Loquacious Lew

Bibs, check your PMs. Sorry it's taken so long to get back to you. We've been traveling (family business) and I've been a bit at loose ends.

They don’t need any more excitement around the Emira here. An order placed today won’t reasonably be delivered for two years as we won’t be getting cars in numbers to satisfy orders for at least that long. This assumes that orders so far In place aren’t pulled by impatient buyers but the surplus of demand over supply is so strong that it is even raising used prices on Evoras here as people who never considered Lotus are suddenly salivating all over the marque. But of course the vast bulk of the heat is directed at Emira. Even so, an unbalanced supply/demand situation can also be extremely difficult if not dangerous for a manufacturer as more time passes. I could explain this further but the reasons why being unable to supply the market with enough product is unhealthy are self evident. The “big brass” tours currently underway here have been very well received overall but they seem more goodwill hunting than necessary sales events. We simply won’t get enough cars fast enough to meet what seems to be a very strong tide of demand. There is no way to compare owning a Lotus here to owning one on your fair islands. We have many fewer trusted dealers and service and parts support, however good or bad you think it is in GB, is woefully inadequate for the USA. Even so, demand for Emira is surely something Lotus has never experienced here, or at least hasn’t had since the first Elise sales in 2005. I’m waiting to order mine until I can determine what the development arc of this car might be but if I was on the list, I’d stay there for now. However Lotus must surely be aware that not all pre orders will remain on the books if delivery time remain as they are.

Patience is a mixed blessing because it comes with age.

I didn't have much experience with Lotus when I decided to forego a C7 Grand Sport and buy a racing green Evora. I had already ruled out a CaymanS, and the GT4 was out of production. I went with the more expensive, supposedly slower and less well equipped Evora but it was the best drive of the cars I had on my radar, including any 911s I would be comfortable to budget for. Then the 410s and 430s hit the UK market. We only got ten 410s here and while they were nice in carbon fiber and, I think, have different shock mounts, I'd just taken delivery of my car. I didn't see that much difference between our 410 and the 400 anyway. By the time the GTs arrived here, I'd owned my car for well over 2 years and it was becoming an old friend. I had shaken it out, had faith in it but it was still new, including the smell inside. Yet again, I couldn't justify getting another new one of those even though I liked the GT trim better. Like many, I didn't see it worth taking the hit on my still fabulous-to-me car to get a GT that in reality was not all that different. Would I trade my 400 a a GT? Yes, in the right livery but not for $30K and not in the wrong tint. That's how I regard the differences and the costs. The people who get the first Emira's will be as fine as I am in my 400. If all goes well for Lotus, I'm in when the "Emira GTs" are loosed. Lotus will do all it can to make sure the very first cars are built to the highest standards they can manage since they can't afford to do otherwise. The technologies are all proven. There is nothing in the Emira that hasn't been tried before. It should be ace. The unique aspect is the combination of features, style and high spirited capabilities of the new factory that makes the temporal placement of this car important measured against Lotus' new direction. It adds even more appeal for many, I'm sure. That is, it's the last of them. But since it's not a limited production item, I'll score mine eventually. So it's not a quality thing or even a lack of desire that holds me back. I just don't want to buy it twice out of animal instinct before the spec I want is released. The only problem is if this first spec and trim is the only V6 spec, suggesting they don't provide us an opportunity on an improve trim variation. Then I'll have to consider buying one used or getting the hot I-4 trim. Used would be ok though. It's a Toyota. And that's how I talked myself out of buying this new hot car this week!

I've had such a good experience with the V6 manual in my 400 that it's the spec I would opt for in an Emira. I'm keeping my 400 regardless but I'll be watching this space and awaiting further developments as it's taking every shred of will power I have to stay off the list. I have my reasons for wanting to be patient. My Evora is representative of the first of the 4XX cars shipped over here. It's been so satisfying to drive, it's set up to my liking, I trust it, I like seeing it in my garage, I own it, so it's a keeper. The benefit of thinking like this is that it allows me to be patient as the new car's arc is revealed. I'd like this one to represent peak Emira. If history is any guide, patience will be required for my spec to be announced. .

