The greatest bargain or a rip off?

[Bilbao-Emira]

It's difficult to describe how a car drives. I'm reminded of the maxim "writing about music is like dancing about architecture".

If you want to equate driving a car to listening to music (bear with me!), then we all have our favourite tracks (roads) and our devices for playing them (cars).

Sometimes we're happy to put on the radio or a random playlist and just listen to whatever is on. Often we won't pay it much attention, it's just a background while we do something else. It's the A-to-B journey or daily commute where we just need to get to the destination. The quality of the track and the player might be important to us, to a greater or lesser extent, but they aren't the main reason for the journey.

At other times we want to listen to one of our most favourite tracks. It has some kind of importance to us - memories it evokes, the quality of the composition or how it's played, some meaning in the lyrics, a catchy melody. For some, hearing that track played live is the pinnacle of enjoying it. For others it's about the most accurate digital reproduction of what the artist intended.

Driving a Lotus is like listening to that favourite track on vinyl, carefully placing the record on the turntable, hearing the needle drop into place and closing your eyes to focus on enjoying that piece of music. It's analogue, connected and emotional.

Fully agree, but @TomE , I am not so sure about the ending, although we have for sure done it, closing the eyes to focus on a Lotus might be pushing the envelope a little bit!!!

 

[Pops68]

Is the Lotus Emira:

1.) The greatest sports car bargain based on its exceptionally attractive packaging, incredible handling and steering, and rarity on par with Ferraris, Maserati‘s, and Lamborghinis costing 3 to 4 times the price?

2.) A complete rip off because Toyota Supras, Nissan Z‘s, and C8 Corvettes offer the same or better performance, modern V6/8 engines, manual transmissions for possibly 60% of the price?

3.) Somehow both at the exact same time?

For me it has to be #1. I've already had a 350Z (which was a great car but started falling apart right after warranty expired), and a c6z06 Vette (had that wonderful car for 12 trouble free years) and I wanted something new and different. I was getting serious about the Cayman GTS until I saw the Emira. It's looks are definitely up there with the exotics and it has a stick so....

 

[Lotustoronto]

So I have been thinking about this question ever since I deposited on Emira. Until I drive it, and see it in the flesh I won't be able to know 100%. I think the closest competition is the cayman GTS when it comes to performance and brand. Rarity, it will be more rare than a Porsche, not as rare as a Ferrari, so that places it the more rare side, which is good. The corvette is the other main competition. Not for performance, but for a car with super car style and priced under 100K. I have owned a C8 and only had it two months - one of the first deliveries in Canada (no I did not flip, this was before prices got crazy, plus I traded it for Porsche) It is very over styled, and interior material was not great. The rear end was what did for me. The drive is fairly boring and it feels heavy, and no manual. To me Lotus styled the car much much better, has a manual option, interior material seems to be much much higher (leather, alcantara stitching that isn't off). Corvette only wins in straight line performance. (Z06 is probably a lot better, but way more $)

So to answer the question, Yes I think it's option 1. Not because it has performance in the Ferrari/Lambo/maserati range, but it certainly has the looks. The car mag test showed it had the looks to hang with the super cars. So performance of a Porsche GTS 4.0, with the looks closer to a Ferrari and rarer than any C8, Nissan Z etc.

I am showing a picture of the worst angle of the C8 that nobody takes pictures of. To my eye, it's not very pretty.

 

[lion shf]

I test drove the C8 and LOVED it. I’ll see your auto trans only and raise you a convertible. I’m guessing after reading this board the past month, the C8 is screwed together WAY better than the Lotus. That said I’m not buying anything until I drive the I4.
I’m interested in the 718T, htc C8 and the I4 and in no particular hurry

 

[Lotustoronto]

I test drove the C8 and LOVED it. I’ll see your auto trans only and raise you a convertible. I’m guessing after reading this board the past month, the C8 is screwed together WAY better than the Lotus. That said I’m not buying anything until I drive the I4.
I’m interested in the 718T, htc C8 and the I4 and in no particular hurry

It is a very quick car and it's side profile looks really good. Interior leather is just ok, and the base trim is not real leather. Stitching was off in many spots. Ride was nice and supple. Overall it felt a bit too refined. Similar driving sensation to a 911 these days. I did not find it exciting and the styling was not great. Interior styling was better than the outside.

