Emira - technical

[Taglio]

 

The car are based on VVA / Evora platform, same suspension, parts, radiator, and same wheelbase and 2GR-FE engine mount scheme.

image from video presentazione

[ramjet]

Welcome to TLF.

I thought I read somewhere that the tub was like the VVA platform, but was different?

You should duck over to the introductions area and say hi in there as well.  

[JimH]

VVA = Versatile Vehicle Architecture, the clue is in the name 😉

[NedaSay]

They just evolved and rebranded the platform, the seals are even thinner than the latest version of it in Evora. The internal codename for the architecture is now Elemental but externally it is now known as the Sport Car Architecture to distinguish it from the Lifestyle vehicle architecture

[SJP68]

On 08/07/2021 at 08:04, Taglio said:

 

The car are based on VVA / Evora platform, same suspension, parts, radiator, and same wheelbase and 2GR-FE engine mount scheme.

image from video presentazione

The Emira does follow the same philosophy as the Evora, of an extruded and bonded centre tub with separate front and rear sub-frames, but they are all new. The wheelbase is as the Evora and the overall dimensions are pretty much the same, but I think the front track is wider. Suspension uses forged aluminium wishbones like Evora, but longer. Along with new anti roll bars, allow lower spring rates to be used. There is also new uprights, new steering rack and column, brakes, engine mount system, stability control, so there is not much carry over from the Evora, apart from V6. You can see the difference in front wishbone length, compared to the attached picture, of the Evora chassis below.

There has been talk about the Emira's overall weight, only being comparable to the outgoing Evora and not being considerably lighter, but it would be interesting to know if Lotus have managed to increase torsional stiffness and comply with the latest crash test requirements (which I presume are more stringent than when the Evora was first introduced and for most manufacturers result in adding extra weight), while maintaining a comparable weight, then surely that is an achievement.

[ramjet]

On 13/07/2021 at 19:48, JimH said:

VVA = Versatile Vehicle Architecture, the clue is in the name 😉

Fully understand that. My comment was around the fact that it does not have carryover from the parts that make up an Evora as @Bibs has said elsewhere. I get annoyed at the "It is just a reworked Evora." comment.

If we follow that thought, the Evija is just the Flinstones' vehicle/car/pushwagon reworked.

But again, what would I know? I'm just an Aussie. 🇦🇺

[duncx]

I would be interested to know how they have improved ingress (dropped the sills?) without compromising the rigidity of the chassis - I wonder if they have finally used the roof structure as a stressed part of the full assembly? The longer wishbones look good, really shows that this is an serious evolution of the chassis design rather than the ridiculous 'it's an Evora in a new frock' nonsense being spouted all over the place

What I find amazing is - the way that such a piece of brutally perfect functional engineering (the chassis) can morph into such a beautiful curvaceous body.

[Evotion]

You can see a lot of the actual structure now in a few videos out there.

This is Lotus. They are geniuses at this.

It was about the same getting in the Emira as any other sports car. Amazing job.

[Al]

When the Evora launched I remember seeing all the photos of the crashed chassis and reading stories about how it was so rigid they had actually used the same chassis for a number of different test (different ends!) as it so exeeded requirements. I can certainly vouch for that as I tried to destroy my LE car by being T boned on nearside. It was rebuilt without any new tub or front rear structure as still millimetre perfect.

[SJP68]

Yes, your right, I think there was about five head on crash tests, where the centre tub remained intact and they just replaced the front sub frame each time.

From a previous post, on the Elise the body panels were not structural, torsional stiffness was 9800 Nm/deg. For the Evora, the body panels were structural, bare tub around 14000 Nm/deg , increased to 26000 Nm/deg, with integrated glass fibre composite side panels, A pillars, roof structure and windscreen surround. Sure I read somewhere, that it was 50% stiffer than a Ferrari F430, but I may be wrong.

Facts and figures above from the 'Evora Suplime Supercar' book.

[Likuid]

9 hours ago, duncx said:

 I wonder if they have finally used the roof structure as a stressed part of the full assembly?

I have a feeling that's part of the reason for no targa or convertible was announced. Other part is cost of crash testing.  Although I am sure if Emira is big hit Lotus will consider doing a targa or convertible, but maybe would require larger sills?

Edited July 15, 2021 by Likuid

[NedaSay]

The chassis of Emira is obviously different, people who have sat in the cabin have noticed the headroom but also the shoulder room is significantly increased, the cabin in wider.

The mounting points for the suspension and the cinematics are ever so slightly different, the mounting points for the engines hardwares are also different.

