Super excited - transmission quandry!

[richbrown]

For me it's an Auto as the car is for daily use especially for me living in London with a lot of painful traffic.

If I lived out in the sticks and my Emira was my second car or just a weekend toy then it has to be the manual.

100% agree

 

[supersix]

Welcome to the forum @Barfly

I'm thinking manual V6 or auto I4. I'm still undecided at this point, and unfortunately, there's still plenty of time left to make the decision."

 

[Porter]

My 17 year old daughter says I should get it so she can “learn stick”. I said “seriously you think you’re gonna drive my Lotus? Funny!” Fact is, she scares me a little so I’ll have to let her LOL.

This is super funny and too real. Smart Dad, honestly.

For my own opinion, I think a manual is incredibly fun (and it's my personal preference) but the IPS auto is a perfectly reasonable and competent choice as well. It's not like we are talking about a slow and reluctant 4 speed auto from the 1990s, this is a modern, fast, computer-driven auto box similar to a ZF.

Choose what works best for your lifestyle and the driving experience that you want. There's no shame in making a choice that maximizes your own enjoyment, that's the whole point of this kind of car.

 

[Snakes]

This video describes the IPS box and he discusses the newer version and implies that it's not an IPS box. I have no idea about this - JayEmm's video.

There seems to be plenty of belief around that the AMG DCT option is the one to go for if considering an "auto".

As I said, above, I'll have to wait for the reviews to be posted once the two cars become avaialble

 

[Concept24]

Thanks for the feedback! It really sounds like they’re both good choices. I think I’ll go with the manual. My 17 year old daughter says I should get it so she can “learn stick”. I said “seriously you think you’re gonna drive my Lotus? Funny!” Fact is, she scares me a little so I’ll have to let her LOL.

Other considerations, with the world going to EV, not sure how long any car like this will be offered with manual. It’s a toy, I don’t expect it to be a daily driver. Even so, I’d guess half my commuting in the last 20 years has been with a manual and it never really bothered me. Unless I was trying to eat while driving

Now back to picking a color.. thought I had settled on Nimbus Grey. Just saw a red one in a video that looked amazing. Problem is they all look great.

Back in the mid-2000s, while driving with a bunch of Corvette owners on a "spirited" drive, outside of the city, one of the owners allowed his 17 year-old son to drive while the day was in the passenger seat.
As they rounded a corner at an unsafe speed, the car drifted into the oncoming lane. The teenaged driver overcorrected, sending the car down an embankment and into a tree. The dad was lucky he wasn't killed.
All the other drivers wondered why in the world a parent would let a 17 year-old drive a fast sportscar.
Please, don't make the same mistake he did!

 

[Porter]

Back in the mid-2000s, while driving with a bunch of Corvette owners on a "spirited" drive, outside of the city, one of the owners allowed his 17 year-old son to drive while the day was in the passenger seat.
As they rounded a corner at an unsafe speed, the car drifted into the oncoming lane. The teenaged driver overcorrected, sending the car down an embankment and into a tree. The dad was lucky he wasn't killed.
All the other drivers wondered why in the world a parent would let a 17 year-old drive a fast sportscar.
Please, don't make the same mistake he did!

Jesus Christ take it easy on the guy. As a counterpoint, there are 17-year-olds who are championship winning racing drivers.

 

[Panda47]

Hi!

I live in a rural area of N California (w. Sonoma county) and told myself that after our road is asphalt paved I would buy another sports car. The old road required 4WD.. I’ve never had anything like a Lotus, a couple old Porsches many years ago, 914 & 356B, and a Mitsubishi Eclipse. A good friend is a Lotus enthusiast and it rubbed off. I have a deposit on a V6 Emira.

I need to specify my build and having trouble deciding between auto and manual transmission. My friend says the auto is completely wrong for a Lotus and you give up half the fun of driving the car! I like the idea of being lazy with the automatic and paddle shifters sound OK. But I also think he might be right.

Any thoughts about which transmission?

Thanks!
Josh

Definitely manual,you won't regret it.

 

[Barfly]

Back in the mid-2000s, while driving with a bunch of Corvette owners on a "spirited" drive, outside of the city, one of the owners allowed his 17 year-old son to drive while the day was in the passenger seat.
As they rounded a corner at an unsafe speed, the car drifted into the oncoming lane. The teenaged driver overcorrected, sending the car down an embankment and into a tree. The dad was lucky he wasn't killed.
All the other drivers wondered why in the world a parent would let a 17 year-old drive a fast sportscar.
Please, don't make the same mistake he did!

Totally understand. I would NEVER allow the 17-year old me to drive a car like this! I remember when I was 17 driving my mom's '69 Ford LTD 390 V8 (a real boat) up Van Nuys Blvd with a pile of my friends and lighting up the tires the entire block in front of the police station. haha I was a real twit.

