Steve Sutcliffe review

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/lotus/emira/357516/new-lotus-emira-2022-review

 

[Lowtush]

I'm honestly kind of shocked by how many people are so turned off by these journalists' reviews. None of us have driven the car. I'd prefer to make my own judgement after driving the car as opposed to relying on something said by some person I don't know.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but none of these reviews thus far have been given by professional racing drivers - - just guys who know how to speak / write eloquently and who happen to have the opportunity to do that about cars for a living.

Until I hear a professional driver pick the vehicle apart, I'm content to withhold jumping to conclusions.

Will this be the best sports car ever/for the money/Lotus has ever made? Perhaps not - - but it's not going to be a dud, either. If you want a pure driver's car that makes no exceptions, go buy a Caterham 7 and a bottle of Tylenol. If you want the refined-to-sterility "king", get your dental license and buy the elongated-Beetle, err, Porsche Caymen/911/I can't tell them apart.

Everyone take your fingers off the trigger and just breathe. It will be alright and this will be a great driver's car.

 

[CarGuy07]

Yeah, let’s try to be a bit more patient and hope for better reviews/news. As Matthew McConaughey would say, everything will be alright alright alright.

 

[Tonyshepp]

Oh dear just reading that review does not fill me with confidence that this is a drivers car so has Jenson Button been spouting a load of tosh
From reading that review it doesn’t even come across as exciting to drive. Getting the feeling we’re paying £80k for just something that looks good but is a step back where they have been & from being a drivers car. Quotes:
” you could argue this is a lot of money for a car with a Toyota V6 “and yet again gearbox is called out
” fails to deliver thrills like a Cayman does “
“ we wish it luck “ oh dear
when I read this it gives me the impression when I drive it I’ll just think I’m driving bog standard car not a sports car. Sounds like they have dialled it back to be too civilised - thats not what I thought I was getting …..
I’m sorry but these reviews are not great at all

Maybe the dynamic attributes team need to be re-educated on what good looks like. The mantra 'for the drivers" seems to be sadly misaligned.

Just when my Auotrader addiction had been cured I feel the need to indulge on it again..

 

[freefall_junkie]

One thing I find curious about the reviews this week is that on aggregate they seem to be less positive about the car's dynamics than they were about the white VP car that the press had access to back in March. Maybe that reflects the weight of expectation on a car which should be finished , maybe it is because more miles have been driven on the road, but I do wonder if in the final finessing of the car's suspension over the last few months Gav & co have taken the car a little too far in the direction of comfort and usability for Lotus newcomers rather than the pin sharp responses which us enthusiasts want. I am sure there is a major post-mortem going on at Hethel of all the reviews but I would guess it is way too late now for further dynamic tweaks before production of customer cars starts.

 

[Leonard]

One thing I find curious about the reviews this week is that on aggregate they seem to be less positive about the car's dynamics than they were about the white VP car that the press had access to back in March. Maybe that reflects the weight of expectation on a car which should be finished , maybe it is because more miles have been driven on the road, but I do wonder if in the final finessing of the car's suspension over the last few months Gav & co have taken the car a little too far in the direction of comfort and usability for Lotus newcomers rather than the pin sharp responses which us enthusiasts want. I am sure there is a major post-mortem going on at Hethel of all the reviews but I would guess it is way too late now for further dynamic tweaks before production of customer cars starts.

It feels that way. I have no doubt that it can be 'fixed' aftermarket. But I'm past tweaking my cars now, I just want it to work out of the box (despite already accepting I need a cat bypass on this car...)

 

[jpizzle]

It feels that way. I have no doubt that it can be 'fixed' aftermarket. But I'm past tweaking my cars now, I just want it to work out of the box (despite already accepting I need a cat bypass on this car.

do you know anyone in Derby who could cat bypass?

 

[Leonard]

do you know anyone in Derby who could cat bypass?

There are a few custom exhaust places, but I think I'd probably wait until someone brings one out aftermarket and then fit myself

 

[emiraspain]

What's the likelihood of a V6 more hard core version?

