Lotus Emira

[Evotion]

I have no problem with Lotus stopping production AFTER mine gets built 😃  I don't want them being too popular. EEk, imagine seeing another one. Shocking.

I'd only expect to see a 4-cyl once a month, similar to an Alfa 4C really.

[brightoncorgi]

Do you think age bracket plays into whether one is more apt to buy a V6 or 4 cylinder?  Seems the younger one is, the more "accepting" of a smaller cylinder and displacement.  Older folks, "no V12?"

[ramjet]

I reckon with a decent hammer we could fit a Spitfire engine in there.

[C8RKH]

5 hours ago, ramjet said:

I reckon with a decent hammer we could fit a Spitfire engine in there.

I agree, here is one ready to go in

[Escape]

18 hours ago, brightoncorgi said:

Older folks, "no V12?"

That confirms it, I'm old. 🙂 As much as I love the Esprit 4-pot, when looking for a Jag only a V12 would do. And a Range Rover needs to be a V8, never mind the actual power.

[jep]

Nah, V12 Jaguar a waste of time. Jaguar made its name with straight 6 and it is still the best. V12 did win Le Mans but only after Tom W of TWR worked his magic to get 700+ horses. As a road engine, V12 is flawed. Straight 6 won Le Mans with much smaller mods needed.

I'm old and actively dislike 8, 10, 12 cylinders. ACBC had it right in the 70s with regard small engine, low weight executive cars. It is only now coming to pass, just as petrol dies.

Justin 

 

[bruchion]

Wow.. could this be it?

https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a27813840/mercedes-amg-m139-four-cylinder-engine-specs/

 

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

That story is two years old and is about the “45” 400bhp engine. We’re talking about the “35” engine with 300bhp aren’t we? Otherwise why would Lotus bother with the Toyota V6?

[Barrykearley]

So - this is the massive question.

who’s gonna be the first to do an engine swap on an Emira then.

[simonb]

Brabus have some interesting warrantied options on the A35 engine

[Escape]

On 25/06/2021 at 13:12, jep said:

Nah, V12 Jaguar a waste of time. Jaguar made its name with straight 6 and it is still the best. V12 did win Le Mans but only after Tom W of TWR worked his magic to get 700+ horses. As a road engine, V12 is flawed. Straight 6 won Le Mans with much smaller mods needed.

I'm old and actively dislike 8, 10, 12 cylinders. ACBC had it right in the 70s with regard small engine, low weight executive cars. It is only now coming to pass, just as petrol dies.

Justin 

 

We'll agree to disagree. 😉 Firing up the V12 or hearing the V8 growl under load always brings a smile to my face. So does the Lotus 4-pot, but then that soon sees me deep into illegal speeds... For me it works out to be the best of both worlds, alternating between the big torquey Jag V12 for open top cruising and the exhilarating drive of the light and nimble Lotus.

23 hours ago, LotusLeftLotusRight said:

That story is two years old and is about the “45” 400bhp engine. We’re talking about the “35” engine with 300bhp aren’t we? Otherwise why would Lotus bother with the Toyota V6?

^ this. If the AMG is indeed as good as claimed, and as it's know to easily deliver huge power, why bother with an 'old' V6 from a less prestigious brand? More importantly, how can a buyer justify the much higher (supposed) price of the V6? 

Filip

[LotusLeftLotusRight]

One concern I have about the 4 cylinder is the sound. These high power in-line 4 cylinder turbos with point-and-squirt DCT gearboxes are found in every premium brand hatchback nowadays. No matter how many exhaust tail-pipes they throw at them (4, really!) they still sound like flatulent robots when given the beans, as they always seem to be. No soul, character or charisma if you get what I mean.

[Nathan Pitman]

Unless this is truly a variant of the Evora with a facelift then surely the V6’s appeal (sound) will be hobbled by particulate filters anyway, that begs the question as to what this will really offer over the 4 pot for road driving if it doesn’t have the V6 howl?

[TdM]

Strictly, there is no reason the 4 pot couldn't be lighter, faster and more efficient than the V6. However, having noted what happened with the Boxster reception... Maybe they feel that they couldn't risk launching with only a 4 cylinder engine.