The sills are lowered yet, which clearly indicates that they must have made more tweaks to the chassis but also, maybe because they decided pretty early to take a pass on the roadster, to place some of the stress on some core body parts (the passenger cell : "A pilar" and "Roof")

Edited July 15, 2021 by NedaSay

[Kal-El]

17 hours ago, ramjet said:

Fully understand that. My comment was around the fact that it does not have carryover from the parts that make up an Evora as @Bibs has said elsewhere. I get annoyed at the "It is just a reworked Evora." comment.

If we follow that thought, the Evija is just the Flinstones' vehicle/car/pushwagon reworked.

But again, what would I know? I'm just an Aussie. 🇦🇺

I agree. No one complains the 911 is just an evolution, so why the negative connotations with the Emira?

Porsches are still using steel/aluminium monocoques with McPherson struts. No complaints there either.

[r3nault]

A 911 is just a reworked Beetle. There, I said it

[Barrykearley]

12 hours ago, Kal-El said:

Porsches are still using steel/aluminium monocoques with McPherson struts. No complaints there either.

Not many complain when the strut pops through the top either.

[SJP68]

Maybe a result of over stiff suspension, to compensate for chassis flex and why for the GT3/GT2, they have to install all that scaffolding in the back, to stiffen the whole thing up. Although the owners will probably say it's a roll cage, to comply with racing homolgation. I've only been in a 911, once in the 80's, I just remember the ride being so hard.

[ramjet]

Has anyone asked or mentioned whether Lotus down the track may bring out an EV version of the Emira?

That might be something.

[KusaKusa]

The future Lotus EV sports car, that has a platform shared between Lotus and Alpine, should essentially be an EV Emira.  I wouldn't be surprised if Lotus gives the EV sports car platform a "mid engine" battery layout.  It's optimal for a small performance car, as demonstrated by the Tesla Roadster prototype and Rimac Nevera, and Lotus has experience with it with the Evija.  Most manufacturers don't use it since you can't use the platform for long sedans or SUVs like the skateboard layout can, but it fits Lotus' product line and platform outsourcing strategy.  I think using the Emira platform for an EV would be suboptimal in comparison.  A bit off topic, but I'd just be worried about Lotus hitting good weight with the EV sports car.  The Evija is already 3700 lb /1680 kg with only a 70 kWh battery and a carbon fiber monocoque.  Battery tech will improve dramatically by the 2028 release date to reduce needed battery weight and size, but I wonder if Lotus/Volvo/Geely has the EV expertise to compete with GM/LG, Porsche/VAG/Rimac, Tesla/Panasonic, and Ford/SK.

Back on topic, I'm glad to hear the Emira platform has good changes from the Evora.  While the Evora and the extruded and bonded aluminum chassis were ahead of its time, other manufacturers have also significantly improved.  For Porsche for example, tons of reviewers say the 718 Cayman is dynamically superior to its predecessor, and Porsche is always improving and integrating tons of new tech into the 911 like rear wheel steering, active anti roll bars, etc. (ignoring whether they're good improvements or not).

[TomE]

From sitting in the car at Goodwood it's certainly easier access than the Evora.  As well as the lower and narrower sills, the door opening is also taller.  One of the Lotus folks pointed it out.  The Emira is marginally lower (1225 versus Evora 1229) but aperture is bigger.  You can see the difference in these pics:

Emira:

 

Evora:

[scotty435]

For me having lived with lotus cars for the last 20years and owned most varieties in that period, including S1 Evora and till my latest 410sport. I felt it strange getting into the Emira, any easier I am not sure, having sat in both cars at Goodwood and yes I am getting on in years but I definitely felt my 410 is easier to to get into,the sill helps me in the its somewhere to put my backside before clambering in or out. The Emira felt like you was sat on the road before you even started to enter the cockpit, just felt like wow that’s a long way down. Just giving my honest opinion and my deposit is still firmly in place so sure its like most things you just need to adapt to change.

[rallyesax]

@KusaKusa Lotus did already announce in the video about the future projects the 'mid engine' battery configuration for the future sport car platform (Lotus/Alpine) 

[Simon Bateman]

The 4×× series cars were much easier to access, with the lower and narrower sill.

I had a Cayman before the 400 and access was very similar with either car. 

[r3nault]

No sense of occasion without the big sills  Same as climbing into a Corolla

[KJD]

Camry, surely?

The Emira looks very similar to the Evora 4xx, maybe with the footwell A-pillar pushed forward a bit.

[Simon Bateman]

The sills on the 4×× cars were lowered by 53mm and narrowed by 46mm (on each side) from the original Evora.

The Emira doesn't look much different from the photo.