A 430 HP seems to be confirmed by Evo in its final final edition, probably in a year or two.....

 

[Evotion]

I'm honestly kind of shocked by how many people are so turned off by these journalists' reviews.

I agree with that. The car looks incredible and will feel incredible to us all. Not eve 1% of me considered 'oh, it must be a bad car'.

I was just upset that people were not falling in love with my dream car
How dare they..

 

[TomAce]

It feels that way. I have no doubt that it can be 'fixed' aftermarket. But I'm past tweaking my cars now, I just want it to work out of the box (despite already accepting I need a cat bypass on this car...)

Yeah, that's my thinking, too. It all started already with the wheel gap situation. I was reminded to my feelings about the M2 when it arrived. It just wasn't what I had expected and I had to change it (M-Perfomance suspension). And the same I started now again with the Emira, thinking of spending a fortune for Öhlins coilovers. Just because of the ride height.

Now, two days after all the reviews came out I think I need the coilovers also for making the ride suitable for my personal taste because even the Sports setup could mean it's not responsive enough, at least what I was suspecting to get after I had watched all the Evora reviews. It's seems to be a much more toned down experience, the steering (probably also because of 20 inch wheels) isn't as communicative as ever. But that's what Lotus' are famous for.

The ride feels more planted, not so playful anymore (HC). I heard the podcast where Andrew Frankel says the Touring setup on the track switches between understeer and then oversteer.

I'm sorry to say that but it all feels a little underwhelming to me. And I believe all the reviewers really wanted Lotus to succeed and maybe this is the reason why Jethro Bovingdon was also soo frustrated / negative.

In the last pre-pre-production reviews everyone was like: Lotus kicked it out of the park, no, out of the country!

And now, two-three months later Steve Sutcliffe wishes Lotus good luck for the future and that the Emira will be a success.
I had hoped that he would've said something like: They nailed it this time! Like with the Alpine A110 several years ago.

Very mixed feelings I have to be honest, because it obviously depends on my test drive now. Before Tuesday it was a clear thing for me, but now I have doubts. You have to adopt to the car's behaviour and give it time to settle into the curve and what else. It all sounds somehow complicated, too complicated.

It still is an absolutely stunning car to look at, but it also really needs to deliver. And especially in the ride and handling department I thought it would absolutely convince everyone, which it does not entirely regarding to the reviews.

For me it is such a big investment moneywise that I really have to justify it for myself spending so much money on a car. And in that regard it just has to blow me away.

 

[Evotion]

For me it is such a big investment moneywise that I really have to justify it for myself spending so much money on a car. And in that regard it just has to blow me away.

Absolutely a fair comment and many others will be the same.
I can understand why the reviews have made people stutter.
It is not the finished article plus, I suspect, in the hands of most people it will more than good enough to bring a much welcome smile to their faces.

 

[Eagle7]

Here's the problem as I see it. The car looks like it should be the fastest thing on the road, and it isn't. That's the letdown. This is why we saw people so upset that it didn't/doesn't have more power. They want the performance to match the looks. I think had Lotus known how it would be received, they probably would have in fact put more into the power, but they didn't know, and took what seemed the most reasonable and realistic path at the time. However if it had the performance to match the looks, it wouldn't be under $100k, then it wouldn't have the huge demand it has now. Somewhat of a Catch 22.

I think they made the right choice business-wise, which was a choice they had to make. As Matt said, "If you want sports cars, we have to make money". It may not be the perfect car in all ways that some were hoping it would be, but then that's a Lotus, isn't it. And in that regard, it really is a Lotus. I think as people live with it, they're going to find out why Lotus people love their cars.

 

[Leonard]

Here's the problem as I see it. The car looks like it should be the fastest thing on the road, and it isn't. That's the letdown. This is why we saw people so upset that it didn't/doesn't have more power. They want the performance to match the looks. I think had Lotus known how it would be received, they probably would have in fact put more into the power, but they didn't know, and took what seemed the most reasonable and realistic path at the time. However if it had the performance to match the looks, it wouldn't be under $100k, then it wouldn't have the huge demand it has now. Somewhat of a Catch 22.

