Wonder if any cancellations after Test drives ???

[eclat2emira]

Out and out Power isn't a factor for me and my primary usage (Driving on Twisty mountain roads)
I have a S2 Exige 190BHP and an Audi R8 V8. Both great cars in their own right, but very different and both great at different things.
View attachment 3202
The Exige with only 190BHP is amazing on the Twisty mountain roads and is such an amazing car in the way it handles, I really don't miss the power at all. If I was on a dragstrip then it wouldn't be the car for that purpose.
It really does depend on what you want from your car. When I bought my R8, I did think about getting the V10 but my main purpose for buying it was looks. The V10 is amazing but I can't really use the 440BHP of the V8 on the roads, so that's why I bought the V8 and it hasn't disappointed me.

I primarily buy on looks, handling that is engaging and that's why I am looking to get into the Emira.
If it's out and out power or BHP bragging rights, then the Emira probably isn't the car for you.

All bang on the money , it's up to anyone to buy according to their own preferences, plenty of options out there for those for whom the Emira does not fulfill the brief. Misguided and futile to say "Lotus should have made it this or made it that"; between the designers, engineers, stylists, dynamics developers and marketeers they came up with this particular blend of attributes.

The lengthy queue suggests they have judged fairly effectively what most people want, changing that recipe to satisfy the desires of a minority would be nonsensical in business and brand terms.

 

[TomE]

at least for me the answer is two: first and foremost it’s so damn good looking I swear it cast a spell on me. Second for some reason I don’t really know I like the lotus brand and want to own one even though I’ve never been around them and never once been in one.

That's interesting. Seduced by the looks is a credit to Russell and the styling team. A hunch you want to be part of the brand when you haven't been in a Lotus is fantastic. Can someone in Florida please arrange to take Paul out in a car to ensure his complete conversion!

 

[eclat2emira]

Sports cars only became popular here after returning servicemen brought their MGs back from England. They were woefully underpowered compared to the big engined American iron, but they offered handling and feel that the larger cars couldn’t. These “sports” cars came into their own on tight and twisty roads. Unfortunately, many areas of America are flat, with straight roads (the previous poster lives in such an area). Here, cars that people wanted were fast in a straight line. A small MG would get swallowed up on a wide, arrow straight, highway. I’m fortunate enough to live in an area that’s full of hills and turns- perfect environment for a car that’s focused towards handling over power. I used to love going around the outside of muscle cars heading up and down the mountains in my 1992 Miata. Wiped the smile right off of their smug faces .

I'd forgotten that part of the car culture story- very insightful and explains a lot.

I know there is a certain amount skill in modulating the throttle to put power down effectively (at least there was before launch control and traction control...) but i think there is more skill, and therefore more satisfaction to be had, from your approach of favouring a light, well-handling car, balancing available grip for braking and cornering and using the car's own weight by transferring it to enhance grip where you need it most.

 

[eclat2emira]

Exactly. I would LOVE having a great handling sports car driving a curvy road. Here the closest we get to that is the onramp.

Weakness of where I live not the car but every car is not designed for every situation I get that. It’s hard to walk away because it’s so freaking beautiful and I do really like the idea of having a bit of a niche car brand.

at least for me the answer is two: first and foremost it’s so damn good looking I swear it cast a spell on me. Second for some reason I don’t really know I like the lotus brand and want to own one even though I’ve never been around them and never once been in one.

That does indeed sound like some kind of witchcraft!

Of course what most of us unwittingly do is make an "emotional" decision based on "want" then post-rationalise it with facts.

It seems you have complete self-awareness about your own desires and what is driving them, feels like a good reason to just do it!

 

[Russc]

Blimey, came to read this thread to see what would cause people to cancel and just a load of posts about BHP

Yep would be fantastic if they did bump it up (have we even had confirmation on the BHP on the l4 yet?)

For me it`s seats and seating position, i found the test car a little on the high side seat wise, even on lowest setting, so that will be the one for me. If i have to hunch down to see through the windscreen then it`s a different car for me....

 

[New to Lotus]

I agree on the seats not the best position in the blue car if they are no better in the production line car it could be a decision maker for me.

 

[Samps]

That's interesting. Seduced by the looks is a credit to Russell and the styling team. A hunch you want to be part of the brand when you haven't been in a Lotus is fantastic. Can someone in Florida please arrange to take Paul out in a car to ensure his complete conversion!