That's me. I want to know more about the development arc planned for the Emira. I'm looking for the one without the power seats! I want the tech though and it's gorgeous. Brilliant if they can keep it aspirational. It's exciting, can't wait to see a real one. .

I think a lot I think a lot of people do say that. These cars share DNA in the extruded frame, the tuned suspensions with full adjustment, the hydraulic steering......the brakes.......and so on. Maybe it is all new and I got that wrong. I see the same brakes, same basic chassis, they look very similar, motor, transmission for the 6...the one I'd want.....and so on. Don't take me the wrong way. It's more than new enough for me. I think JayEmm got it wrong and said so in the comment section. I post under my name there. To be clear, I love the Evora (and will have a mistress Emira to go with it) but agree with everyone else who owns an Evora that they don't always get the respect they deserve. I'd hate to see the Evora's legacy get trampled by the Emira as it rushes to be a mini Evija , to which it owes relatively less.

My 2 cents. I don't think they hid the fact that the chassis and running gear are really Evora based. I recall comments by Phil Popham saying they were going to make one more car based on the existing platform and that it would be IC and this is the result. It carries a lot of Evora DNA over and I wish more talk outside the Lotus community would acknowledge that if only as a sop to those of us who bought into the essential goodness of the platform in the first place. That it can carry over to the Emira is testament to how good it is. This is as far as Lotus could go to make "an all new car" within the confines of it being the last IC Lotus so it was always going to have a lot of Evora under the skin. It would be nice if they were more upfront about that but the market will sort it all out. I think there will be enough people who want the Evora for what it is, simple, light and fast, and actually quite comfortable, As regards resale for Evora, if one can be patient it will all work out.If one needs to trade for an Emira or needs the money, somewhere in here is probably not the optimum time to sell. I have no idea who makes KEF's head end for Lotus but I do know I don't ever want to have to buy one new from Lotus when the original one fails. I'm a buy, drive and hold kind of guy when it comes to cars like these and the Evora is perfect for me when viewed that way. I can change out the radio myself and for the most part it's not that complicated. If Lotus will keep us in parts, we can run the cars indefinitely. Parts can be hard here. I bitch about that all the time on LT. I assume they will be gearing up for Emira here to support it as it needs. I hope they remember my Evora while they are at it! Anyway, I've been mulling over this titillating new vehicle and decided if it's the last Lotus, I'm buying the later version and not the first of the last, but the best of the last as I define it. Coming to my senses, I put a lithium battery in my 400 today and didn't call my local dealer with my spec (but I do have a spec!). I have successfully fought back the urge to buy a place in line for the launch edition Emira, but it was a close thing. I'll be watching the arc of this and getting one at the right moment but I will not be selling my 400 to do that. I don't care if the 400 drop in price or the Emira goes up, as I expect they'll both do well in the long run. I think any success the Emira has will enhance the Evora's reputation and collector interest. The Evora has been an inside secret for years, always confused with the Eliges and always in their shadow but honestly, a superior road car for all but the most whacky. The Emira is a home run, everybody can see that. It's up to Lotus to deliver of course and it's about more than just shipping the cars here and getting the influencers on board, but what a car! Now just say it! Without the Evora, there would be no Emira! The Emira owes more to the Evora than it does to the Evija but that will be our little secret for now. Now, that wasn't so hard, was it?

Matt Farah is one of my favorite reviewers and his 400 and GT reviews are almost perfect from an owner's point of view. He shows what is for a reviewer, a complete understanding of the details. I have been planning to keep my Evora but may place an order for an Emira depending on how impatient I am. I would prefer to monitor the arc of development and buy the "430" version of the Emira assuming there is one but the car is compelling to me as is. The AMG is not my preferred option, at least not as presented so far.

