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

2023 Lotus Emira front 3/4 view
Via 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.

360-Horsepower 2023 Lotus Emira Sports Car
Via: LotusCars

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

evora engine (drivemag)
via drivemag

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.

Caricos

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.

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8 Manual Transmission

2023 Lotus Emira Sports Car
Via: LotusCars

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.

2023 Lotus Emira interior wide
Via Lotus

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

2023 Lotus Emira interior
Via Lotus

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.

2023 Lotus Emira at Laguna Seca
Via Lotus

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.

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6 Classic Lotus Lines

2023 Lotus Emira side view
Via Lotus

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.

2023 Lotus Emira rear 3/4 view
Via Lotus

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

Lotus Evora
via: Edmunds

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.

Blue Lotus Elise Tracking
Via: Lotus

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.

Related: Electric Hypercar: Watch Top Gear's Exclusive First Drive Of The Lotus Evija Prototype

4 First Fruit Of Geely Ownership

2023 Lotus Emira at the factory
Via Lotus

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.

2023 Lotus Emira in the studio
Via Lotus

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

2023 Lotus Emira side intake
Via Lotus

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.

2023 Lotus Emira closeup
Via Lotus

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.

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2 Mid-Engine Supercar

2023 Lotus Emira top view
Via Lotus

Like the Evora it is based on, it is a propped mid-engine supercar, with the engine mounted in front of the rear axle.

Via: autocarindia
Via: autocarindia

As a result, it is perfectly balanced in the corners, inspiring confidence and willing you to push the car further.

1 Pure Fun

2023 Lotus Emira at the track
Via Lotus

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.

Lotus Emira sportscar moves onto track straightaway
Lotus 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.