Yes huge credit to Russel Carr as chief of the team he lead. Met Dan at one of the road shows and believe he had the biggest (single?) influence on the shape of the car. Top job by top bloke. Very unassuming but passionate. His words were “wanted to make a useable and affordable supercar style drivers machine and I think they hit the jackpot on the supercar looks

 

[TomE]

Yes, Dan Durrant was the lead designer on the exterior and Jon Statham on the interior. Interesting Q&A session with them both here:

Lotus Emira: delivering exotic supercar appeal in the sports car segment - Lotus Cars Media Site

media.lotuscars.com

 

[eclat2emira]

Blimey, came to read this thread to see what would cause people to cancel and just a load of posts about BHP

Yep would be fantastic if they did bump it up (have we even had confirmation on the BHP on the l4 yet?)

For me it`s seats and seating position, i found the test car a little on the high side seat wise, even on lowest setting, so that will be the one for me. If i have to hunch down to see through the windscreen then it`s a different car for me....

The seats are absolutely fundamental to enjoying and effectively controlling the car, so they have to be right for you, hope they work out.

 

[Eagle7]

There are 2 obvious trolls on this forum who use the standard devices:
Alternative facts
Unsubstantiated assertions as fact
Rewrite the argument to substantiate some other point
Use attacking language
Etc

There is absolutely no point to engage with them

On an Alfa Romeo forum I participate in, when the Alfa first came out there were all kinds of trolls making new threads with negative click-bait titles that search engines would find, to discourage people considering an Alfa. We found out that one of the trolls was the manager of a BMW dealership. So there are 'trolls' who are nothing more than no-class jerks from other brand fan clubs, that post negativity because they're simply too immature to accept that some people like something other than what they like.

 

[Eagle7]

I'd forgotten that part of the car culture story- very insightful and explains a lot.

I know there is a certain amount skill in modulating the throttle to put power down effectively (at least there was before launch control and traction control...) but i think there is more skill, and therefore more satisfaction to be had, from your approach of favouring a light, well-handling car, balancing available grip for braking and cornering and using the car's own weight by transferring it to enhance grip where you need it most.

American cars in those days were big and heavy, with massive chrome bumpers. They weighed tons (literally). I remember when my parents bought a brand new 1956 Chevy. We went to the dealership to look at new cars, and my dad wasn't sure about getting one, so we drove back home. A salesman drove out to our house the next day in a new '56 Belair in copper and white two-tone to talk to my parents and give my dad a test drive. I thought it was just gorgeous. I was almost 5 years old at the time. Everybody's cars in those days were muted colors, like black, white or gray. We had an old white Buick, so the two-tone copper looked fantastic to me. When we finally went down to buy one, my dad chose a silver '56. I was so disappointed he didn't get the copper two-tone one. I didn't know or understand at the time about having to pay more for fancy trim and paint. The Belair was the 'luxury' model. We got the standard one. When we went to go get it, we got all dressed up. My mom put me in fancy pants, collared shirt and my hard sole dress shoes. I remember walking into the garage area with my parents where the car was and seeing it for the first time. There was a big neon sign on the wall "MK Smith Chevrolet". This was in Ontario, California in 1956. Our old Buick was the only car I'd ever known, so getting into a new car that was all shiny and had new car smell was incredible. I've never forgotten it. 65 years later I can still remember the sounds, the smell and the feeling of being there.

My dad also had a co-worker who was a friend of the family, and we'd go visit them. His name was Tom Flaherty and he had an MG-TC. First time I saw it, I was stunned. I thought it was absolutely fantastic looking, in dark green with black fenders and wire wheels. The top was down, and it was parked next to some Eucalyptus trees. That began my love affair with British sports cars. There were a few Jaguars around town, along with some MG's, Triumphs and Austin Healey bug-eye Sprites. My dad worked for Convair at the time (which later became General Dynamics) and some of the employees had British sports cars. They would have company picnics and play softball, etc. so that's where I'd see many of these cars. First time I saw an XKE Jag it looked so space-age compared to the huge Chevy's, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Studebakers, etc. that were the norm in the neighborhood.

It was such a different world then. The "future" was electric appliances, like going from an icebox (we actually had one, and a guy would come to the house and bring a big block of ice and put it in the bottom of the refrigerator) to getting an electric refrigerator that didn't need ice. Going from a tub/wringer/washboard (my mom had one, and I'd sit on a stool next to it and turn the handle for the wringer while she fed the wet clothes through it). To this day, the smell of hot water and chlorine bleach brings back the memory of that. When we got an electric washing machine, it seemed like something magical.

I'm glad I got to experience the world I did when I did. I'm sure kids today would look at that and think it was so crude and primitive, and compared to today's world, I guess it was, but we never felt like we were deprived or suffering. Driving the Emira and manually shifting the trans is going to be like sitting on the line between the past, the present, and the future. Virtually all the people of my childhood are gone now, but I won't forget them, or the days of British sports cars, wire wheels, the sounds of their engines and shifting manual transmissions.

