Full release: This author has a Lotus Emera Order.
The Lotus Emera is a very special car. Not only is this the latest Lotus to carry a form of electrification, it is also the first completely new car made in a very long time.
How long, you ask? The latest ‘new’ Lotus was Evora in 2008, before that it was the Ellis / Axis platform that was launched in 1995. So, when the news of Emera broke up earlier this year and the pictures show one of the best looking modern sports cars on the market, it was hard not to notice.
Although the production version of the Lotus Emera is not yet ready, we recently went to Bathurst to let you know our thoughts on driving around a prototype 3.5-liter V6 manual hill.
Before that let’s know some information about the car.
Emera is built Lotus Sports Car Architecture We first heard in early 2021 and using a lightweight bonded aluminum structure, a body wrapping company says it was inspired by All-Electric Eviza.
It has the option of a tri-end-tested Toyota 3.5-liter supercharged V6 offered with a manual transmission (an auto will be added to the end), or a 2.0-liter turbocharged unit from a Mercedes-AMG (consider the slightly retarded A45 S). Available. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
Amira measures 4412 mm long, 1895 mm wide and 1225 mm long With a 2575mm wheelbase, Which makes it about 100mm smaller than the Porsche 911, but 43mm wide with a 35mm long wheelbase. This makes it 328mm longer than the Axis.
In other words, this is the first Lotus sports car that sits and looks like a genuine supercar in terms of proportions and design.
Although the figures are not yet confirmed, Lotus is targeting the lightest carb carb weight of 1405 kg, about 30 kg less than the 718 Cayman GTS on a Porsche with a dual-clutch transmission, but for the car we drove it could be around 1430 kg. . Here (V6).
Unlike the Ellis and Axis, the Emera has power steering, but still abandons a modern electric power steering setup and instead uses a hydraulic steering system, which the Chinese-owned British company says is designed to give the driver better response.
The offer includes two suspension tunes: tours, designed for everyday road use; And sports, which are fairly self-explanatory and part of the Lotus driver pack.
How much is Lotus Emerald?
The first Emera variants will touch the V6 first version later this year, followed by the AMG-powered four-cylinder versions in the second quarter of 2023.
Prices will start আগে 155,990 before on-road costs Emira jumps, for four-cylinder DCT আগে 169,990 before on-road For the base V6 manual, and ডের 173,990 before on-road For V6 automatic.
The first version of the four-cylinder is priced at $ 177,990 before the on-road and the first version of the Amira V6 is listed at $ 184,990 before the on-road.
Price of 2023 Lotus Emerald:
- Lotus Emera four-cylinder: 155,990
- Lotus Emira V6 Manual: 169,990
- Lotus Emira V6 Car: $ 173,990
- Lotus Emira Four-Cylinder First Edition: 177,990
- Lotus Emira V6 First Edition: $ 184,990
How’s Lotus Emira inside?
We didn’t give you enough time to fully appreciate the interior inside the pre-production Lotus Emerald, but as the owner of the current Series 3 Lotus Ellis, it didn’t take long to realize that this world is different. Ever since Lotus.
The interior of the Emera may not be the latest in technology and sophistication, but it is certainly a much more modern package than any previous Lotus. And, the heated and adjustable (driver only) seats are comfortable enough to use every day.
At least for those who have driven a Lotus sports car before, perhaps the best news is that you don’t need to be trained from an early age by an old Russian gymnast named Olga to get in and out of the car.
From a technology standpoint, there’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen that shows comparatively stock on the center dashboard and is equipped with wired Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while the driver can enjoy a beautiful 12.3-inch digital instrument display.
We briefly played with the infotainment system and found it easy and fast enough to use with decent integration and clarity.
Honestly, a Walkman in the 80’s could have been an upgrade over the previous system, but Lotus decided to jump around four generations of infotainment at once, bringing to market what would be considered a pretty decent technology suite in 2022.
What’s under the bonnet?
We had a driven car 3.5-liter supercharged Toyota V6Which develops in this application 298 kW Of power and 420Nm Including six speed manual. If you want to give up some fun, you can skip it 430Nm With the upcoming six-speed automatic option, including the paddle shifter.
If you go for the 2.0-liter turbocharged AMG unit, which is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission, you’ll probably find a lighter car that’s even faster near a track. For now, the German will take out the heart 268 kW Of power and 430Nm Of torque
Ironically, on the Mercedes-AMG A45 S, the same base engine delivers 310kW and 500Nm of power. Undoubtedly Lotus wants to allow some headrooms for future special editions which could be called Amira S or Amira R.
