mdavies

“Lotus vehicle dynamics chief Gavan Kershaw agrees. “I love the V6,” he says. “I’ve grown up with it, and it’s got a really strong character – the throttle connection and the sound, with a manual transmission and an LSD. But you jump in the four-cylinder Emira and it feels super modern and very strong in performance. It’s like being back in my GT4 race car.” A good read for intending Emira V6 owners? Perhaps not so much. Gavan Kershaw’s words have to be taken very seriously by all. I’d like to hear him expand on that quote. Really a choice between “strong character” and “strong performance”? And between feeling like “his GT4 race car” - in which we know he did rather well! - and, er…….. well, not feeling like that, presumably? Anyone in a position to request “clarification”?

That's all helpful and reassuring, Tom, thank you. It seems a very reasonable position and approach from Lotus now after the uncertaintainties and confusions stemming from making the initial launch probably about six months ahead of an appropriate stage of the car's design and development. Goodwood was an excellent launchpad of course and I suspect some need to impress Big-G, also to minimise the "Yes, we've got no cars" situation.

Thank you, Tom, very helpful to me as I know both the Series 1 Evora S and the GT410 Sport. So it will be Sport on my Emira order, subject to Gav Kershaw's words of course.

Thank you for that, Ade. (Personally, glad to read your comments on Nimbus Grey!) More generally, re the Sport/Tour aspect, many interested will be familiar with the last range of cars so in discussions with those that know, such as the development driver that you mention, getting some comparisons would be very useful. Especially for those having to confirm their orders ahead of practical experience. I believe you have driven an Exige 410. I've experienced most of the previous range with my current benchmark being the Elise Cup 250. Not wanting a daily driver, I'm inclined to order Sport, but not if it's any firmer than the Cup 250. The Evora GT410 Sport was fine for me - I've not had the chance of a 430. Can you, or any informed others, make comparisons? Thanks.

Graham, all the fun of "e-commerce", as I note from the header to today's email. Lotus can call it whatever modern term they like but I will be applying very old-fashioned principles to any purchase I might make!

No timescale reference on mine either, but no surprise as I placed the initial deposit only at the tail end of last year. That was deliberate as I've no intention of buying "off plan". So some time away in whatever case, so hardly practicable to give any delivery indication. What I don't think can apply either is the "See ... a part exchange valuation." A PX will be a significant aspect of a purchase for me but AFAIK Lotus have no information on my current car. I suspect what they mean is Information about obtaining a PX valuation.

I have scanned the info here on the new Retail Agency (RA) model – and also am little wiser on matters important to me about it. Hastily, a few points I see - I’d welcome being corrected on any or all by those who know better. The RA model degrades those previously dealers from being what were, in principle, independent businesses, to mere functionaries within the Lotus/Geely global operation. Whatever business they will now operate will be as a dealer in second-hand cars. “Retail Agency” (RA) is a misleading term – they do not retail new Lotus cars. For the customer, it enforces fixed prices. No ability for the RA to show appreciation to a buyer with a long repeat buying record with that RA, or to differentiate between those they assess as potentially becoming one, and "others". The previous customer/dealer contract and relationship will not exist: “Some issue with the new car? Sorry, talk to Lotus.” Replacing the customer-dealer-Lotus chain by a direct customer-Lotus one will not in fact bring the customer and the Lotus organisation any closer together. The large disparity in power between those two will make any relationship superficial and worth little if anything. Previously, with a reasonable request (or case) with which the dealer agreed, a much greater influence could be exerted on Lotus by the dealer. Obviously no details, but I have benefitted from this in a good number of ways, over decades. No point in becoming worked up about it all – a done deal. The effect for me is that I will assess future Lotus purchases as I would that of any other car – all that matters is suitability of the vehicle itself for me. Whoever makes it. The Lotus I knew is no more and I have no interest in the sprawling Geely organisation as such. I have an Emira order in place at present – far from wholly committed. Further assessment information starting soon I hope.

