Lotus Emira

- Lotus Emira -

 

There is a new icon for Lotus and it will probably be their last combustion engine car. They decided that they needed to go out with a bang. Sports car elegance, immaculate handling, unrestrained performance and crafted details... this is the Lotus Emira.

I won't hold it back as a secret that this is one of my more 'realistic' dream cars so naturally, I will have a lot of good things to say about it - I would prefer these posts to be more informational than emotional but sometimes needs must. Without getting into too much detail, just take a second and have a look at the car... it is beautiful from bumper to bumper and even the brilliant cockpit between takes my fancy. This might just be the best looking Lotus car ever made. 

There are two options for the Emira when it comes to its engine. You can either have a 3.5L super-charged V6 or a 2.0L turbo-charged I4 straight from the Mercedes A45s (albeit a tuned down version). Either engine will give you a great driving experience, the latter is slightly quicker from 0-60 but the V6 sounds much better and has a larger top speed. You also have the option of a manual or auto gearbox which changes depending on your specification. 

You might be surprised about the lack of power from the car, it will either have 360bhp or 400bhp (again depending on the engine) and 420 or 430Nm of torque. Personally, I would be happy with either engine as both provide plenty of speed. Which one would you go for? The Emira can launch from 0-60 in around 4.2 seconds - not fast enough for todays sports car standards.

The Emira starts from £81,500 which for it's looks is an extremely reasonable price. It is a completely new model so there is no chance to find a used one for slightly cheaper. Obviously, depending on your specification, the price can go up but it's not likely you will be spending over £100,000 on this sports car. Compared to others in the market, there are plenty of faster cars for cheaper and plenty of better looking cars for more money so I think the Emira sits comfortable at it's price here. 

Lotus have an exciting few years ahead. They have just released their hyper-SUV, the Eletre, which looks unreal and the top spec one has 900bhp! The Emira is a perfect send off for the combustion engine, it is a playful sports car with so much character but it just needed a bit more power. Maybe they will bring out an 'R' version which will have a few more horses. After all, they are still only producing the first editions.