Lotus Emira

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The Lotus Emira V6 First Edition

The long-awaited Lotus Emira was officially launched in early July 2021, with her official, public unveil during the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed, and this last gas-powered Lotus became an instant hit, people were literally lining up to put their order in, or better yet, to just get their name on the ‘pre-order’ list, as you couldn’t even order your Lotus Emira yet, and the ‘pre-order’ list was for RHD models only … but over the weeks after Goodwood FoS things changed, and at the end of September Lotus finally released both full specifications and the MSRP on the Lotus Emira V6 First Edition … a car loaded with technology, infotainment and comfort features.

Lotus plans to start building the Emira V6 First Edition in the spring, while the ‘i4’, the 4 cylinder version arriving in the autumn, pricing in the UK has been fixed at £75,995 while on the other side of the North Sea this new car will set you back €95,995, the US MSRP hasn’t been released yet, but a quick currency exchange leads to somewhere between $105,000 and $115,000 based on the £ and € pricetag.

The Lotus Emira V6 First Edition will come equipped with the supercharged 3.5-Liter V6 engine delivering 400 hp through either the standard six-speed manual or the optional six-speed paddle-shift automatic transmission, for the first year of production the customer has a choice of six colors, but Lotus intends to offer more shades a year later, and the First Edition is packed with options that come as standard, including bespoke badging naturally.

Matt Windle, Managing Director, Lotus Cars, commented: “The Emira is the most accomplished Lotus we’ve ever made, and to celebrate and reward our keenest early customers, we want to make the first cars extra special to own. The features have been carefully selected by our design team to make for a truly special and distinct First Edition.”

Taking the concept started by Elise, Exige, and Evora, the new Lotus Emira is really a giant step into the future, showing the brand signature and core value of the predecessors, but still improve on practicality, comfort, functionality, and technology. The Emira is built on a new lightweight bonded aluminum chassis, pioneered by Lotus and remaining an intrinsic part of their DNA.

This First Edition version comes with diamond-cut 20-inch ultra-lightweight wheels, optionally a silver or a black finish is available at no cost, while Lotus branded calipers are standard fitment too, to keep those expensive wheels safe, there is a TPMS, or Tyre Pressure Monitoring System fitted as First Edition specifications too.

The list of available colors has been deliberately kept very exclussive, from the press launch car in Seneca Blue to Magma Red, Hethel Yellow, Dark Verdant, Shadow Grey, and Nimbus Grey. They all match very nicely with the titanium exhaust and the Lower Black package that includes a gloss black finish on the air blades in the front bumper, front splitter, side sills, and the rear diffuser.

While the exterior is limited to six paint colors, you can choose from seven different shades on the interior, red, black, grey, tan when going for Nappa leather, or black Alcantara with either red, yellow, or grey stitching on the 12-way adjustable, heated seats that even come with a memory setting, that also includes the door mirrors.

Lotus wants to offer a very comfortable ride in their new Emira, so this car comes complete with climate control, cruise control, keyless start and selectable drive modes, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto while an integrated satellite navigation system is available on most markets, all available through a 10.25-inch centrally mounted touch-screen and a 12.3-inch TFT instrument cluster ahead of the multi-function steering wheel.

Apart from the Lower Black Pack, you’ll get three more packs as standard on these First Edition models, the Drivers Pack offers a choice between Tour or Sport suspension with Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tires, or Sport suspension with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires, the Design Pack comes with dark tinted glass, sports pedals and painted brake calipers in either black, red, yellow, or silver, and just so you don’t scratch those beautiful bumpers, the Convenience pack adds parking sensors to the front and a camera to the rear among other things.

Just in case, there are still a few options left to tick on that order sheet, but those will come on top of the base price for these Emira V6 First Edition models, like the £1,800 automatic transmission, or the Black Pack which contrasts the roof, cantrails, mirror housings, the Lotus badge and the exhaust tips for £1,200 only.

As already mentioned, production of the Emira V6 First Edition will start in the spring of 2022, while the 4-cylinder version will follow in the autumn of 2022, if you are looking to add a more base-level Lotus Emira to your driveway you’ll have to be patient until 2023 when they intend to release a £59,995 entry-level version with fewer options.

September 20, 2021 / Comments Off

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The Lotus Emira GT4

Not too long ago we’ve witnessed the dynamic launch of Lotus’s last ever ICE model, the Emira will go into history as the final Lotus to come with an internal combustion engine, the car was officially unveiled 48 hours before the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed opened its doors, which was the first time we could enjoy the Lotus Emira at speed for the Hill Climb event.

To make the Lotus Emira even more attractive, clients can choose between a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 pumping out about 400hp or opt for a more economical turbocharged inline-4 from AMG with 360hp, both can be ordered with a 6-speed automatic transmission or a more engaging 6-speed manual with Torsen type limited-slip differential, but obtaining one might be challenging as sales only started in September before that, clients were asked a ‘reservation’ fee of £2,000 ($2,800) to secure their spot on the list for an RHD model, keep in mind the Emira is the first Lotus new model in almost 10 years, and it will be the final petrol-powered Lotus ever, all for about £60,000 ($83,000).