I don't think you need a HTC in the C8. The hardtop is already a targa and can be removed and stored in the trunk. Probably the highlight to the C8, plus you get to keep the glass and see the engine! Value for money, I don't think that anyone can touch the C8 on paper. To me it's manual > convertible.

Emira looks better interior and exterior, from what I can see has superior interior materials, weighs 500 lbs lighter, has a manual and I am hoping a more honest sports car feel, oppose to the grand touring nature of the c8 and 911. If you never track your cars and drive it daily the C8 (not great interior storage) and 911 are probably better cars. Having owned both the 911 is much better in every aspect.

Not sure you wanted my opinion lol... but there it is.

edit: never driven a 718T, but I have heard it's a very good car, the 718 Spyder to me was the best drive I owned for the sports car feel. Hoping Lotus bests it.

 

[lion shf]

It is a very quick car and it's side profile looks really good. Interior leather is just ok, and the base trim is not real leather. Stitching was off in many spots. Ride was nice and supple. Overall it felt a bit too refined. Similar driving sensation to a 911 these days. I did not find it exciting and the styling was not great. Interior styling was better than the outside.

I don't think you need a HTC in the C8. The hardtop is already a targa and can be removed and stored in the trunk. Probably the highlight to the C8, plus you get to keep the glass and see the engine! Value for money, I don't think that anyone can touch the C8 on paper. To me it's manual > convertible.

Emira looks better interior and exterior, from what I can see has superior interior materials, weighs 500 lbs lighter, has a manual and I am hoping a more honest sports car feel, oppose to the grand touring nature of the c8 and 911. If you never track your cars and drive it daily the C8 (not great interior storage) and 911 are probably better cars. Having owned both the 911 is much better in every aspect.

Not sure you wanted my opinion lol... but there it is.

edit: never driven a 718T, but I have heard it's a very good car, the 718 Spyder to me was the best drive I owned for the sports car feel. Hoping Lotus bests it.

LOVED to hear a C8 owners opinion, thanks! Gotta admit, I’m leaning small block V8 after a lifetime of 4s. And I’m nervous to say this but I golf 3 days a week and one of these 3 will be my only car
will a golf bag fit behind the Emira seats? I’ll be bringing clubs to my demo day.

 

[kratedisease]

LOVED to hear a C8 owners opinion, thanks! Gotta admit, I’m leaning small block V8 after a lifetime of 4s. And I’m nervous to say this but I golf 3 days a week and one of these 3 will be my only car
will a golf bag fit behind the Emira seats? I’ll be bringing clubs to my demo day.

absolutely love my C8.

12,000 miles now with ZERO issues.

each car has its own attributes.

luckily I own several cars (Viper and C7 Z06 Corvette also)...... but if forced to own only one sports car it would have to be the C8.

 

[lion shf]

absolutely love my C8.

12,000 miles now with ZERO issues.

each car has its own attributes.

luckily I own several cars (Viper and C7 Z06 Corvette also)...... but if forced to own only one sports car it would have to be the C8.

Pic!

 

[Pops68]

So I have been thinking about this question ever since I deposited on Emira. Until I drive it, and see it in the flesh I won't be able to know 100%. I think the closest competition is the cayman GTS when it comes to performance and brand. Rarity, it will be more rare than a Porsche, not as rare as a Ferrari, so that places it the more rare side, which is good. The corvette is the other main competition. Not for performance, but for a car with super car style and priced under 100K. I have owned a C8 and only had it two months - one of the first deliveries in Canada (no I did not flip, this was before prices got crazy, plus I traded it for Porsche) It is very over styled, and interior material was not great. The rear end was what did for me. The drive is fairly boring and it feels heavy, and no manual. To me Lotus styled the car much much better, has a manual option, interior material seems to be much much higher (leather, alcantara stitching that isn't off). Corvette only wins in straight line performance. (Z06 is probably a lot better, but way more $)

So to answer the question, Yes I think it's option 1. Not because it has performance in the Ferrari/Lambo/maserati range, but it certainly has the looks. The car mag test showed it had the looks to hang with the super cars. So performance of a Porsche GTS 4.0, with the looks closer to a Ferrari and rarer than any C8, Nissan Z etc.

I am showing a picture of the worst angle of the C8 that nobody takes pictures of. To my eye, it's not very pretty.