My daughter genuinely wants to learn to drive a manual. She's a very good, cautious driver, and her daily commute to school has 7 mi of winding road. This will definitely be a parking lot experience!

 

[Concept24]

Totally understand. I would NEVER allow the 17-year old me to drive a car like this! I remember when I was 17 driving my mom's '69 Ford LTD 390 V8 (a real boat) up Van Nuys Blvd with a pile of my friends and lighting up the tires the entire block in front of the police station. haha I was a real twit.

My daughter genuinely wants to learn to drive a manual. She's a very good, cautious driver, and her daily commute to school has 7 mi of winding road. This will definitely be a parking lot experience!

Ha, that looks like me at 17, except in a 1973 Plymouth Duster with 6-cylinder engine (luckily).
Each of our teens received a $5000 car. Our son had a 1997 Honda Civic DX hatch with manual transmission. That's what he we used when teaching him to drive a manual at age 16. Of course, we eventually lowered the car on Eibach springs and Konis, added a Magnalow exhaust system, pillar gauge pop with a tachometer and digital clock, full AEM CAI system, and larger wheels and tires.......also an alarm system with backup battery.
Our daughter received a 2002 Mazda Protege Sedan with auto trans and side air bags - no mods.

Our son did not drive the Corvette until he had years of experience.

The video had me laughing, hysterically!

 

[Concept24]

Jesus Christ take it easy on the guy. As a counterpoint, there are 17-year-olds who are championship winning racing drivers.

Yes, with lots more experience than a 17-year old who probably just got her license. But yes, girls tend to be more cautious when driving. That explains why auto insurance cost for male teens is higher than it is for female.

 

[CoryC]

The manual is one of the main things that makes this car truly unique... an analog sportscar with direct control, but proper, modern amenities inside for daily use. If you're not looking for that experience, I struggle to find the allure of the Emira over so many of the other choices in the marketplace... C8, McLaren, 4C, etc. IF you LOVE the Emira for what it is visually and otherwise, I'd maybe hold out for the I4 with the proper DCT, but you will lose that great sound of the V6. To me, this is a unicorn as a manual transmission NEW car in this current marketplace and there is simply no other choice. Good luck with your decision!!

 

[107US]

Hi!

I live in a rural area of N California (w. Sonoma county) and told myself that after our road is asphalt paved I would buy another sports car. The old road required 4WD.. I’ve never had anything like a Lotus, a couple old Porsches many years ago, 914 & 356B, and a Mitsubishi Eclipse. A good friend is a Lotus enthusiast and it rubbed off. I have a deposit on a V6 Emira.

I need to specify my build and having trouble deciding between auto and manual transmission. My friend says the auto is completely wrong for a Lotus and you give up half the fun of driving the car! I like the idea of being lazy with the automatic and paddle shifters sound OK. But I also think he might be right.

Any thoughts about which transmission?

Thanks!
Josh

Hi Josh,

I've decided to go with the manual V6 because I use the Emira as a fun car on weekends or for short road trips. For me, manual shifting is part of the whole experience. For daily driving here in a city, I personally would opt for the V4 auto. I can't imagine driving the emira manual v6 in our narrow crowded city streets; concerns about traffic/fuel consumption and also public parking would worry me. (I do have an estate with auto for the family and a small electric car for the city)

 

[Speedy Emira]

It’s a very personal thing but for me there are certain cars that were meant to be a certain way. My ex military Land Rover is olive drab green and I don’t care how many get painted in various other colours it just doesn’t look right.
Lotus progressed from 4 pots in their lightweight sports cars to the V6 and for some reason added the 4 pot again. It may have been to try and expand the customer base but certainly emissions would have played a big part in this.
The V6 manual will be gone soon and will be a very collectible car. If Ferrari put a 4 pot and an electric motor in the current F8 to replace their V8 it could be faster but it will never be the same. If they brought out a limited run of manual F8s they would be snapped up in seconds at a premium price.
but for you this could be your forever car and the only thing that matters is what feels best to drive. It’s a hard choice but either way it’s the best looking car around with an amazing drive. We look forward to hearing what you choose and hope the delivery times will have reduced by the time it arrives.

 

[Barfly]

A lot has happened since I started this thread! I placed the order & confirmed an FE2 V6 manual. in the meantime I ended up buying an Evora GT back in July. At that point I had no idea if & when an Emira would materialize, so I thought I’d drive the GT until the Emira shows up. Turned out I fell in love with the Evora and just don’t feel like Emira is an upgrade for me. End of last year I cancelled the Emira and got my deposit back.

 

[107US]

A lot has happened since I started this thread! I placed the order & confirmed an FE2 V6 manual. in the meantime I ended up buying an Evora GT back in July. At that point I had no idea if & when an Emira would materialize, so I thought I’d drive the GT until the Emira shows up. Turned out I fell in love with the Evora and just don’t feel like Emira is an upgrade for me. End of last year I cancelled the Emira and got my deposit back.

Great, enjoy it