertised 0-62mph is 4.3s for the manual. I think 0-60 is either 4.1 or 4.2s. But achieving this in the real world will be a clutch burner and need ideal conditions.

A more realistic figure will be 4.5-4.7s. The auto IPS with launch control will provide much more consistent (and much faster) 0-60 times than the manual.

 

[695 to Emira]

Fast? I think it depends where you are. On a wide open field with no stone walls, hedges, gravel on the corners (a track?) maybe it’s adequate.

On narrow UK B roads it’s fast. For the roads I drive probably too fast. Even my wife’s 718 is plenty fast enough for the coffee shop run.

 

[Leonard]

That car is almost identical to my friends.
Amazing cars and seem good value at present. Maybe I just need to embrace the paddle shift....
I completely understand about the 718 GT4. It's not really a car for me either. I am literally only interested in a 981 Spyder with gearbox upgrade. Its a softer car better suited to road use and sounds so much better.
I'm probably coming accross as being a Porsche fan boy on here. I'm really not. But having been privileged enough to drive a few, I have never really been disappointed with any of them.. They really know how to make a great car that appeals to all drivers. No matter people's perception of the brand, I don't think anyone can deny that.
I hope Lotus manage to find the same delicate balance and are successful on a global scale. This was a big part of why I bought into new Lotus and the Emira as I wanted to be part of this journey. I don't think Lotus truly understand the importance of this element of the customer journey though and is why the last 18 ish months have been a bit of a disappointment

 

[Leonard]

The two people who actually drove and had seat time in the EMIRA both said power was just adequate

Initially I was put off by their impressions until I did some research for comparison.

I had a 2014 corvette previously (traded that in for a 2016 Z06 640hp corvette) and I noticed that the 0-60 times for the previous 2014 corvette that I had was tested to be 0-60 in 3.8 sec. That is a car that weighs 3400 pounds and has 440hp.

That 2014 corvette I had was stupid fast. Take that from me. It was way more than adequate.

There is no way that 400hp EMIRA weighing 3100-3200 pounds is just adequate in power.

I am a bit confused with the reviewers impressions of power. Who knows.... possibly they were not allowed to pop that car open. If the EMIRA is around the same 0-60 of 3.8 sec as it should be then that is fast.

I never felt the 2014 corvette I had was just adequate, that car was fast no joke. I traded it for the 650hp Z06 version and obviously the Z06 is even faster. But the base 2014 was no slug.

I think that if the two who drove the EMIRA were able to open up on a closed road they would better understand that the 400hp In 3100-3200 pound car is very very fast.

Just IMO

0-60s are meaningless unless you are into drag racing.
Power to weight is where its at and anything over 300bhp per tonne is more than adequate. Unfortunately due to the added weight and slight drop in power the Emira will be about 280bhp/tonne ish I think. So comparable to a Audi TTRS which is still a fast car and of course a Cayman 4.0GTS...
The feeling of speed in the Emira won't be helped by its linear power and torque curves and is why there isn't that shove in the seat you get from a traditional turbo car.
As has been said many times its more than fast enough for UK/European roads, but the USA may find it a little lacking

 

[GetawayDriving]

The two people who actually drove and had seat time in the EMIRA both said power was just adequate

Initially I was put off by their impressions until I did some research for comparison.

I had a 2014 corvette previously (traded that in for a 2016 Z06 640hp corvette) and I noticed that the 0-60 times for the previous 2014 corvette that I had was tested to be 0-60 in 3.8 sec. That is a car that weighs 3400 pounds and has 440hp.

That 2014 corvette I had was stupid fast. Take that from me. It was way more than adequate.

There is no way that 400hp EMIRA weighing 3100-3200 pounds is just adequate in power.

I am a bit confused with the reviewers impressions of power. Who knows.... possibly they were not allowed to pop that car open. If the EMIRA is around the same 0-60 of 3.8 sec as it should be then that is fast.

I never felt the 2014 corvette I had was just adequate, that car was fast no joke. I traded it for the 650hp Z06 version and obviously the Z06 is even faster. But the base 2014 was no slug.