View attachment 8867View attachment 8868

Couldn't agree more about the c8. I can't believe they did that ugly treatment on the back. Also I like to "share" the experience with my passenger and the way they cut off the passenger with that center dash turned me off. bummer because I really loved my c6Zo6. 75k trouble free miles.

 

[kratedisease]

Pic!

 

[eriegz]

the way they cut off the passenger with that center dash turned me off.

This is honestly one of my biggest complaints about the car too! (I have a deposit down for a C8 Z06) Such an odd design choice...

 

[Pops68]

This is honestly one of my biggest complaints about the car too! (I have a deposit down for a C8 Z06) Such an odd design choice...

The sound and performance of the new Z06 is just incredible!! If that's what you wind up with you won't regret it...

 

[Lotustoronto]

LOVED to hear a C8 owners opinion, thanks! Gotta admit, I’m leaning small block V8 after a lifetime of 4s. And I’m nervous to say this but I golf 3 days a week and one of these 3 will be my only car
will a golf bag fit behind the Emira seats? I’ll be bringing clubs to my demo day.

Golf and only car... hmmmm... I don't know if I would want a manual for a daily so good choice for the i4. Tough call, you would need to drive them all. i4 will have far better fuel economy than the C8. 718T might be a good option as well. Good vid to watch on the two;

 

[netsinah]

LOVED to hear a C8 owners opinion, thanks! Gotta admit, I’m leaning small block V8 after a lifetime of 4s. And I’m nervous to say this but I golf 3 days a week and one of these 3 will be my only car
will a golf bag fit behind the Emira seats? I’ll be bringing clubs to my demo day.

I'm also a golfer and (now) prior owner of a 2020 Corvette C8 HTC. If you enjoy top-down driving and want to haul golf clubs, then the convertible C8 is the way to go IMO. Its advantage over the coupe, is that having the top down still leaves the rear trunk wide open, so you can carry one large set of clubs (or 2 smaller bags) in the trunk with the top down. If you have the coupe, taking the targa top off requires you to either leave it at home (and risk rain) to permit trunk club storage, or put the top into the trunk which then fills it up and prevents golf club storage. The large row of buttons in the C8 was no problem for me: it emphasizes the "cockpit" design focusing on the driver. A matter of taste and most C8 owners I've talked to like it.

Having said that, I sold my C8 Stingray to fund the 2023 C8 Z06 which I assumed I'd have ordered by now. After Canadian C8 allocations were unexpectedly cut in half...and the Z06 was further reduced in production numbers, I shopped for another mid-engine sport car and now have a deposit on the V6 Emira. Like most everyone else on this Forum, I'm anxiously waiting for my dealer to get a demo I can take for a test drive. The reviews suggest you can store a set of golf clubs behind the Emira seats, which is one of my "must-have" criteria. That plus excellent handling that Lotus is known for, especially since I plan to track the car from time to time. Being a former motorcycle buff, I'll miss the convertible but the aesthetics of the Emira more than make up for that. The Emira can't compete with the 670HP of the Z06 however I'm not looking for top-end speed but rather exceptional handling.

Finally, in my quest to find a "replacement" for the C8 Z06, I test drove a 2017 Porsche Turbo S with almost all the options and less than 11,000 km, expecting to be "blown away" by what many consider to be a "supercar". I was shocked by my reaction: a quick car with ++ torque, but to me, the handling was no better than my 2020 C8 Stingray. Again, a matter of taste however I was really expecting to fall in love and have trouble returning the key fob to the Porsche dealer after my hour test drive (that happened before for me, with a BMW 7-series and its highway driving). I expect it has everything to do with the fact that the Turbo S is a rear-engine vehicle and I expect I'll know better after driving the mid-engine Emira.

It's now "a race" to see whether I'll get a Z06 allocation or Emira allocation first...I expect the Emira will win...or I may prefer it after my test drive, given its manual transmission, or when factoring in its lower price (about Can.$130,000 + tax, when fully optioned out) compared to the Z06 (about Can.$190,000 + tax with options). Fortunately, winter is around the corner for me, so I'll soon not miss a sport car as much...

 

[supersix]

Need to make this a poll

A poll has been added!

 

[HeReigns]

LOVED to hear a C8 owners opinion, thanks! Gotta admit, I’m leaning small block V8 after a lifetime of 4s. And I’m nervous to say this but I golf 3 days a week and one of these 3 will be my only car
will a golf bag fit behind the Emira seats? I’ll be bringing clubs to my demo day.