 

[EspritGuy]

American cars in those days were big and heavy, with massive chrome bumpers. They weighed tons (literally). I remember when my parents bought a brand new 1956 Chevy. We went to the dealership to look at new cars, and my dad wasn't sure about getting one, so we drove back home. A salesman drove out to our house the next day in a new '56 Belair in copper and white two-tone to talk to my parents and give my dad a test drive. I thought it was just gorgeous. I was almost 5 years old at the time. Everybody's cars in those days were muted colors, like black, white or gray. We had an old white Buick, so the two-tone copper looked fantastic to me. When we finally went down to buy one, my dad chose a silver '56. I was so disappointed he didn't get the copper two-tone one. I didn't know or understand at the time about having to pay more for fancy trim and paint. The Belair was the 'luxury' model. We got the standard one. When we went to go get it, we got all dressed up. My mom put me in fancy pants, collared shirt and my hard sole dress shoes. I remember walking into the garage area with my parents where the car was and seeing it for the first time. There was a big neon sign on the wall "MK Smith Chevrolet". This was in Ontario, California in 1956. Our old Buick was the only car I'd ever known, so getting into a new car that was all shiny and had new car smell was incredible. I've never forgotten it. 65 years later I can still remember the sounds, the smell and the feeling of being there.

My dad also had a co-worker who was a friend of the family, and we'd go visit them. His name was Tom Flaherty and he had an MG-TC. First time I saw it, I was stunned. I thought it was absolutely fantastic looking, in dark green with black fenders and wire wheels. The top was down, and it was parked next to some Eucalyptus trees. That began my love affair with British sports cars. There were a few Jaguars around town, along with some MG's, Triumphs and Austin Healey bug-eye Sprites. My dad worked for Convair at the time (which later became General Dynamics) and some of the employees had British sports cars. They would have company picnics and play softball, etc. so that's where I'd see many of these cars. First time I saw an XKE Jag it looked so space-age compared to the huge Chevy's, Buicks, Oldsmobiles, Studebakers, etc. that were the norm in the neighborhood.

It was such a different world then. The "future" was electric appliances, like going from an icebox (we actually had one, and a guy would come to the house and bring a big block of ice and put it in the bottom of the refrigerator) to getting an electric refrigerator that didn't need ice. Going from a tub/wringer/washboard (my mom had one, and I'd sit on a stool next to it and turn the handle for the wringer while she fed the wet clothes through it). To this day, the smell of hot water and chlorine bleach brings back the memory of that. When we got an electric washing machine, it seemed like something magical.

I'm glad I got to experience the world I did when I did. I'm sure kids today would look at that and think it was so crude and primitive, and compared to today's world, I guess it was, but we never felt like we were deprived or suffering. Driving the Emira and manually shifting the trans is going to be like sitting on the line between the past, the present, and the future. Virtually all the people of my childhood are gone now, but I won't forget them, or the days of British sports cars, wire wheels, the sounds of their engines and shifting manual transmissions.

Here's to new memories and those we share them with.

 

[Climber]

We all know how fabulous the car looks but I still wonder if it will drive as good as it looks. I wonder if there will be any cancellations after test drives. I’ve never owned a Lotus but I know I with cars I have high expectations. I will only be spending £80k if this car puts a big smile on my face and is Fun to drive as will just be a w/e car for pure driving pleasure. After having BMW I8, Audi R8 and G80 M4 I’m finding it difficult to find a car that delivers this whilst not spending arm and leg. My last test drives of TTRS and new RS3 were all very underwhelming so really have my that Emira delivers or sadly it will be another car I cross off the list and then I’ll maybe just go back to G80 M3 ( but don’t want a large car ) Anyone else have similar concerns ?

Just watched a video BMW M2cs vs Lotus Evora Gt. (By everyday driver ) Both walked in expecting the BMW to their choice , both chose the Lotus GT “ Best 100k car made” one of the reviewers owns a Porsche Cayman!! If the Emira is a step “ leap “forward we should be delighted with our new EXOTIC!

 

[VL3X]

Just watched a video BMW M2cs vs Lotus Evora Gt. (By everyday driver ) Both walked in expecting the BMW to their choice , both chose the Lotus GT “ Best 100k car made” one of the reviewers owns a Porsche Cayman!! If the Emira is a step “ leap “forward we should be delighted with our new EXOTIC!

Nice review indeed.. Here's the video for the lazy...