I think that if the two who drove the EMIRA were able to open up on a closed road they would better understand that the 400hp In 3100-3200 pound car is very very fast.

Just IMO

It felt adequate to me, but that’s in a modern context. It’s a quick car. I don’t think you’ll be left wanting for more in most scenarios, although I think the car would be a little more exciting with just 20-30 extra HP. Something the aftermarket may bring us.

I’ve become used to electrics, and even had a Tesla rental car to take me to Hethel, so the power by comparison feels like a steady pull, but it’s not startling quick.

So many cars these days have frightening amounts of power. Like, they propel forward faster than you can take in your environment. They’re out of balance really. Tesla for example has insane quickness, but are severely under-braked. Challengers and the like will whip you to 100mph, but detest the bendy bits. The Emira is an equilibrium. I found myself with some “thinking time” (were taking fractions of a second) to analyze my approach into the next bend.

 

[Lotustoronto]

The two people who actually drove and had seat time in the EMIRA both said power was just adequate

Initially I was put off by their impressions until I did some research for comparison.

I had a 2014 corvette previously (traded that in for a 2016 Z06 640hp corvette) and I noticed that the 0-60 times for the previous 2014 corvette that I had was tested to be 0-60 in 3.8 sec. That is a car that weighs 3400 pounds and has 440hp.

That 2014 corvette I had was stupid fast. Take that from me. It was way more than adequate.

There is no way that 400hp EMIRA weighing 3100-3200 pounds is just adequate in power.

I am a bit confused with the reviewers impressions of power. Who knows.... possibly they were not allowed to pop that car open. If the EMIRA is around the same 0-60 of 3.8 sec as it should be then that is fast.

I never felt the 2014 corvette I had was just adequate, that car was fast no joke. I traded it for the 650hp Z06 version and obviously the Z06 is even faster. But the base 2014 was no slug.

I think that if the two who drove the EMIRA were able to open up on a closed road they would better understand that the 400hp In 3100-3200 pound car is very very fast.

Just IMO

I think in a manual V6 Emira, it will be very difficult to see a 0-60 time under 4.5 sec. This will come down mostly to the driver and not the car. The Auto box will most likely be hitting under 4.5 much more often. These days when you pick a manual transmission you must understand you are giving up 0-60 times. This is from driving a 992 911 S, and 718 Spyder both in manual. A PDK transmission would blow me out of the water.

With that said, on a track or when you are already at speed the pull from say 60-120 MPH will be very similar to a PDK.

Emira's power to weight ratio places it right around cayman GTS 4.0 - So yes should be quick enough. I've posted this video before - but it's helpful for the American's (and Canadians) as these are the two most competitive cars against the Emira. From all the reviews so far they say the Emira feels as fast or maybe even slightly quicker in some ways against the 718 4.0's.... It did very well against a C8 which is arguably the king of 0-60 for under 100K. I would expect similar results from the Emira with a PDK or the i4 DCT. (or manual if your willing to burn the clutch lol)

 

[Lotustoronto]

That car is almost identical to my friends.
Amazing cars and seem good value at present. Maybe I just need to embrace the paddle shift....
I completely understand about the 718 GT4. It's not really a car for me either. I am literally only interested in a 981 Spyder with gearbox upgrade. Its a softer car better suited to road use and sounds so much better.
I'm probably coming accross as being a Porsche fan boy on here. I'm really not. But having been privileged enough to drive a few, I have never really been disappointed with any of them.. They really know how to make a great car that appeals to all drivers. No matter people's perception of the brand, I don't think anyone can deny that.
I hope Lotus manage to find the same delicate balance and are successful on a global scale. This was a big part of why I bought into new Lotus and the Emira as I wanted to be part of this journey. I don't think Lotus truly understand the importance of this element of the customer journey though and is why the last 18 ish months have been a bit of a disappointment

Leonard.... get the Emira, I don't think you will be dissapointed. So far all the reviews from forum members is hitting pretty much what I wanted to hear and expected for a Lotus. It's going to feel more or less as visceral as Porsche GT4/Spyder (not as quick) in a pkg that looks unique and truly beautiful. That's all I was looking for. I like the fact that the engine is a good old reliable Toyota. Just need to bump it too 430BHP and your good!

