The great big "all the customer test drives" thread

[Carbuilder]

Test drove the car at Oakville this afternoon. There isn't really anything I can add that hasn't been said before, so this will be brief.

I liked the yellow until I saw it in person. A bit muted, almost an orangey yellow. Everyone has their own taste, but for me I didn't like it. Other that that, I very much liked everything!

The car really does look good. If someone wasn't familiar with it, it would be mistaken for a Ferrari or a McLaren. Sounds very nice too. The steering is excellent, the shifting is good (not Miata great, but pretty good).

Did experience a bunch of different roads, and even highway. OK, not technically highway, but got on the onramp and stayed on it until it was an offramp. As we got on it, Tony (who was in the other seat) said "slow down a bit and wait for the cars to pull onto the highway, and then hit it". I waited a bit and he said "Lotus is paying for the gas so GO". The car certainly does move. It easily has enough power to have a lot of fun.

He did put it in Sport Mode for a while and the exhaust really sounds good.

I found it very comfortable, easy to drive, and just a whole lot of fun. I would give it an 8 or 9 out of 10.

Rick

 

[Stelvio]

I was able to test drive today through Gator Motorsports in Indianapolis. For reference, I owned a Guilia Ti Sport and switched to a Stelvio Ti Sport. I also drive my wife's Macan on occasion. I've driven the C8 Corvette and Evora GT (auto) recently as well.

Exterior - the demo car was magma red with black pack, black wheels, silver calipers, and black leather interior. Beautiful machine! The red is exactly like Alfa Romeo's Rosso Competizione (tri-coat). It had the sport suspension with Michelin tires. Wheel gap was perfect and very similar to the C8 Corvette. Definitely a 10/10 as far as aesthetics.

Interior - you can tell Lotus paid a lot of attention to detail on the interior. Multiple power outlets and lots of storage cubbies albeit on the smaller side (not much you can do about that in a sports coupe). The fit and finish had a luxury feel on the sportier side similar to the Giulia but not quite as nice as the new C8. I do like the minimalistic design of the Emira versus the busy feel of the C8 though. Overall, I'd rate the interior as 7/10.

Electronics - the KEF audio system was excellent and I would rate it 9/10. It was on par with the Harmon Kardon in the Alfa but not quite the Bose in the Porsche. The infotainment panel had a nice bespoke interface but responses were a tad delayed to my touch. This was a Euro spec so there were no navi maps loaded for me to review. I'm guessing it will be closer to the clean, simple map in the Alfa than it is to the high-end, 4k landscape map in the Porsche. The digital cluster was well laid out and easy to read.

Clutch/Transmission - the clutch was a little stiff but nothing out of the norm for sports cars. The gear box was very mechanical and, as others have said, not to be rushed. I liked the mechanical feel of it and the time to shift between gears was fine for city driving (maybe not the track though). The transmission was smooth once I got the timing down on the clutch release. There was a lot of engagement shifting through town as I found myself rowing through multiple gears in city driving. I'd rate this 7/10.

Exhaust - the sound in sport mode is amazing! The "shrill" of the V6 starts around 2k rpm and gets louder and more frenetic towards redline. You get some burbles in the exhaust similar to a V8 when you left off the gas. It sounds as good as it looks and is a 10/10 for me.

Second post will cover engine, suspension and final thoughts.

 

[Stelvio]

I was able to test drive today through Gator Motorsports in Indianapolis. For reference, I owned a Guilia Ti Sport and switched to a Stelvio Ti Sport. I also drive my wife's Macan on occasion. I've driven the C8 Corvette and Evora GT (auto) recently as well.

Exterior - the demo car was magma red with black pack, black wheels, silver calipers, and black leather interior. Beautiful machine! The red is exactly like Alfa Romeo's Rosso Competizione (tri-coat). It had the sport suspension with Michelin tires. Wheel gap was perfect and very similar to the C8 Corvette. Definitely a 10/10 as far as aesthetics.

Interior - you can tell Lotus paid a lot of attention to detail on the interior. Multiple power outlets and lots of storage cubbies albeit on the smaller side (not much you can do about that in a sports coupe). The fit and finish had a luxury feel on the sportier side similar to the Giulia but not quite as nice as the new C8. I do like the minimalistic design of the Emira versus the busy feel of the C8 though. Overall, I'd rate the interior as 7/10.