 

[Maverick1]

Out and out Power isn't a factor for me and my primary usage (Driving on Twisty mountain roads)
I have a S2 Exige 190BHP and an Audi R8 V8. Both great cars in their own right, but very different and both great at different things.
View attachment 3202
The Exige with only 190BHP is amazing on the Twisty mountain roads and is such an amazing car in the way it handles, I really don't miss the power at all. If I was on a dragstrip then it wouldn't be the car for that purpose.
It really does depend on what you want from your car. When I bought my R8, I did think about getting the V10 but my main purpose for buying it was looks. The V10 is amazing but I can't really use the 440BHP of the V8 on the roads, so that's why I bought the V8 and it hasn't disappointed me.

I primarily buy on looks, handling that is engaging and that's why I am looking to get into the Emira.
If it's out and out power or BHP bragging rights, then the Emira probably isn't the car for you.

I primarily buy my sports cars for how the car makes me feel....driver involvement, engagement, fun factor so handling, sound, overall performance is more important to me than looks.
That's why my first choice would have been a 992 GT3 touring with a manual transmission, not a very attractive car in comparison to modern Ferraris, and even though the Emira is undoubtably the better looking car, the Porsche is probably the better performing car, and the sound of that naturally aspirated Flat 6 hitting 9,000 RPM has to be intoxicating.
Unfortunately I don't qualify for one so my second choice is the Emira.
Now, if I could get the best of both worlds it would be the Emira with the engine from the GT3 with a proper manual transmission.
Driving Nirvana.

 

[SlavaUkraini]

On an Alfa Romeo forum I participate in, when the Alfa first came out there were all kinds of trolls making new threads with negative click-bait titles that search engines would find, to discourage people considering an Alfa. We found out that one of the trolls was the manager of a BMW dealership. So there are 'trolls' who are nothing more than no-class jerks from other brand fan clubs, that post negativity because they're simply too immature to accept that some people like something other than what they like.

Speaking of the Alfa, I really love the engine they have in the Quadrifoglio. Those are supreme cars. Lacking a little bit on the inside for my liking, but a really, really, capable daily driver.

 

[Blue97]

Nice review indeed.. Here's the video for the lazy...

That sounds really good and seems quick enough. Only 15bhp more. Why can’t they give the Emira the same power and sound ? Will the dealers be able to fit Lotus approved upgrades ?

 

[TomE]

That sounds really good and seems quick enough. Only 15bhp more. Why can’t they give the Emira the same power and sound ? Will the dealers be able to fit Lotus approved upgrades ?

Emira V6 FE will sound very similar - 3 cats and no particulate filter plus switched exhaust valve.

The slight bhp drop of the Emira compared to the Evora GT is because the Emira has to meet worldwide emissions whereas the Evora GT was a US-specific tune. But the Emira has a wider front track and better aero so real world on cross country roads I doubt you’ll notice the slight power difference.

 

[fatjase]

Oh boy, I just waiting for the classic " you just knock the EMIRA because you cannot afford it" false claim.

I just don't understand how people get their underwear all bunched up over constructive criticism of a vehicle. If someone has a valid argument, you should have a good rebuttal, and not a sly insult.

The EMIRA has huge shortcomings. So what ?.... The biggest shortcoming is the LACK of engine POWER and still using a 10 year old powertrain. I can't remember one ( please correct me if I am wrong) manufacturer who has not added power to their performance sports cars in over a decade, especially with a new platform.

I have a C8 and despite it being a great car, it also has issues. Even the new C8 Z06 is embarrassing that it weighs close to 3800 pounds curb weight. I will still buy one, but I can't complain about it ?

I cancelled my deposit on the Emira V6 because of pricing but I might still pick one up used in a few years, but I have to love everything about it ?

The Emira should have had 500hp upon it reveal. Its embarrassing that the same powertrain with the same HP output is being put into a new platform. Especially Embarrassing for an "engineering" company.

GM has used old V8 engines in new Corvette platforms, but has at least tweaked the engine to produce a bit more HP for the new platform. The V8's used in the C7 platform was not that dramatically different from the old C6 previous platform, BUT at least GM found 20 or 30 more HP with the same engine with some minor tweaking.

These are valid complaints.

The Audi RS4 from 2012 had a 4.2 V8 with 444bhp, the current generation has a 2.9 V6 turbo and has 444bhp. That's the only example I can give you. Torque has obviously vastly increased due to moving from N/A to turbocharging.

 

[Climber]

So we're basically playing $70-80k more for the exclusivity? But also trading off reliability, aftermarket support, and dealer network...

It is an exotic. However the drivetrain is very reliable. The new Electronics is a question. Should be a lot better than Ferrari McLaren Aston Martin. Remember del Target Porsche Cayman.
Dealer net is spotty, I am over 300 miles away However your getting One of the most beautiful cars on the planet!
Rarity is to be enjoyed and cherished