And now Lotus, with help from RML Groups unveils the next step … the Emira GT4 race car following a recent partnership with Extreme E racing team JBXE, after more than 70 years of innovation both on the track and on the open road, the Emira GT4 is the start of a new era in GT racing for Lotus, albeit still a concept, the Emira GT4 will become a hand-built, competition-spec GT4 race car to continue the Lotus motorsport story.

This new car will replace the Lotus Evora GT4 to compete in the British GT, Dubai 24hrs, Barcelona 24hrs, European GT, Sepang 12hrs, and the Pirelli World Challenge to continue the legacy, as just about every modern Lotus road car had a competition counterpart, so the Emira only continues on a path set by her predecessors a long time ago, clients that want to race the Emira GT4 will receive a hand-built performance car with full homologations, lightweight track components and all required equipment to comply with safety regulations on the track.

The Lotus Emira GT4 will be fitted with the 3.5-Liter V6 Toyota engine that has proven its worth in racing already, combine that with the composite body in an advanced GT4 aerodynamics design, this lightweight, but powerful new Lotus GT4 will be very competitive on the track.

Richard Selwin, Race Programme Manager, Lotus, commented: “The all-new Emira GT4 is an exciting next step following the hugely successful launch of the Emira road car. We have worked hard with the team at RML Group to ensure this next-generation of Lotus GT car will deliver race-winning performance.”

The new Lotus Emira GT4 will be officially launched during a special event at the Hethel test track, a famous 2.2-mile circuit that has been witness to the development of some of the world’s most famous race cars, and let’s not forget Lotus Engineering, which is the consultancy division of the business, became a technical partner to JBXE, the Extreme E race team led by F1 world champion Jenson Button.

There will be a very limited number of Lotus Emira GT4 built for the 2022 racing season, with the aim to really start building larger numbers of this new Lotus race car for the 2023 championship rounds, interested in adding this Emira GT4 to your race team? In that case, you should get in touch with the Lotus motorsport department to secure one as soon as possible.

Lotus Emira GT4 tech spec and target performance data

Engine	Toyota V6 2GR-FE
Cubic Capacity	3.5-litres
Power	400bhp*
RPM	7,200rpm
Supercharger	Harrop TVS 1900
Transmission	6-speed xTrac with paddleshift + limited slip differential
Fuel cell capacity	96-litres FIA-approved fuel cell
Electronics	Motec-supplied dashboard with data-logging + bespoke motorsport loom
Suspension	Front and rear double-wishbone / Öhlins coil-over dampers / anti-roll bars
Brakes	Alcon discs and calipers + Bosch Motorsport ABS
Tyres	Pirelli GT4 265/645×18 (front) and 305/680×18 (rear)
Safety equipment	FIA-compliant roll cage, six-point harness and fire extinguisher
Dimensions	Length 4,410mm / height 1,290mm / track 1,664mm
Dry weight	1,260kg

September 10, 2021 / Comments Off

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Lotus comes to Monterey Car Week

The Lotus Emira, the last fuel-burning car from Lotus made its dynamic debut during the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK a few weeks ago, this time it’s the US introduction of this amazing car to be held during Monterey Car Week in California. The main event for Lotus will occur at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering, while the Emira will make her dynamic debut at the legendary Laguna Seca Raceway for a very special celebrity track day.

But it will be the all-electric hypercar from Lotus, the Evija, to take center stage in California in a brand new color scheme of yellow with accents, inspired by the iconic Lotus Type 99T that competed in the 1987 Formula One championship with none other than Ayrton Senna behind the wheel, taking the victory at the 1987 Detroit Grand Prix.

This will not be the first time the Lotus Evija is shown during Monterey Car Week, a few weeks after being unveiled back in July 2019, the first event of the world tour the Evija undertook in 2019 was the California Car Week, after that this prototype was taken all over the world, from Japan to China and later on to the Middle East.

For this 2021 stint to the United States, the Lotus Evija had a jam-packed agenda even before heading to Monterey, this new all-electric supercar also attended the world premiere of the Radford 62-2 at the Lyon Air Museum, Santa Ana, the Radford 62-2 is limited to just 62 examples, and is a recreation of the Lotus Type 62 built using current Lotus technology.

Before taking center stage at The Quail: A Motorsport Gathering at Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel Valley, the bright yellow Lotus Evija will be admired during private VIP events for those that have already put down money to obtain this 2,000 PS supercar and to gather even more possible clients for this amazing car.