Electronics - the KEF audio system was excellent and I would rate it 9/10. It was on par with the Harmon Kardon in the Alfa but not quite the Bose in the Porsche. The infotainment panel had a nice bespoke interface but responses were a tad delayed to my touch. This was a Euro spec so there were no navi maps loaded for me to review. I'm guessing it will be closer to the clean, simple map in the Alfa than it is to the high-end, 4k landscape map in the Porsche. The digital cluster was well laid out and easy to read.

Clutch/Transmission - the clutch was a little stiff but nothing out of the norm for sports cars. The gear box was very mechanical and, as others have said, not to be rushed. I liked the mechanical feel of it and the time to shift between gears was fine for city driving (maybe not the track though). The transmission was smooth once I got the timing down on the clutch release. There was a lot of engagement shifting through town as I found myself rowing through multiple gears in city driving. I'd rate this 7/10.

Exhaust - the sound in sport mode is amazing! The "shrill" of the V6 starts around 2k rpm and gets louder and more frenetic towards redline. You get some burbles in the exhaust similar to a V8 when you left off the gas. It sounds as good as it looks and is a 10/10 for me.

Second post will cover engine, suspension and final thoughts.

Engine - the Emira felt every bit as fast as the Evora GT and the C8. You don't get quite the push of a spooled turbo but there is a kick around 3k rpm then a linear rush to redline. I would agree with others who said it felt like there was more power to be had above redline but there is definitely enough power for enjoyable street use. I've never taken a car to a track so for my use this engine gets a 8/10. I can't wait to test the AMG with DCT. Low-end turbo boost and quick-shifting dual clutch will be perfect!

Suspension - again, this was the sport setup with Michelins. I was on well paved roads so it drove very smooth. The route we took had three tight roundabouts. I was taking them in the 25mph range when the average is in the 10-15mph range. There was no body roll and the Emira hugged the road as if it were on rails. It handled even better than my Guilia (which was ridiculous in its own right) and had more feedback than the C8 (which was non-eventful). The Emira stayed pointed where you directed it while the C8 felt like it wanted to get back into a straight position. I won't be taking the Emira on long trips so I'll be going with the sport set up. The suspension is a 10/10 for me.

I was very close to pulling my deposit but the test drive has kept me in queue. I’m told the AMG demo should be touring the US right before orders start in May/June 2023. I’m guessing the AMG test drive will have me overlooking the shortcomings of the interior and infotainment to hand Lotus a pile of cash.

 

[itsagoose]

Engine - the Emira felt every bit as fast as the Evora GT and the C8. You don't get quite the push of a spooled turbo but there is a kick around 3k rpm then a linear rush to redline. I would agree with others who said it felt like there was more power to be had above redline but there is definitely enough power for enjoyable street use. I've never taken a car to a track so for my use this engine gets a 8/10. I can't wait to test the AMG with DCT. Low-end turbo boost and quick-shifting dual clutch will be perfect!

Suspension - again, this was the sport setup with Michelins. I was on well paved roads so it drove very smooth. The route we took had three tight roundabouts. I was taking them in the 25mph range when the average is in the 10-15mph range. There was no body roll and the Emira hugged the road as if it were on rails. It handled even better than my Guilia (which was ridiculous in its own right) and had more feedback than the C8 (which was non-eventful). The Emira stayed pointed where you directed it while the C8 felt like it wanted to get back into a straight position. I won't be taking the Emira on long trips so I'll be going with the sport set up. The suspension is a 10/10 for me.

I was very close to pulling my deposit but the test drive has kept me in queue. I’m told the AMG demo should be touring the US right before orders start in May/June 2023. I’m guessing the AMG test drive will have me overlooking the shortcomings of the interior and infotainment to hand Lotus a pile of cash.

Did you say the Emira feels as fast as the C8 corvette? The C8 that goes 0-60 in less than 3 seconds?

 

[Stelvio]

Did you say the Emira feels as fast as the C8 corvette? The C8 that goes 0-60 in less than 3 seconds?

Yes, my butt dyno says it felt just as fast lol

 

[Stelvio]

Yes, my butt dyno says it felt just as fast lol

I should clarify this was based on accelerating from 20mph. Might be different from a stand still. I didn’t try accelerating in either car from a stop.

 

[Stelvio]

Had my Emira test drive today (touring on Goodyears). I also test drove a 718 GTS and 718 GT4 today, as I wanted to drive all 3 cars back to back.