Unless you find a really good deal on a Spyder..... hahaha

 

[Twin Cam]

0-60s are meaningless unless you are into drag racing.
Power to weight is where its at and anything over 300bhp per tonne is more than adequate. Unfortunately due to the added weight and slight drop in power the Emira will be about 280bhp/tonne ish I think. So comparable to a Audi TTRS which is still a fast car and of course a Cayman 4.0GTS...
The feeling of speed in the Emira won't be helped by its linear power and torque curves and is why there isn't that shove in the seat you get from a traditional turbo car.
As has been said many times its more than fast enough for UK/European roads, but the USA may find it a little lacking

Absolutely spot on

 

[Dabjbr]

I wish 60-130 testing was more prevalent. That’s a way better measurement and mostly free of driver skill variables.

 

[kitkat]

I wish 60-130 testing was more prevalent. That’s a way better measurement and mostly free of driver skill variables.

I don’t think the Emira has a strong 60-130 either. It’s just not a high horsepower, down low torque, or low weight sports car.

If you’re used to higher power cars just dial down the expectations a little bit. If you’re used to a low power econobox you’ll be blown away.

 

[Eagle7]

A Lotus is a momentum car, and the Emira is going to fit right into that driving style. Americans are used to horsepower as the definition of power and speed, which is why they always look at 0-60 times. Cars like a Lotus are focused on being able to maintain speed in the twisties through chassis balance, steering and handling. High amounts of horsepower actually make that difficult on the street. If you're out on the track where you can legally and safely punch it on the straights, that's a different story. Then it's everything; chassis, steering, handling, power and acceleration.

The Emira isn't designed to be a track car, it's a street sports car that can be taken to the track if you want to. It looks to have just the right balance overall to be fun either on the street or the track; not necessarily competitive if you're a max performance driver, but fun nonetheless. It will be interesting to see what mods are developed for it and what it can handle.

 

[lion shf]

I wish 60-130 testing was more prevalent. That’s a way better measurement and mostly free of driver skill variables.

HUGE in the VAG community

 

[TomE]

One more thing to add, when visiting the factory, the color bringing out the most details of all contours and shapes was actually the Nimbus Grey. Normally not my color at all, but all the dark colors made the car's shapes disappear.
At 54 Years, I like the yellow but was told by the misses I should have thought about a yellow car in my twenties, not going clubbing anymore. I'm pretty sure my car will not be the 1st edition, so there will be other colors to choose from, and likely 'White" with full black and yellow calipers will be the final choice.

I'm mid 50s and am going for yellow. My wife gave up trying to influence my choice of car colour long ago and simply refers to it as "mid life crisis yellow".

I agree Nimbus probably shows off the contours best, followed by Magma.

 

[TomE]

0-60s are meaningless unless you are into drag racing.
Power to weight is where its at and anything over 300bhp per tonne is more than adequate. Unfortunately due to the added weight and slight drop in power the Emira will be about 280bhp/tonne ish I think. So comparable to a Audi TTRS which is still a fast car and of course a Cayman 4.0GTS...
The feeling of speed in the Emira won't be helped by its linear power and torque curves and is why there isn't that shove in the seat you get from a traditional turbo car.
As has been said many times its more than fast enough for UK/European roads, but the USA may find it a little lacking

The sensation of speed is different in a normally aspirated car versus a turbo and versus a supercharger.

What we think we experience as acceleration in a car is more likely "surge", the rate of change of acceleration. That's the "push you back in the seat" moment.

With an NA car with a peaky power curve, you feel the initial acceleration, but then the power builds then peaks and tails off. For those who learnt to drive manual NA cars like that and grew up with them, we subconsciously know when to change gear to make best use of the peak part of the power curve. It's one of the reasons why we like rowing gears. After a series of turbo and SC cars I had to re-learn that when I got the Exige. It really likes to be worked between 3000 and 6000 rpm and bogs down below 2500 in 2nd or 3rd gear.

