For decades, the lotus Rolling out sharp sports cars that focus on driver engagement above all else. That single-minded approach doesn’t always make money, so the folks at Hathel have Ways to cut costs had to be found, usually by cheap interiors and questionable build quality. As a result of that cost cutting, there is always a “but” with Lotus cars, but not with the 2023 Amira. the lotus The last internal combustion model It offers the level of driving pleasure you’d expect from this brand without asking you to overlook glaring flaws. This is the car that Lotus always wanted and needed to make.
Mechanically, it shares a drivetrain with the Emira Evora GT. That means it’s powered by the same mid-mounted Toyota-sourced 3.5-liter V6, with a Roots-style supercharger courtesy of Edelbrock. This engine produces 400 hp (a 16-hp drop from the Evora GT, due to emissions) and 310 lb-ft of torque if you specify the six-speed manual transmission. The six-speed automatic with its conventional torque converter nets an additional 7 lb-ft.
The manual transmission – which you should get – is a suitably weighty and well-balanced gearbox with exposed linkage and a very substantial-feeling milled aluminum shift knob. The stick-shift isn’t as easy to use as the Porsche Cayman, but I find it ultimately more rewarding. When you shift gears, you really feel like you’re moving metal.
While the gearbox is good, in contrast, the clutch is not. Not only is the pedal quite heavy, the bite point is close to the floor and it’s grabby. It’s not on-off like a racing clutch, but it feels unnecessarily aggressive for something that isn’t ultimately as wild as a car.
Lotus will also offer the Emira with a Mercedes-AMG-sourced 2.0-liter turbocharged I4 engine and a nine-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. The drivetrain is slated to debut later this year with 360 hp and 317 lb-ft of torque. The inability to spec this engine with a manual would be a bummer, but Mercedes’ DCT is at least good.
My test vehicle is an Emira First Edition which means that, in addition to the V6, it gets the Driver’s Pack as standard equipment. This option bundles track mode for a limited-slip differential, valve exhaust and an electronic stability control system.
Being a Lotus, the chassis is where all the magic happens, and the Amira is no slouch here. The Emira is notable for featuring good old-fashioned hydraulically assisted power steering – a rarity in 2023. (Get you back me, EPAS!) The benefit of this is that the steering is beautifully weighted, and not too heavy or light and flighty. A hydraulic system like the Amira is better at telegraphing what’s going on to the front wheels through the steering wheel. When people talk about “communicative steering,” this is what they’re talking about. With a clearer picture of how much grip your front tires have, you can drive the car harder.
The Emira is available with two suspension options: Sport and Touring. The differences between the two are somewhat significant, at least on paper. For example, Touring spec gets Goodyear Eagle F1 tires, while Sport might have Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 or Goodyear. The Sport version has a more aggressive setup and different springs. Having only driven the Touring version, I can’t predict what you should be getting if you’re shopping for one of these, but I will say that, with the base setup, I never feel like I’m missing out on driving fun. .
The Amira’s suspension design is a tried-and-true, fully independent, double-wishbone setup at all four corners. The Bilstein dampers are not electronically controlled, which is a Lotus hallmark; For the first time, the company sets the suspension and saves money on electronics. It’s hard to argue with the results, as I never crave firmer shocks when driving on canyon roads, and I don’t crave a softer setup around town.
The Emira’s brakes are not particularly noticeable at a glance, but in operation, they are excellent. They’re from AP Racing and feature four-piston calipers both front and rear, as well as cross-drilled, two-piece discs measuring 14.6-inches and 13.7-inches, respectively. The pedal is firm but easy to modulate, initial bite is good and I didn’t experience brake fade during spirited driving.
Overall, driving the Emira V6 feels like a two-way conversation. The more you push the car, the more it communicates and the more alive it feels. It’s a hardcore sports car but lacks any of the sharp edges that might normally accompany that classification. It’s a playful, friendly car that lacks vices. None of this should come as a surprise, given the badge on the hood, but what is surprising is how nice the Emira is to drive around town.
A large part of that pleasure comes from the truly beautiful interior. Unlike its predecessors, nothing in the Emira’s cabin feels like an afterthought or was chosen as a way to cut costs. The cabin is uncluttered and covered in very nice materials. It feels well built, and the digital instrument cluster and infotainment screen go a long way to make this car feel modern. The 10.2-inch multimedia screen features wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and if you don’t mirror your phone, the Lotus offers a simple, easy-to-navigate interface.
However, if you’re looking for advanced driver aids like lane-keep assistant or automated highway driving assistant, you’re looking at the wrong car. In the first version, there are three drive modes, each with its own level of stability control intervention, as well as traction control and ABS. That’s it.
My inevitably loaded Emira V6 first edition Retails for $108,290, including a $2,200 destination charge, thanks to recent price increases due to production delays and cost overruns. It’s not cheap, but it’s in the ballpark of a comparably equipped Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0, and having recently spent some time with the GTS 4.0, I think, in terms of driving engagement and enthusiasm, I’d rather have the Lotus.
It’s no surprise that Emira is good, but it’s nice to not have to make excuses for loving Kamal anymore. It just works. And although this car marks the end of an era as the company’s last internal combustion-powered car, at least Lotus is going out on a very high note.
#Lotus #Emira #apologies