For the Money you get a lot of car with the C8 in my opinion. I've enjoyed mine more over the last couple of months especially using just the paddle shifters. It reminds me driving wise of a sportier LC500. To me its like a sport cruiser that's refined, very comfortable, looks great on the road, and about as fast as i would want for street driving.

 

[lion shf]

For the Money you get a lot of car with the C8 in my opinion. I've enjoyed mine more over the last couple of months especially using just the paddle shifters. It reminds me driving wise of a sportier LC500. To me its like a sport cruiser that's refined, very comfortable, looks great on the road, and about as fast as i would want for street driving.

Yeah my son lives in LA (I’m in Delaware) and I roadtrip every summer and spend a few weeks out there. My wife flys into Denver so she doesn’t have to do Kansas ( and the dragon ) so of my 3 the C8 is probably the best choice.

 

[Lotustoronto]

I'm also a golfer and (now) prior owner of a 2020 Corvette C8 HTC. If you enjoy top-down driving and want to haul golf clubs, then the convertible C8 is the way to go IMO. Its advantage over the coupe, is that having the top down still leaves the rear trunk wide open, so you can carry one large set of clubs (or 2 smaller bags) in the trunk with the top down. If you have the coupe, taking the targa top off requires you to either leave it at home (and risk rain) to permit trunk club storage, or put the top into the trunk which then fills it up and prevents golf club storage. The large row of buttons in the C8 was no problem for me: it emphasizes the "cockpit" design focusing on the driver. A matter of taste and most C8 owners I've talked to like it.

Having said that, I sold my C8 Stingray to fund the 2023 C8 Z06 which I assumed I'd have ordered by now. After Canadian C8 allocations were unexpectedly cut in half...and the Z06 was further reduced in production numbers, I shopped for another mid-engine sport car and now have a deposit on the V6 Emira. Like most everyone else on this Forum, I'm anxiously waiting for my dealer to get a demo I can take for a test drive. The reviews suggest you can store a set of golf clubs behind the Emira seats, which is one of my "must-have" criteria. That plus excellent handling that Lotus is known for, especially since I plan to track the car from time to time. Being a former motorcycle buff, I'll miss the convertible but the aesthetics of the Emira more than make up for that. The Emira can't compete with the 670HP of the Z06 however I'm not looking for top-end speed but rather exceptional handling.

Finally, in my quest to find a "replacement" for the C8 Z06, I test drove a 2017 Porsche Turbo S with almost all the options and less than 11,000 km, expecting to be "blown away" by what many consider to be a "supercar". I was shocked by my reaction: a quick car with ++ torque, but to me, the handling was no better than my 2020 C8 Stingray. Again, a matter of taste however I was really expecting to fall in love and have trouble returning the key fob to the Porsche dealer after my hour test drive (that happened before for me, with a BMW 7-series and its highway driving). I expect it has everything to do with the fact that the Turbo S is a rear-engine vehicle and I expect I'll know better after driving the mid-engine Emira.

It's now "a race" to see whether I'll get a Z06 allocation or Emira allocation first...I expect the Emira will win...or I may prefer it after my test drive, given its manual transmission, or when factoring in its lower price (about Can.$130,000 + tax, when fully optioned out) compared to the Z06 (about Can.$190,000 + tax with options). Fortunately, winter is around the corner for me, so I'll soon not miss a sport car as much...

Where is your deposit, I assume Lotus Calgary? Did they indicate what number in line you are?

 

[HeReigns]

Yeah my son lives in LA (I’m in Delaware) and I roadtrip every summer and spend a few weeks out there. My wife flys into Denver so she doesn’t have to do Kansas ( and the dragon ) so of my 3 the C8 is probably the best choice.

It will be a tough decision between the 3 cars your interested in for sure! For me the C8 and 718 Cayman S I test drove were a completely different experience. The journey for you choosing which car will be exciting!

 

[netsinah]

Where is your deposit, I assume Lotus Calgary? Did they indicate what number in line you are?

Yes deposit now sitting at Calgary dealer. I'm late to the game so #28 on the V6 non-FE list. I had a deposit in Vancouver but moved it, when told where I'd be on the Calgary list. You?