Although, I would think that the world is more forgiving of a 4-pot Lotus if it's light than a Porsche.

[Likuid]

I mean, we really know so little about the Emira most of what we do "know" could be B.S. Maybe Lotus has something up there sleeve we aren't expecting?

While maybe unlikely, its possible that the more powerful version of the Emira is the I4. We are all just assuming its the V6 because usually that's the way it is. If its true the I4 may be an AMG and will be DCT only it actually kind of makes sense that the top-of-the-line Emira may be a 4 cylinder. More powerful and possibly lighter. Seems like a Lotus thing to do. Not completely unheard of either, I believe the I4 Turbo version of the Mustang of the same model year was more powerful than the V6 version.

[electro_boy]

Not tried the Porsche 4 pot engine my self but from reviews I thought it was not well received because it was a crap engine for a sports car. 

Laggy with slow throttle response, not particularly linear delivery and lack of any emotion and drama.  

Purely designed for low emissions and cost and high efficiency.  To get more people into Porches that are not driving enthusiasts and just want to look good and tell people they own a Porsche. 

A few other manufacturers have gone for the downsize engine with turbo and get good reviews and praise and not many complaints other than lack of noise. 
 

So I don’t see an I4 turbo engine as a problem for Lotus. They just need to pick the right one with the correct characteristics.  In the past I think they have generally got it right.  The current range from Toyota is good example, initially looked down up (both I4 and V6) from reading the spec sheet but once actually driving people tend to really like the engines.  

 

[Sport220]

One week to go!

[mdavies]

Is it too much to hope that the Emira will match the latest Ferrari, the 296 GTB, in at least one respect? Will it manage, as the Ferrari does, to provide control interfaces without using a touchscreen - that most dangerous “feature” of most modern cars? Or indeed, in the context of the modern driving environment, the most dangerous feature deliberately introduced ever.

Large pics: https://www.evo.co.uk/ferrari/203962/2022-ferrari-296-gtb-unveiled-v6-hybrid-to-pack-818bhp-punch?_mout=1&refid=09228E75F0406E58FEE79A00174F2107&utm_campaign=evo_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

Edited June 29, 2021 by mdavies

[Dobbin145]

I have heard that the Emira has quite an impressive infotainment system (including the display). But let's face it almost anything is better than a Clarion CZ313E.

As for the 296 GTB sadly I don't have £230k sloshing about in my bank account, so I'll make do with whatever Lotus have gaffa taped together on the dash of the Emria 😁

[Nathan Pitman]

Pretty sure all the controls in the new Ferrari’s are capacitive so really not any better than a screen and certainly not as usable as a real button/dial.

[Barrykearley]

Sadly all these new cars are going fully integrated now. Imagine the costs to sort in 30 years time. But then they ain’t bothered about that as it should be recycled twice at least by then 🙄

[mdavies]

From the limited info I've seen it seems the Ferrari uses some sort of "touch panels" but hugely different from a touch screen if they don't have to be looked at. It's the looking at, searching for the right spot that's the killer.  

Howard, I can't comment on the "Clarion CZ313E". Think I have something of that sort in my Elise but I've never turned it on - but only had for 3 years so who knows! 

PS: If the Emira has to lean on infotainment to impress, I'll give up on Lotus.

Edited June 29, 2021 by mdavies

[Bibs]

Lotus, known throughout the world for their class leading infotainment and with a major engineering division that install stereos for huge OEMs across the globe. Probably why they have a £6m test track which is used every single day by their ride & handling engineers, can't have those MiniDiscs skipping  

Or perhaps they've moved on the dynamics from even the magic rides of the Elise, Exige and Evora, known as some of the best handling drivers cars ever made and turned it up to 11?! 

[Dobbin145]

12 minutes ago, mdavies said:

If the Emira has to lean on infotainment to impress, I'll give up on Lotus.

Personally I don't think it will, I am sure more work has gone into the vehicle dynamics to keep that DNA. In fact more effort has gone into the tyres of the Emira than went into the infotainment on any previous Lotus 😉

[simonb]

I think the ability to raid the parts bin of Geely (ie Volvo) will give far more option than they previously had with Proton