I'm all for it and for Lotus to make the splash with this car they have been unable to do in the past. I thought the JB tie in suggested a new capability to promote the cars. Lotus deserves to succeed, Carr and his team did a bang up job and no doubt the engineering teams worked their hearts out to make it drive like a Lotus. I want one . I just hope they don't forget those of us who bought new cars from them when things weren't looking so rosy. Evora parts availability in the USA is discouraging. I would like to keep my Evora as well as acquire an Emira. I hope that isn't too hard to do. There's big excitement about the Emira over here, including my own interest, but service and dealer access must rise to equal the product.

The lack of even a mention of the 400 as the base car the later cars are all built upon tells us how little attention Motor Trend has paid to what has been the progress of the Evora. In my opinion, they are the least connected US magazine to enthusiast vehicles and values. Their (too) belated recognition of the Evora as a viable option is typical of their focus on American style performance to the exclusion of the feel and emotion cars like the Evora command. .

Used Evora prices are stable here. '17 400s are sold at high $60Ks to $75K while '18s go for a little more although milage, equipment and condition are more important than vintage for 400s. But for the time being it seems like Evora prices are at a bottom. Now, for better or worse the used Evora population is so small that demand has started to meet or possibly even exceed supply. I get the impression that the Evora has finally made a dent in American car consciousness. I think Lotus sales were up near 40% last year. We know that's not really all that many cars but as a relative metric it's excellent and I would think encouraging to Lotus. Of course, the new cars can only be Evoras here and they are the most expensive Evora ever at that. That tends to drive the used market up a bit. We're still Porsche and Corvette besotted but there are recently a few more people buying new GTs. First time buyers are notably present. Of course specialist interest and prices for Elise and Exige remain high. I think it would take a special Exige to go for 70K though and no Elise I am aware of has sold that high but 400s do. Nobody wants to sell one for $65,000 so you just don't see them priced there. GTs naturally cost more than any other modern road going Lotus here and are likely to stay that way but the real story for resale only gets told when Evoras are discontinued. Evora's relative depreciation is good in the states but they are still depreciating from new of course. Still, I drive mine a lot and don't expect those miles to be all that costly at this point in the car's life cycle. As a rough guide older NAs are 30-40+K and S cars can go as high up to $60K for unique or special cars. At this point, you could say 400s cost 70K and up with a top at maybe $75K. There are always exceptions of course. I think the Evora has a bit more future here than it did 18 months ago as people speculate about what replaces it.

This is just the beginning disappointment for him. The Proud Boys were expecting a bunker scene wherein he and Melanoma poison the dog and take considerably more dramatic steps rather than grudgingly consent to the communist victory. But they didn't get that. He just flew off to Mara Lago....that's the bunker for now..... to lick his wounds. He's going to have a rough few months and I think it will get worse before it gets better for him. Even the city of Mara Lago is fighting his presence. It sucks to be him today. It's only fair. I can see him with a future on drive time radio and of course another reality TV show but as was mentioned, the RE business just got a lot tougher for him. And then there will be the courts. You will want to watch the Senate proceedings but if you don't, I will try to report them with my completely unbiased eye from here. I hope the trial doesn't drag on for a lot of reasons. Finally, it should not go unmentioned that Rupert has blood on his hands too but they make a pair so a media future is in the offing. Trump's always been Rupert's boy. He was useful. Better though, things are looking up and that is so nice. Biden has a very difficult road ahead but today was a tonic. Speaking of roads, related automotive content:

Some good news from DC for a change. The adults are now officially in charge. Biden took the oath 21 minutes ago. Goodbye Donald. May your next government funded housing include three meals a day, chipped beef or turkey all king on toast followed by a one hour exercise period in the yard. America can now resume its place alongside the world's other democracies, a position abandoned for the last four years. Biden may be just the man for the job. And how about Lady Gaga? Not an easy song to do well, but she crushed it.