August 10, 2021 / Comments Off

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Dynamic launch of the Lotus Emira at Goodwood

Lotus is actually celebrated as ‘Featured Marque’ at this year’s Festival of Speed at Goodwood, what a better way to have their latest sports car unveiled to the public for the first time at this very event, they even had to invoke crowd-control on the official Lotus stand at Goodwood because of the sheer number of visitors that wanted to see the Lotus Emira in real life, and literally, tens of thousands saw the dark finished Emira tackle the famous Goodwood hill climb circuit.

But Lotus left an even bigger impression when they had two cars for the ‘Lotus Moment’ parade held in front of the Goodwood house, complete with yellow and green fireworks, which happen to be the official Lotus colors, but I guess the organization and Lotus themselves didn’t quite expect how popular the new Emira would be, the Goodwood Festival of Speed opened at 7 am, and within minutes the Lotus stand got crowded.

They had to enforce a queueing system just to allow people onto the stand and talk about the new Lotus Emira, they could even put in an order for this milestone car from Lotus, because let’s not forget this will be the last gas-powered Lotus, so it’s understandable people are ordering this all-new British sports car now, the Emira was joined on the stand by an Evija all-electric hypercar, an Elise Sport 240 Final Edition and the track bike developed in part by Lotus Engineering for British Cycling.

Lotus is also the theme of the Festival’s “Central Feature“, the dramatic art installation which is always created directly in front of Goodwood House. Called the Lotus ‘Aeroad’ and viewed digitally via a smartphone app, the sculpture uses the latest augmented reality technology to allow users to watch four iconic Lotus cars speed through the air on a virtual racetrack. The app features an ‘at home‘ mode for those who aren’t able to come to Goodwood.

Some more photos of the amazing Lotus Emira during the Goodwood Festival of Speed:

Also note this amazing, gold painted ‘Prototype vehicle’, that also took on the hill climb circuit … smoking its tires:

July 9, 2021 / Comments Off

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The 2022 Lotus Emira Has Officially Been Unveiled

In May 2021, Lotus gave us a look into the future of the brand with the announcement of the all-new Lotus Emira. On July 6th, the company announced the full details on Lotus’s last internal combustion model.

The Lotus already has the configuration tool on its website to assist potential customers in building the perfect Emira. The online configurator allows potential buyers and dreamers alike to select exterior, interior, wheel, and brake colors. Last but not least, you are welcomed to select your choice of either a 3.5-liter supercharged V6 from Toyota with roughly 400hp or a 360hp turbocharged inline-4 that was made in conjunction with AMG. Those engines can be paired to either a 6-speed automatic transmission or a “6-speed manual with Torsen type limited-slip differential”.

How do you get your hands on one?

Per the Lotus website, you have the option to pay a £2,000 ($2,800) “priority fee”. Doing so will put you at the front of the line come the ‘Order Window’ period (beginning September 2021 and end in March 2022). But there’s one small catch – the priority fee is only for Right-hand drive models – otherwise, you wait like everybody else.

The Emira is a very special model not only because it’s the first Lotus model in almost 10 years but it is also the last petrol-powered Lotus to be released. And it can be yours for a measly £60,000 ($83,000) – a small price for such a striking piece of Lotus history.

July 7, 2021 / Comments Off

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All New Lotus Emira Announced – Britain’s Affordable Supercar

Yesterday, Lotus took the covers off the brand new Lotus Emira. A mid-engined sportswear, the Emira builds upon Lotus’ highly successful Elise, Exige and Evora ranges, offering the glamour of a supercar at the price point of a sportscar.

Lotus believe that the Lotus Emira will be its final non-electrified car. It arrives with a choice of engines. The first is AMG’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder inline 4. The second is the 3.5-litre supercharged Toyota V6, familiar to Exige and Evora customers already.

The AMG unit should produce 360hp, while the Toyota unit gives a heady 400hp. In a package that weighs 1,405kg, the Emira should achieve a 4.5 second 100 km/h sprint, with a top speed of 290km/h.

Lotus Emira

Those power units sit within a new lightweight bonded aluminium chassis. Lotus uses double-wishbone suspension all round and retains hydraulic steering. The chassis allows for a standard ‘Tour’ setting with a softer ride compared to the stiffer ‘Sport’, which will be offered with an optional Lotus Driver’s Pack.

The interior receives a dramatic overhaul too. The wraparound cockpit features a modern interior with a touchscreen display. The driver information is digital and the surfaces look to be a modern blend of leather and Alcantara.A high step up from its previous models but retaining a spartan look that is sure to attract Lotus enthusiasts.

Lotus have big ambitions for the Lotus Emira. It hopes to sell 4,800 Emiras per year, a significant increase over the 1,400-1,600 Elise, Exige and Evora models it is used to producing.

The Emira is made possible by £100 million of investment into Lotus’ Hethel facilities. It should be available in key markets worldwide from Spring next year at a price point of less than €72,000. It will make its public debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed.

July 7, 2021 / Comments Off

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