Fine words follow that picture, all well deserved, including those of Matt Windle: "I would also like to convey enormous gratitude to all the customers of the Elise, Exige and Evora over the last 26 years for their passion, enthusiasm and support." However those words do not sit well with his ill-advised dismissive phrase a few months ago regarding the new Lotus range, notably the Emira, that "he does not care what traditionalists think". Regrettable and unnecessary from any CEO, always carrying responsibilities that of course include those for sales and PR. I do not expect any "likes" for this, but I felt very strongly about such carelessness. Right, I'll forget it now, as I'll credit Matt Windle with now much preferring the words quoted above to be the ones remembered.

A F1 championship shambles is small beer compared with my 2 hours of time wasted.........

F1 now a dirty tricks Derby. I look forward to Verstappen in future being subjected to "crowding off the track" by many others. Whenever he tries to pass outside on a corner.

Useful recruit to get another award - for an Elmira perhaps? https://www.theepochtimes.com/mkt_breakingnews/video-time-lapse-carpenter-dad-builds-drivable-wooden-bugatti-for-son-and-it-goes-viral_4005500.html?utm_source=News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=breaking-2021-10-11-2&mktids=4c834cfcaa10a56db8d4bc524cb2121d&est=ZJdm1StaG60pNPbc8EZ2%2FRy8grK9ofL6JpGNGpRiue3PH9vEzFROU2mSWW8msYV85W2arg%3D%3D

Oh dear, EVO already gearing up to find yet another way to write "Porsche is better". Its current email includes a link to a rave review of the Cayman GT4 2021 - except for 2nd gear being too long, although it's barely said. The piece concludes with: "Looking ahead, though, the all-new Lotus Emira will stand to be the GT4's biggest threat.................Bring on the twin test." That threatened comparison is quite unreasonable: the initial version of the Emira is surely designed to have a different character and be aimed at a different market to the GT4. Hopefully though a future version will go hard for the GT4's jugular. Something to kick off with is that the kerb weight (unspecified) of the GT4 is 1495 kg. Gird your loins, Lotus!

Too many Emira threads to check if posted somewhere already, so I will. The current EVO Email is headed by a pretty decent article that seems to provide all known facts about the Emira. Unsurprisingly it includes spec/performance comparison tables: V6 with the Cayman GTS 4.0 and the AMG with the Alpine 110S and the Cayman S. https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/203463/lotus-emira-first-edition-priced-from-ps75995-production-to-commence-in-2022?_mout=1&refid=09228E75F0406E58FEE79A00174F2107&utm_campaign=evo_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter Perhaps of interest just to the odd one or two here..............

duncx, very briefly as TomE has just covered matters fully, just a "thank you". You illustrated and confirmed the theme of my entire earlier posting and, indeed, of the few words that you chose to extract. Your intention to purchase, and those of the "likes", are no more than conditional - "subject to contract", as an estate agent's board would have it. You imply that you want a decent look at the car - not merely a glimpse from amongst a crowd. Hence, whatever its quality, your viewing has the potential to result in you withdrawing your deposit. Else you would not require a viewing. A very sensible and commendable position to take, if I may say and one I would certainly endorse. Personally I would go further and sign nothing until after at least seeing several road tests and probably insisting on one myself. You and I are on the same spectrum of greys that I referred to.

It’s understandable that some who have placed deposits may be feeling peeved that the roadshow booking process does not appear to distinguish between them and others who may be interested in seeing the Emira. (Yes, I’m one such.) From the perspective of Lotus marketing though, I see little reason for drawing any firm distinction on a “deposit made” basis. A viewing may cause a depositor to request a refund, or someone not having placed a deposit to decide to purchase – and, I suggest, having viewed, being rather more likely to follow through to actually buy than any pre-viewing depositor. There are only shades of grey between them, no black and white. Those who have placed a (non-committing) deposit have already received a considerable benefit: a place in the queue for receiving their car, should they actually buy. Why, prior to any real commitment, should they receive preferential treatment at this stage? It seems a valid observation that giving a viewing to a deposit holder has the potential to discourage an actual purchase whereas one for a non-deposit holder may get Lotus an additional sale! PS: Just received a B&C confirmed viewing slot.

