IT'S FAIR TO SAY THE EMIRA DIDN'T have the smoothest of launches. And I don't mean the soaking that managing director Matt Windle got when the heavens opened over Hethel as he introduced Lotus's first 'all new' sports car since the Elise. Our first drive in the summer of 2022 yielded mixed results, and the same was the case for other magazines.
A mismatched specification for the preproduction test car presented us with a V6engined, six-speed-manual First Edition with a Sport-spec chassis - stiffer springs and dampers - but equipped with the more road-biased Goodyear Eagle Fl tyres from the Tour-spec car in place of the Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2s that Sport models leave the factory with. It made for a strong on-road car, albeit one that reached the limit of its tyres quite quickly when pushed on the road and even quicker when driven on track.
A solid four stars was the result, with a strong desire to drive a finished production car as soon as possible, hopefully in time for eCoty 2022. Which didn't happen due to Lotus experiencing supply-chain issues, which pushed back customer deliveries and therefore the availability of a test car. We've still not been able to get behind the wheel of a production-spec Emira V6. Few have.
However, this is a production-specification four-cylinder Emira, or i4 in Lotus-speak. It's powered by a Mercedes-AMG 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that's hooked up to an eight-speed dual-clutch gearbox, just as it is in the AMG A45 S hyper hatch (see page 28).
This story is from the September 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the September 2023 edition of Evo UK.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
BMW M135 xDrive
The M135 has lost an and gained chassis revisions and a restyle. Is it enough to make it a benchmark hot hatch?
Audi S5
S5 by name, S4 by nature, is Audi's new mid-size petrol-powered saloon a step in the right direction?
Lamborghini Urus SE
Lambo's super-SUV gets a major mid-life overhaul, going hybrid in the process. Has it become any easier to like?
HALL evo OF FAME
The evo Hall of Fame was established to recognise the great and the good of our corner of the universe. Prepare to welcome this year's inductees
CIRCUIT DAY
After three days of assessing their behaviour on the road, it's time to head to the Circuito de Navarra to find out how our nine contenders respond when their handling limits are explored
EVO CAR OF THE YEAR 2024
Nine brilliant cars, from flyweight roadsters to bombastic supercars to a be-stickered estate(!), do battle on some of Europe's finest and most spectacular roads. Which will emerge victorious? Place your bets now.
Porsche Panamera GTS
It lacks the raw power of its hybrid rivals, but does the new GTS’s more traditional approach give it its USP?
Alpine A290 GTS
The new electric Renault 5 has won plenty of plaudits. Is the hotter Alpine version a car to win petrolheads' hearts too?
BEST BUYS BMW M CARS
THE PERFORMANCE CAR LANDSCAPE WOULD HAVE looked very different over the last five decades without BMW. Its M division, founded in 1972, has produced some of the best driver’s cars ever to hit the road, and in the process has provided a stream of benchmark models for its rivals to chase. In recent years, stricter emissions regulations, downsizing and electrification have seen some of those rival cars falter, yet by and large BMW’s M machines have remained strong. In fact, some rank among the greatest the department has made think of the eCoty-winning M2 CS and M5 CS while others are the only options worth recommending in their respective segments. Price tags have risen with performance, however, putting those latest offerings out of reach for many, but the marque’s popularity means there are numerous earlier M models available on the second-hand market for far more attainable figures. Here are four of our favourites.
TYRE 2024 TEST
Want to fit the very best tyres to your performance car? The annual evo Tyre Test identifies the cream of the current crop