I think they made the right choice business-wise, which was a choice they had to make. As Matt said, "If you want sports cars, we have to make money". It may not be the perfect car in all ways that some were hoping it would be, but then that's a Lotus, isn't it. And in that regard, it really is a Lotus. I think as people live with it, they're going to find out why Lotus people love their cars.

Id 'argue' that they probably did know and that there was probably a case within Lotus to give it more power initially. Hence Matt and a few others quoting 416bhp.
Only Lotus knows why this has changed, it cant be money as it's all purely software as far as I'm aware. But they must know that it's a disappointment to prespective buyers, especially as it now appears that we have lost another 6 horses and 200 rpm... that's the real rub at this stage!

 

[Eagle7]

Id 'argue' that they probably did know and that there was probably a case within Lotus to give it more power initially. Hence Matt and a few others quoting 416bhp.
Only Lotus knows why this has changed, it cant be money as it's all purely software as far as I'm aware. But they must know that it's a disappointment to prespective buyers, especially as it now appears that we have lost another 6 horses and 200 rpm... that's the real rub at this stage!

Another 16 hp isn't enough to match the looks of the car. Although I personally don't need more, the looks give the impression it has 450-500 which some forum members have said they wished it had. If it had that much power, it would be the performer it looks like it should be. If it had the Alfa Romeo QV's twin turbo 6 with 505 hp in it, it would be killer. In that regard, those people are/were right.

Honestly if we weren't coming to the end of the ICE era, I bet Lotus would be looking at the next generation of Emira and indeed putting that kind of power into it. The demand for this model would justify the development cost. They're probably already planning on that for the i4, except it won't have the manual which so far has shown to be a fairly big attraction. I just wish they had another 20 years of time for ICE development instead of only about 7. We'll see what they do with the Type 135.

 

[Evotion]

Let's start a petition.

#giveusbackour16hp



I do find it a touch disingenuous that they are holding back on the power, ready to sell us more powerful versions.
On the flipside, the car will be fast and not far from a road sweet point so I am not worried in the slightest.

 

[Leonard]

Another 16 hp isn't enough to match the looks of the car.

20 bhp more
It would at least move it out of the reach of the average hit hatch!

 

[Eagle7]

Well if they had to dial it back a tiny bit because of emissions, I can understand that. This is the problem with having only one vehicle for sale, and it's a sports car. They needed the Eletre to start building an emissions fleet average but by the time that comes out, it won't matter for the V6.

 

[dgrace]

Isn't the GPF only for the UK/EU market? Does that affect HP as well as exhaust note? I know the Evora GT had a 3rd cat that was commonly pulled out post-delivery - are we expecting similar on the Emira? The combination of those might get US models back up to the expected 416hp.

 

[kitkat]

I'm honestly kind of shocked by how many people are so turned off by these journalists' reviews. None of us have driven the car. I'd prefer to make my own judgement after driving the car as opposed to relying on something said by some person I don't know.

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but none of these reviews thus far have been given by professional racing drivers - - just guys who know how to speak / write eloquently and who happen to have the opportunity to do that about cars for a living.

Until I hear a professional driver pick the vehicle apart, I'm content to withhold jumping to conclusions.

Will this be the best sports car ever/for the money/Lotus has ever made? Perhaps not - - but it's not going to be a dud, either. If you want a pure driver's car that makes no exceptions, go buy a Caterham 7 and a bottle of Tylenol. If you want the refined-to-sterility "king", get your dental license and buy the elongated-Beetle, err, Porsche Caymen/911/I can't tell them apart.

Everyone take your fingers off the trigger and just breathe. It will be alright and this will be a great driver's car.

The need to fully justify one's commitments apparently outweighs a professional car reviewer's opinion.

 

[Evotion]

The combination of those might get US models back up to the expected 416hp

Youi might be right... Umm.