Having made my (lack of) interest point I'd no intention of commenting further but, from a strong field, my clear pick above!

Useful future conversational phrases for owners of pre-Geely models: “Oh, you have one of those Lifestyle things” “No, I have to drive this all by myself” “Nice colour” Afraid I’ve dried up at that. Expect others can do better.

Agreeing that is a likely shortlist for many, I suspect the final choice for those that go for an Emira will not be based so much on explicit, factual or numeric criteria as the “never mind the details, I’d really love to have one of those” factor. Those who pick the Cayman or the F-type will be “being sensible”: going for the well-established, well known, safer choice – albeit with wistful backward glances at the Emira in many cases, thinking “perhaps one day, but I just can’t risk it now”. “Criteria” may put that group fairly close in analysis, but when it comes to head vs heart, they seem pretty far apart to me. So I don’t think the PR that pitches the Emira as being straightforwardly in the same basket and to be compared with “The Others” as being that good a line. I’d have prefered something like “The One You Really Want”.

Suppose many here will know it all, but Evo catching up.......... https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/esprit/204122/lotus-esprit-dead-on-arrival?_mout=1&refid=09228E75F0406E58FEE79A00174F2107&utm_campaign=evo_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter Current reference in the last para.

Late response as been out but glad to see no pitchforks re my Ferrari fun! Indeed, a HaHa - thanks whoever. Sure great majority here recognise light-hearted casual remarks - long wait until Emira-time!

Unarguable indeed! Thought I saw a certain resemblance................. so you think I won't get away with putting Ferrari badges on my Emira when it arrives?

Remind you of anything currently? Actually a Ferrari 488, from 2015. (Been in trouble about using "wrong thread" - at least I didn't risk putting this on Emira pictures thread!)

Absolutely agree with that anyway, Bibs. No Lotus EV for me whatever its performance! Hopefully a manual Emira will fall into my buying range one day.

A while ago I wrote in this thread about how “quite ordinary” electric cars could, should their drivers wish, potentially embarrass those of us driving what we have thought of as pretty quick, enthusiast's machinery. Sub-McLaren that is. Particularly regarding the “you won’t overtake me” types needing only brief bursts of acceleration in the 40 to 60 mph region to do that in often short overtaking stretches. To any Moderator this is about I.C. drivers dealing with EV’s, not about EV's as such, and is intended for enthusiast I.C. drivers like me. So please do not move it to an EV thread where many of us may not see it - I wouldn’t there. (Sorry, a battle last time!) And the immediate “future of Lotus”, the Emira, is one I see as open to being embarrassed by EVs. Yesterday I walked by a stationary little VW ID.3. It was L-plated and emblazoned with words about some “Automatics Driving School”. (No comment!) From the driving seat someone was seemingly explaining things to a passenger. I reached a busy roundabout and the ID.3 came up silently beside me. It was a modern small roundabout with much of the centre only marked by a slightly roughened surface. The flow from the busy road on the right mostly drove straight over that in almost a straight line at a good speed. Almost no gaps for the ID.3. But no problem - it suddenly disappeared from beside me into a tiny gap and up to the speed of the main flow - apparently near instantly. That burst of acceleration beat “launch controlled” I.C. take-offs I’ve experienced! Just a slight scrabbling of tyres the only drama. Material leaving shovels - no comparison. Some driving lesson! If those bursts can be used at higher speeds, I’ll only be using peak-power approaches to overtaking “little ID.3s”.

Some point-missing re my post it seems. I had thought my underlining would suffice. Quite separately from the future existence of a SUV, about which I make no comment, my post was intended to refer to what I regard, from someone in Windle's position, as a wholly superfluous and ill-advised comment.