The linearity of the SC in the Emira means it won't give so much of that pushback feeling. What it does do (and the Evora does it as well) is give a strong pull across a wide range of revs and it seems to just keep pulling as the revs increase. This is probably why many reviewers have been caught out by the redline, because there's no obvious plateau or fall-off to prompt you to change up. Instead of the initial pushback, what you get is an "is this ever going to run out of pull" sensation (until you hit the limiter!). My Evora happily pulls well from 2000 rpm in 2nd and keeps pulling strongly up to the rev limit at just over 60mph.

It's a different sensation again in a turbo car. It's going to be really interesting to see how Lotus have set up the i4, as we know they've tuned it to give it more "Lotus-like character" and have reduced some of the peakiness.

 

[VL3X]

It's going to be really interesting to see how Lotus have set up the i4, as we know they've tuned it to give it more "Lotus-like character" and have reduced some of the peakiness.

Agreed! I'm 100% confident in my V6 order, but I'm very interested to see how the i4 plays out. What will the tune be like? How will it be received by journalists? By the actual buyers? What will the aftermarket offer? Exciting times...

 

[Pops68]

0-60s are meaningless unless you are into drag racing.
Power to weight is where its at and anything over 300bhp per tonne is more than adequate. Unfortunately due to the added weight and slight drop in power the Emira will be about 280bhp/tonne ish I think. So comparable to a Audi TTRS which is still a fast car and of course a Cayman 4.0GTS...
The feeling of speed in the Emira won't be helped by its linear power and torque curves and is why there isn't that shove in the seat you get from a traditional turbo car.
As has been said many times its more than fast enough for UK/European roads, but the USA may find it a little lacking

I can't speak for others but I"m not buying the Emira because of its straight-line performance. I'm getting it for the curvy stuff. It was either this or the Cayman/Boxster but I was bummed about the tall gearing. Why have a stick if you just use 2nd and 3rd? Plus the Emira has looks that the Porsche just can't match. So I'll have to be content to sit and wait and make inane comments here...

 

[KevinT27Z]

I test drove the Emira this weekend as well. While waiting, I test drove their AM Vantage. Coming from the AM to the Emira, I can say the AM is FAST and much nicer interior, obviously. The Emria was comfortable and sufficient for the interior feel. I floored it on both and the torque from stationary and from rolling is obviously different but more than capable. I've driven a 718 GT4 and can say the Emira feels a little stronger but they are similar besides the tall gears. Very precise and fun to drive. Usable acceleration and fun to change gears. My previous F Type R was FAST but I could rarely get on it and use it. I drove a Z06 C7 and it felt like shit with no traction and like driving a boat. More HP is not always better, coming from someone who wishes the Emira had at least 450. Besides cabin wind noise and the infotainment being dim, I had no other cons about the car. They said it was Euro spec so he said he didn't know about the front headlight being amber or not but this car it was clear.

 

[Pops68]

I test drove the Emira this weekend as well. While waiting, I test drove their AM Vantage. Coming from the AM to the Emira, I can say the AM is FAST and much nicer interior, obviously. The Emria was comfortable and sufficient for the interior feel. I floored it on both and the torque from stationary and from rolling is obviously different but more than capable. I've driven a 718 GT4 and can say the Emira feels a little stronger but they are similar besides the tall gears. Very precise and fun to drive. Usable acceleration and fun to change gears. My previous F Type R was FAST but I could rarely get on it and use it. I drove a Z06 C7 and it felt like shit with no traction and like driving a boat. More HP is not always better, coming from someone who wishes the Emira had at least 450. Besides cabin wind noise and the infotainment being dim, I had no other cons about the car. They said it was Euro spec so he said he didn't know about the front headlight being amber or not but this car it was clear.

That's the only thing I didn't like about my c6Z06. There is no doubt about its potential but it just didn't provide the feedback that gave me the confidence to get anywhere near the limits. I'm hoping for more useable performance from the Lotus..

 

[Cwolf]

I got a BMW M4 Comp Xdrive while I wait for my Lotus. It is crazy fast. If I didn't have the Lotus coming I would keep it as it is a bad ass vehicle.