Lotus recently retired their aging fleet of sports cars and are set to electrify their entire range well before 2030, but until then we have an incredible stop-gap to look forward to.
The Emira will be the first new car they have developed for well over a decade, thanks to a fresh cash injection from their new Chinese parent company, Geely. This model will afford them the opportunity to deliver something of a swansong for their beloved ICE technology. Lotus built their brand around simple lightweight sports cars, with that set to change as they look to building an electric future, this will be their last chance to build a true lightweight supercar.
10 Last Gas Lotus
With Europe set to phase out all fossil fuels by 2030 it makes little to no sense at all for them to continue making gas powered sports cars beyond that date.
It will take time and a lot of investment to effectively transition, but if the recently unveiled Evija electric supercar is anything to go by, they are well and truly on their way. The Emira will simply serve as a stop gap model, but still has the potential to be a truly special car in its own right.
9 Two Engine Options
It comes as no surprise that the old Evora supercharged V6 engine is retained, what is surprising is the addition of an AMG-sourced turbocharged inline-4.
Recently crowned the most powerful production inline-4, a pretty accomplished addition, it will only be available with a DCT sending 360 horsepower to the rear, slightly down on power compared to the hot A-Class.
8 Manual Transmission
Although the new AMG engine simply doesn’t have a manual transmission you can attach to it, if you want to keep it as analog as possible you can opt for the old supercharged V6.
That will still come with a manual option and even though it is the older of the two engines it will still make 400 horsepower, marginally more than the AMG unit.
7 Hydraulic Power Steering
Lotus prioritize driver engagement over pretty much everything else, and as far as they are concerned old-fashioned hydraulic power steering transmits more feel to the driver than any electric power steering.
This commitment created an unusual issue with the new AMG engine that simply doesn’t come with any means to drive a steering pump, so they engineered a solution in the form of an electric steering pump, which could actually serve as a test mule for them as they transition to EVs.
6 Classic Lotus Lines
The styling is clearly an evolution of the Evora, but it isn’t just any old makeover, it takes all the good bits from the Evora, Elise and Exige and somehow marries them all.
It is strikingly beautiful, it beggars belief that under all that lies the old Evora platform. It is radically different though, this is a dedicated two-seater sports car, compared to the longish looking 2+2 Evora layout.
5 Natural Successor To The Evora
Elements of the outgoing Evora (above) are there, but that model dated poorly compared to their Elise and Exige that never really seemed to age.
They learned from that and applied elements of their design to the Emira, so it stands to reason that this design language will be carried over to other EVs down the line.
4 First Fruit Of Geely Ownership
Lotus were in a steady decline since around 2012 when they failed to follow through on their promise to start developing other models. Since then, they have only seen minor updates on their existing models.
In 2017, Geely bought a majority share in Lotus with the intention of keeping the company based in the UK and turning the ailing brand around. Geely provided them with the necessary tools and investment to develop a new range of sports cars, getting back on their feet and striving for profitability. We are now finally seeing what they can achieve together, and it looks promising.
3 Step forward In Quality
Geely also own Volvo and have given Lotus access to a pretty extensive parts bin. This shows in terms of fit and finish. A high quality feel has never really been associated with the Lotus brand, with such a big emphasis placed on weight savings it is something that has traditionally been a bit of an afterthought.
Ironically, it has taken a Chinese firm to address that, with both this and the Evija making use of high quality components and displaying a fit and finish on par with the competition for the first time in the brand's history.
2 Mid-Engine Supercar
Like the Evora it is based on, it is a propped mid-engine supercar, with the engine mounted in front of the rear axle.
As a result, it is perfectly balanced in the corners, inspiring confidence and willing you to push the car further.
1 Pure Fun
You might look at the two powertrains and want for more power if you compare it to some of the other high-powered supercars, but this is not one of those cars.
It isn’t trying to prove anything, it isn’t trying to set the best 0-60 time or shave a few seconds off a lap time, it just wants to be a fun car and at that it excels. This will be the last gas powered Lotus, it is clear that they have put extra effort into this model, and it promises to be one of their finest cars.