My current cars for point of reference: 2005 Honda S2000 and 2011 Lotus Elise SC.

Emira:
-I had the hardest time finding the right driving position. I was either too far from the pedals or too close, and then too close to the steering wheel or too far. The entire drive I never had it dialed in just right. That said, I'm sure spending 10-20 more min with the car I could get it right, but honestly it shouldn't be that difficult. I never felt comfortable or "one" with the car.
-The actual test drive route was lame. Actual drive time was about 5-7 minutes and it was about 97% just straight driving. So, couldn't really test handling, braking, steering, etc.
-What I could test was power. Speed was fine for me, I didn't feel like it was slow. But, like others have stated, I felt the engine was a bit boring or lacked drama.
-I had no issues with the offset pedals...then again, I'm used to it from my Elise.
-No issues with the shape of the steering wheel, but it is a bit thick which was a little distracting. I'm sure I'd get used to it though.
-Shifter felt fine. Shorter throws than the Elise, but longer than the S2000. No issues finding gears.
-No issues rev matching. I've never driven an Evora, but I've heard the throttle response isn't consistent - didn't seem to be the case with the Emira.
-I drove in Sport mode the whole time. The burbles when you lift off throttle are pretty annoying and sound "gimmicky". Personal taste, though.
-Clutch is not very progressive and has a pretty immediate grab point near the top. This is unlike the S2000 and Elise and took a minute to get used to.
-Don't give a hoot about the interior. Not why I'm buying a car like this. That said, it was fine.

GTS/GT4:
-Amazing engine! The induction sound and exhaust are fantastic. Revs freely and throttle response is lightning quick. Very addictive.
-I've never driven a Porsche before today, yet I immediately felt comfortable in both cars, like I had driven them for 5 years. Was able to easily dial in a good driving position.
-Shifter is nice, short throws. I think the S2000 is slightly better, though.
-Clutch is progressive. No learning curve.
-Like the Emira test drive, the route was mostly straight lines and about 5 minutes. So, couldn't really test handling or steering feel.
-Both cars felt sharp and "on edge", especially the GT4. On the one small curve during my drive the back end of the GT4 wanted to kick out slightly. Very tossable and playful. I can see how you will really need to have your wits about you when driving the GT4 at 7+/10ths.
-Don't give a hoot about the interior. Not why I'm buying a car like this. That said, it was fine.

In summary:
I feel like I can't judge the Emira fairly until I'm able to dial in the driving position and also drive it on real roads for more than 5 minutes. That said, my initial impressions were "meh." I didn't feel like I was driving anything that was special. That said, it's very probable the Emira shines on mountain roads, and that's what I'm really hoping for. On one hand, I feel like I can't judge it based on the lame test drive I had, but on the other hand, my initial impressions should be a guide, and they were just "meh."

All that said, the GTS and GT4 were a different experience. I was immediately WOWED driving those cars. The engine felt special in the first 45 seconds. It took 1 minute to feel like I was one with the car. All the inputs were intuitive. I've spent the last 3 hours watching Cayman videos because all I can think about is the GT4.

I'm not backing out of my Emira deposit just yet, but the biggest thing I learned from today is that I'm DEFINTELY getting a GTS/GT4.

I reallllly need to test drive a 718 GTS!

 

[Elisesquared]

I reallllly need to test drive a 718 GTS!

I highly recommend it! To me the GTS is the only true competitor to the Emira, so I think you owe it to yourself to at least drive both before making a final decision.

 

[hbar]

Drove it today. I found shifting not as smooth as I would have liked, didn't find a seating position that was perfect for me, and I thought the engine sounded ok, not great, at low RPMs, as well as a bit weak in that range as well.

But . . . I don't care about any of that. The car was awesome, totally exciting to drive and came alive when given a little bit of a push. I had just a minute or two to drive the way I really like, shifting between second, third, maybe fourth, in the meat of the power band and modulating the speed through corners, but not at 10/10ths. Driving that way, it was a thrill, great sense of power when adding throttle. The handling and steering were agile, and eager, planted without losing a sense of fun. The brake feel was great. The noise was unique and exciting. I loved it.

My wife checked the car out too, sat in it, started it up, etc. Unlike some of the other sports cars we've looked at or owned that are too brash for her, she'll enjoy riding and driving in this one. Some people like really loud cars, they'll want an aftermarket exhaust. I found it a good balance for my preferences.