How does Lotus Emera drive?
The Emira Hall is a replacement for both the Alice and the Axis, so there are relatively large shoes to complement it when it comes to performance tracking. Although the two older Lotus models are based on somewhat ancient 90s platforms, even by today’s standards they are an excellent entry-level track car and / or tarmac rally entry.
Emerald’s challenge was to offer similar performance and usability to the Porsche Cayman. Which means it’s about to be the most delusional time of the year, as well.
Although we’ve spent most of our time behind the wheels of this left-hand drive prototype around Mount Panorama, it’s easy to say that this Lotus is as close as competing on the right Porsche.
In fact, the whole Lotus business model and proposal has to be like the Porsche while maintaining its British flavor. This means creating a series of Hello sports cars (such as the Amira) as well as a series of lifestyle family cars (such as the Electra SUV) where the actual amount and profit.
To do this, however, with due respect to the previous Lotus models of the Emerald, has to have a much more universal appeal (like the Cayman in a Porsche) than a superlight but sticky-together kit car.
The good news is that the Emira is truly a perfect, perfect sports car that will make a perfect diary for any enthusiast. The bad news is that it weighs about 300 kg more than Axis and 400 kg more than Alice.
The disadvantage of this weight is the price you pay for the modern safety system, high strength-steel construction and the engineering required to make it an all-encompassing daily movable vehicle. This means time 0-100km / h 4.3 seconds (4.2s for Auto), far from the 3.4-second claim of the Manic Final Edition Axis.
Ignoring the uncomfortable left-hand drive manual action in this prototype, the first thing you’ll notice in the Emirates is the amount of room between the driver and the passenger. Unlike the Exige and Elise, the Emira doesn’t even require your passenger’s consent to change gears.
Another immediate difference is the power steering. One of the greatest (and most disliked) features of previous Lotus models was the lack of power steering. In the Emirates, the hydraulic power steering setup manages to keep each steering input feeling and the driver’s busyness alive without having to feel like a workout.
Although we like the insufficiency of a helpless steering system, the class and sophistication of the Amira would be just right.
It’s hard to give a full report card of how Lotus Emera performed after five laps around Bathurst, but our initial impressions are very positive. Emira fills you with confidence in the corner while not feeling overly harsh or unfriendly.
Our test car came with a solid chassis option to ride the Super Sticky Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s, but even then, the mechanical grip was obvious from the gate go.
From the driving point of view, the front end is very precise and the small movements of the steering wheel are reflected from the direction of the emirate on the road. It also provides great feedback so you know what the front end is always doing – it’s an integral part of Lotus DNA and we’re glad it passed to the emirate.
The Powerband isn’t as aggressive as the Lighter Axis in its delivery, but the 3.5-liter supercharged Toyota engine has excellent mid-range pull, although we’d like to take it a bit further than 6500rpm.
In that same token, the gearbox of our experimental car felt a bit sophisticated and authentic, the gears were harder to assign than our choice, although we could easily blame for changing gears with the opposite hand.
Emira feels fast without feeling too fast, much like the 718 Cayman GTS (0-100 in 4.5 seconds). While the available AMG-powered 2.0-liter engine has less power, extra torque, faster transfer dual-clutch transmission and lighter weight it should feel more attractive mid-gear, we will see.
One thing we would say for the V6 is noise. While it’s nowhere near as loud as the Axis in full scream, the Emira can still perceive much more than the driving experience, and the exact Axis engine that produced the output at the end of its life (the Axis Cup 430) produces 321kW and 440Nm). Basic Tune and Hardware Upgrade There is no reason why Emera’s similar output is not available.
How much does it cost to run Lotus Emera?
Lotus Australia is also offering only one Three-year, unlimited-kilometer warrantyWhich we think could be even better in this day and age – engine suppliers Mercedes-AMG and Toyota both offer five-year, unlimited-kilometer warranties.
Full details of car service have not yet been finalized, but are expected to pay between -8 400-800 per visit, depending on the interval.
CarExpert’s tech on Lotus Emerald
Having already ordered a Lotus Emera, perhaps a writer can’t get a higher appreciation for a car.
The real question is; Can anyone use AMG-sourced Turbo Four with supercharged V6 manual or DCT?
My original order was for a four-cylinder, but after running the V6 and feeling the need to keep a manual Lotus in my life, that choice is now beginning to swing in a different direction.
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More: Everything Lotus Emira