Lotus Type 131 - The Rumour Mill

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

It was mentioned by one of journalists during that post embargo flurry of interviews. You had to read them all to gather enough data to build the overall picture. 
2 seat only. Non Toyota 4 cylinder 2 litre turbo 300bhp with DCT only. 6 cylinder Toyota V6 supercharged with manual or torque converter auto. No soft top version. 

[TomE]

34 minutes ago, 21gg said:

Has it been officially confirmed as a coupe only or just 'quoted' as?

 

Evo article says "In terms of those body styles, a coupe is a given, with a roadster also set to be offered, although whether this will feature a lift-out targa-style panel as utilised by current Lotus roadsters or a more conventional folding roof, we’ll have to wait and see. "

https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/203463/lotus-type-131-production-confirmed-for-this-year

[21gg]

I can live in hope, I will just have to keeep on sluming it in my evora 🤣

[Escape]

1 hour ago, TomE said:

Evo article

https://www.evo.co.uk/lotus/203463/lotus-type-131-production-confirmed-for-this-year

That article also implies the Elise, Exige and Evora will remain in production next to the Emira "as they are replaced over the coming years". We know that wont be the case, so maybe the rest of the article isn't completely acurate either...

I'm actually quite excited about the 131. More than I have been for any other car launch in many years. I never really considered buying another new car, but I'd love for the Emira to prove me wrong. It wont be an easy job though, with al the mandatory (legally or from a market point of view) tech and no manual for the 4-pot. Just like in France, taxes in Bhellgium will mean very few will be sold with a V6.

Filip

[DarrylV8]

it is Evo after all!

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

OK: it was in the PH Windle interview and I quote:

“Only a coupe will be offered - a decision Windle admits was a difficult one, although he promises there will be roadsters in Lotus’s future.”

Presumably that last bit means in the leccy era, since they aren’t making any further ICE cars.

[C8RKH]

20 minutes ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

Only a coupe will be offered

Remind me again by how much Lotus' open top cars have outsold their coupes?

Feels like it is like Cadbury's saying we are no longer going to sell Dairy Milk, just Whole Nut. Be happy!

[electro_boy]

I can see the electrification of a Lotus sports car taking a while to launch.   SUV and GT car etc will come before that, in my opinion.  So I can see the Emira having to fill in a long gap for the sports car fans.  Maybe that time is long enough for the Emira to get some updates and maybe one of those updates is an open top version?

Isn't one of the major goals of the Emira to get in high volume sales?  Based on purely what I can see and no scientific evidence, I think the mass market prefers a drop top for the fun car?

[snowrx]

C8RKH, Another ruralite!  I'd say the nearest tripe is a good 70-80 miles away, and I'd also put "food" in quotes when referring to it.

[PAR]

No open top sounds really off to me. Even Ferrari Made an open top version  of the laFerrari.

 

I wonder if they meant at launch. Doing a roadster (not a a full electric foldable roof) is really not that difficult so economically dificult to justify.

[TomE]

The Evora was supposed to have an open top variant, it was in the product plan and engineered into the architecture.  But never got built.

I'd heard that low sales volumes of the S1 Evora meant it couldn't be justified, others said it turned out to be too expensive to engineer a decent open version that would be acceptable to the target market (two sticks and a roll of cloth being considered too basic).  There were some concept designs for targa style removeable roof panels that stowed behind the seats but it didn't get progressed.

[jimichanga]

Love the way the Evora is a luxury GT to Lotus. Sticking point for the cabrio was that they thought it needed electric folding roof to compete in its segment which added hugely to weight, complexity and cost. Finished car would have been very expensive and lacklustre sales of the coupe didn't encourage them to take the risk. Numbers didn't work out basically. Two sticks and a roll of cloth would have been preferable to me. Heck Lambo got away with it with the Aventador.

You can't axe 3 models, two of which have a removeable roof and replace all three with a single 2 seat coupe. Especially if the whole plan is to increase volume. Looks like Emira will launch with manual/auto V6 coupe only. Very hard to believe a convertible won't follow at some point. But debate over electric/manual roof is ongoing I imagine.

[PAR]

yes, give me a piece of glass or carbon fibre I can remove and put behind the seats (as it is a 2 seat only car). It doesn’t even need to be big to be enjoyable.

[NedaSay]

12 hours ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

OK: it was in the PH Windle interview and I quote:

“Only a coupe will be offered - a decision Windle admits was a difficult one, although he promises there will be roadsters in Lotus’s future.”

Presumably that last bit means in the leccy era, since they aren’t making any further ICE cars.

is it that piece or is there another one : https://www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features/lotus-md-matt-windle--ph-meets/44079

Edited May 1, 2021 by NedaSay

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Yes, in particular the second paragraph under the yellow Evija photo.

[Karl M Roberts]

Hi guys, I had a conversation with a Lotus staff member, better not say who, and she called Emira "a mini Evija". Should be a great looking car.

[duncx]

I have heard similar 'mini Evija' type comments from two different main dealers, both of which have seen official images from Lotus.

[stephenwhyte]

Makes sense when you see them pictured side by side here......I really can’t wait to see it on the 6th July!😎

[DAV1D]

On 26/04/2021 at 08:50, scotty435 said:

Not a Toyota V6, one wonders which manufacture is suppling the V6 🤔

I have heard that the Emira will come with a version of the current V6 which makes sense given the chassis is an evolution of the Evora. 4 banger will be turbocharged apparently. Given the Geely ownership, Mercedes are an obvious choice. Could it be the A35 or A45 engine? 

Edited May 1, 2021 by DAV1D

[jimichanga]

Evija is very compact especially for a hypercar. The car under the cover would be Elise sized. Emira will definitely be bigger than that but it’s just a CG render and not especially accurate.

Clearly no bolt on aero parts on Emira which does suggest electric ‘active’ aero. Not the lightest way to do it but I have been told Chapman believed aero parts should be integrated so might approve of that at least!

[mg4lotus]

The test mule vehicle had the Evora shell but with wider arches so I would expect the Emira to be slightly larger than the Evora

[TomE]

Emira interior might be wider but I’m not sure the exterior max width can go much wider than the Evora or it’ll be too large for a standard UK garage opening.

I was told Emira is shorter than Evora, which makes sense as there’s no +2.

[DAV1D]

I hope the tacky black & carbon badge is an option. I’ve just about got used to the new roundel but it needs to be yellow and green! 

[21gg]

The prototype one had wheel arch extensions, so probably no wider than the GTE, so should be fine.

 

 

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

Hmm, before driving into my garage, I have to get out and check that my GTE is exactly centred. I use the rope pull handle on the inside of the garage door as a plumb line and ensure that it’s in line with the centre of the car roof. Only then, will I get back in and drive in. I actually leave the wing mirrors out. They give me a second point of reference as I drive in. If one of them looks too close to the door frame, I have a final chance to abort, back out and try again before risking the wide rear bodywork to potential damage. Having the mirrors out also let’s me see that there is indeed sufficient gap between the rear bodywork and the door frame on each side, either driving in or out.

It sounds like a palaver and it really is, but the procedure has prevented any damage in the 6 years of ownership. I wouldn’t want to do it on a daily basis. In fact I don’t remember doing it at all when I had the LE, so those extra 4 inches certainly do make a difference ladies. I don’t think the Emira will be quite that wide though, so it should be OK.