I also spent some time with the stereo as there was a bit of a gap before the next driver came. It had what was to my ear good clarity, and was plenty powerful for my taste. However, I didn't think the low range was balanced as well as it could have been. My guess is that could be improved with settings, but didn't get to try. I also know that speakers take time to break in, so curious what it will sound like after a month or two of use.

 

[FrenchBred]

Engine - the Emira felt every bit as fast as the Evora GT and the C8. You don't get quite the push of a spooled turbo but there is a kick around 3k rpm then a linear rush to redline. I would agree with others who said it felt like there was more power to be had above redline but there is definitely enough power for enjoyable street use. I've never taken a car to a track so for my use this engine gets a 8/10. I can't wait to test the AMG with DCT. Low-end turbo boost and quick-shifting dual clutch will be perfect!

Suspension - again, this was the sport setup with Michelins. I was on well paved roads so it drove very smooth. The route we took had three tight roundabouts. I was taking them in the 25mph range when the average is in the 10-15mph range. There was no body roll and the Emira hugged the road as if it were on rails. It handled even better than my Guilia (which was ridiculous in its own right) and had more feedback than the C8 (which was non-eventful). The Emira stayed pointed where you directed it while the C8 felt like it wanted to get back into a straight position. I won't be taking the Emira on long trips so I'll be going with the sport set up. The suspension is a 10/10 for me.

I was very close to pulling my deposit but the test drive has kept me in queue. I’m told the AMG demo should be touring the US right before orders start in May/June 2023. I’m guessing the AMG test drive will have me overlooking the shortcomings of the interior and infotainment to hand Lotus a pile of cash.

This is the kind of review I needed to keep the faith. THANK YOU!!!

 

[NicolasB]

I can't see how a C8 feels like an Emira? Side by side the C8 would walk away power-wise.

 

[emiraspain]

Did you say the Emira feels as fast as the C8 corvette? The C8 that goes 0-60 in less than 3 seconds?

not if you dont press the accelerator pedel it doesnt..... haha

 

[Stelvio]

I can't see how a C8 feels like an Emira? Side by side the C8 would walk away power-wise.

C8 is 495hp pushing ~3700 lbs while the Emira is 400hp pushing ~3000 lbs. They’re both roughly 7.5 lb/hp.

Real world results show the C8 at 3.0s 0-60 and 11.2s 1/4 mile. The Evora GT (used for comparison since no Emira test numbers yet) is 3.9s 0-60 and 12.2s 1/4 mile.

The C8’s advantage is at launch with 470 ft-lbs. However, that advantage is lost when cruising through town at 20-30mph then accelerating. I’d love to see 30-60mph and 60-90mph numbers. IMO, these are more real life situations of accelerating out of roundabouts or passing on the highway versus the 0-60mph time for drag racing at stop lights.

FWIW, I definitely felt the heft of the C8 while the Emira felt much more nimble.

 

[DF_Toronto]

I can't see how a C8 feels like an Emira? Side by side the C8 would walk away power-wise.

2 friends have C8s and I concur, It obviously is off the line and we know that by the 0-60. But it doesn’t feel that way. The C8 shouldn’t be as fast as it is off the line given it’s 600-700 pounds heavier? But I think it’s got launch stuff and was engineered to hit a sub 3 benchmark. This is usable if you want to race someone at a light but otherwise doesn’t add much feel of speed vs the Lotus for all other aspects of driving IMO.

Also as a comparison while the C8 has an amazing interior finish vs the Emira, it’s a less comfortable ride.

 

[kitkat]

C8 is 495hp pushing ~3700 lbs while the Emira is 400hp pushing ~3000 lbs. They’re both roughly 7.5 lb/hp.

Real world results show the C8 at 3.0s 0-60 and 11.2s 1/4 mile. The Evora GT (used for comparison since no Emira test numbers yet) is 3.9s 0-60 and 12.2s 1/4 mile.

The C8’s advantage is at launch with 470 ft-lbs. However, that advantage is lost when cruising through town at 20-30mph then accelerating. I’d love to see 30-60mph and 60-90mph numbers. IMO, these are more real life situations of accelerating out of roundabouts or passing on the highway versus the 0-60mph time for drag racing at stop lights.

FWIW, I definitely felt the heft of the C8 while the Emira felt much more nimble.

