Lotus has confirmed the arrival of its latest sports car, the Emira. It rides on an all-new sports car architecture, and is powered by a supercharged V6, with an AMG-sourced turbo four to be available next year.
The Emira is the first all-new production car from Lotus that we’ve seen in a number of years, and we’re excited to say it has been worth the wait.
The Emira will be available with two different engines option, with the First Edition featuring the familiar Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre supercharged V6 from the Exige and Evora, producing around 298kW and up to 430Nm of torque. Lotus says this is enough to see 0-100km/h completed in 4.5 seconds, with a top speed rated at 290km/h.
The second engine option, which will be available in mid-2022, is an AMG-sourced 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 268kW. It marks the first new powertrain in a Lotus sports car in more than a decade. All Lotus Emira models will be available with the choice of a manual, and dual-clutch auto transmission. It rides on a set of 20-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport tyres, with the option of Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s.
In its lightest form, the Emira has a “target weight” of 1405kg, and is 4412mm long, 1895m wide, 1225mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2575mm. It is based on Lotus’s new sports car architecture that gives the Emira the widest track of all its production cars.
Lotus says that simplicity is key, and with that in mind, it has done away with any active aerodynamic kit and instead tuned the chassis and suspension with two distinctly different modes. Tour mode gives the driver the most comfortable settings, while Sports mode stiffens up the suspension and gives more feedback through the hydraulic steering setup.
Around the body, we can see styling clearly inspired by the all-electric Evija hypercar, but in a more compact package. The rear of the Emira features C-shaped LED lights, a set of huge air vents from the rear wheels, twin exhausts, and a huge rear diffuser for added downforce.
Inside, it comes packaged with a 10.25-inch infotainment system, adaptive cruise control, LED lights, powered seats, keyless entry and start as well as a full suite of active safety technologies.
If you’re interested, Lotus has officially opened up its ordering books for the Emira ahead of its public debut at the 2021 Goodwood Festival of Speed, which kicks off tomorrow. Prices start from under 60,000 euros (around AU$95,000).
