Lotus has detailed the first examples of the Emira set to roll off the production line in Hethel.
The Emira V6 First Edition will be priced from £75,995 ($144,000) in the UK, with Australian pricing to follow in the coming weeks.
Demand for the Emira has been strong in Australia. The V6 is on track to arrive in Australia in July 2022 as part of the first production run, with the AMG-sourced four-cylinder model to follow.
The first Emira will be powered by a Toyota-sourced 3.5-litre supercharged V6, making 298kW of power and 420Nm with the six-speed manual, or 430Nm with the six-s-eed automatic.
Flat out, the manual dispatches the 100km/h sprint in 4.3 seconds, and the automatic takes care of it in 4.2 seconds. Both cars will do 290km/h.
Lotus has confirmed the First Edition will ride on 20-inch diamond-cut alloy wheels, behind which hide two-piece brake calipers and Lotus-branded calipers.
Six colours will be offered, and LED lights, a titanium exhaust finisher, power-fold mirrors, and rear parking sensors will be standard.
One of two black packages will be standard, bringing blacked-out side sills, air blades, and a dark front splitter and rear diffuser.
Seven interior combinations are available: four Nappa leather and three Alcantara finishes.
Heated seats with power adjustability, climate control, cruise control, keyless entry and start, and factory satellite navigation are all standard, along with a 340W sound system.
Drivers can choose between the Tour or Sport suspension options, the latter of which can be paired with Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tyres in place of the standard Goodyear Eagle F1 Supersport rubber.
The Design Pack includes privacy glass, sports pedals, a black Alcantara headliner, and a choice of colour for the brake calipers.
The Convenience Pack gets owners front parking sensors, a reversing camera, rain-sensing wipers, auto-dimming mirrors, and a luggage storage net.
What’s the Lotus Emira?
The new Emira is built on the Lotus Sports Car Architecture announced earlier in 2021.
It’s a lightweight bonded aluminium structure, wrapped in a body inspired by the all-electric Evija (with a hint of Maserati MC20 and McLaren Artura about it, too).
Measuring up at 4412mm long, 1895mm wide and 1225mm tall, with a 2575mm wheelbase, the Emira is 100mm shorter than a Porsche 911, but 43mm wider with a 35mm longer wheelbase.
Lotus is targeting a kerb weight of 1405kg in the car’s lightest form, around 30kg less than a Porsche 718 Cayman GTS with a dual-clutch transmission.
Rather than a more modern electric power steering system, the Emira uses a hydraulic steering system designed to deliver better feedback to the driver.
There are two suspension tunes on offer: Tour, designed for everyday road use, and Sports, which is fairly self-explanatory and is part of the Lotus Drivers Pack.
Not only is the Emira a sharp looker, the body is clever.
Lotus says it creates passive downforce that’s balanced over both axles, while that gaping air intake ahead of the rear wheel arch feeds cool air into the hungry mid-mounted engine.
There are no active aerodynamics, and no over-the-top spoilers here.
Behind the wheel
This is a strict two-seater, but Lotus has focused on making it a comfortable, practical space.
The driver’s seat is four-way power adjustable, and Lotus says the glasshouse has been designed to create good all-round visibility for daily driving.
The driver is faced with a 12.3-inch digital instrument display, and there’s a 10.25-inch touchscreen on the dashboard for infotainment.
Both are Lotus-exclusive systems, although the brand has confirmed Apple CarPlay and Android Auto will feature.
There’s 208L of space behind the seats, and a further 151L in a boot behind the engine.
Lotus says the doors will swallow 500ml bottles, and there’s USB and 12V connectivity. A 10-speaker sound system is available from British brand Uni-Q.
There are some classic Lotus touches – like the exposed linkage on manual-equipped cars, and the compact steering wheel.
Technology
Lotus will offer the Emira with a suite of adaptive driver aids.
Adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, driver fatigue monitoring, road sign information, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and lane change assist will all be offered.
The car will also pack keyless entry and start, rain-sensing wipers, power folding mirrors, rear parking sensors (front are optional), auto-dimming rear-view mirror, curtain airbags, and launch control.