You’re missing about 260 lbs from your Emira fe weight. The real world Emira 0-60 is about 2 seconds slower than the c8, let’s not use the 0-60 figures from a different car.

The other real world metrics from any other speed on the Emira also are considerably slower.

I don’t think you were fully pressing the accelerator pedals on both cars.

 

[SPoivre]

Personally, I find that 30-70 or 30-100 is where my butt dyno feels the difference in cars. 0-60 doesn’t really enter the calculus much in my daily driving.

The combination of torque and gearing is hard to judge strictly from the numbers. E.g. I was disappointed in a 2016 Porsche Spyder because it just didn’t have the shove my 718 GTS T4 had in that range. I got a real kick out of the “ Sport response” button. It was like launch control for the passing lane.

Stating the obvious for some people…this was the first car with a supercharger I had driven. I expected it to feel like a turbo but without the lag…but it felt more like NA to me. I.e. not the low down torque I was expecting.

To each his own..

Now back to more conflicting reviews….

 

[TomE]

When we finished the drive, the Lotus rep, without prompting (thanks Tom!) played some music via Apple CarPlay through the Spotify app at a level that was louder then I would typically play my car stereo. It was cranking out plenty of bass and while Spotify is a lossy/compressed service which was being streamed to the KEF via Bluetooth (also a lossy CODEC) I heard plenty of clarity, imaging and output. Spotify has a built in adjustable EQ so maybe the rep had tweaked it but as a closet audiophile and live sound reinforcement tech for more than 40 years my sense is that with a quality source and adjustment to taste (EQ and input level matching) the system will be more than adequate. KEF has an enviable reputation in the audiophile community and I wouldn’t take their involvement in the project lightly. The Uni-Q drivers used in the Lotus are well regarded and I doubt we’ve been given a less than genuine implementation in the Emira. I would love to know if one of the USB jacks can serve as an audio input directly from an external device which would give us the best shot of maximizing the input source quality (TIDAL/Qobuz anyone?) but very few cars do these days (no matter the price point) and I wouldn’t criticize KEF or Lotus for not including what is a fairly esoteric request in the factory system. Most folks love the convenience of streaming via bluetooth.

For info, the two USB ports (1x Type A and 1x Type C) inside the Emira central armrest storage are connected directly to the infotainment system and can be used for either a USB stick or an external device. So yes, it is possible to use a lossless source. My plan is to use a stick permanently plugged in as a jukebox, as I don't use streaming audio services on my phone.

 

[Stelvio]

You’re missing about 260 lbs from your Emira fe weight. The real world Emira 0-60 is about 2 seconds slower than the c8, let’s not use the 0-60 figures from a different car.

The other real world metrics from any other speed on the Emira also are considerably slower.

I don’t think you were fully pressing the accelerator pedals on both cars.

I promise you I know how to floor the go pedal lol.

Sorry, the Emira weighs closer to 3,125 lbs. My rep told me it’s 50 lbs lighter than the Evora GT (3,175 lbs) during my test drive. So we’re looking at 7.5 lbs/hp vs 7.8 lbs/hp. Probably why I didn’t feel an appreciable difference when accelerating out of roundabouts.

Are you saying the Emira is 5.0s 0-60mph? There’s no way it’s not low 4’s.

 

[Dabjbr]

I may sound like an ass but I take sales rep insight with a grain of salt. No, more like a whole shaker of salt. Generally speaking, the forum enthusiast will know way more than most car salesmen.

I think those comparing power feel may also not consider throttle mapping. There’s a reason why people buy those Pedal Commander devices and think they added power when it does nothing more than change sensitivity.

This may also be the same with braking power. If there’s strong initial bite, someone might misinterpret that as great fade free brakes.

Although I’m really looking forward to test driving it myself (assuming my dealer squeezes me in the very tight schedule), I’m really looking forward to a demanding track comparison with some actual numbers.

 

[DF_Toronto]

I don’t think anyone saying it feels fast or just as fast is claiming that it actually is. Some of us want the “fastest” or ”faster” than what we already own. For others there are some elements and the whole package that carry’s more weight. Imagine having a kid who’s an incredible athlete and can run 100M in 10.5 seconds. Some will immediately say “oh well he’s not fast enough to ever run in the Olympics”, but maybe that’s fine and can still say he’s fast and doesn’t just want to be a sprinter anyways and use his quickness towards other athletics where 100M time isn’t the be all and end all. To each their own .