Lotus Emira 420 Sport loses weight, gains power

Oh and adds cost. But Lotus promises 'greater agility, response and driver engagement' from its new contender

Man, is it nice to write about a Lotus sports car that resembles a traditional Lotus sports car, one that’s petrol powered, on sale now and ought to be a dream to drive. This is the Emira 420 Sport, the car promised in the recent Focus 2030 announcement and which CEO Qingfeng Fend says is “even more connected, more intuitive, and more rewarding to drive.” The Emira was already pretty damn good in those regards, let’s not forget.

Some may be a tad disappointed to learn that the 420 Sport is a four-cylinder Emira instead of a V6, but if outright speed is a priority then the AMG 2.0-litre is probably the more appropriate powertrain (if not the more likeable one). Torque is up a little compared to a Turbo SE, at 369lb ft against 354, for 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and a 186mph top speed. A titanium exhaust also features, for those who tick the Lightweight Handling Pack.

Likely many will, given it takes 25kg out - thank you lithium ion battery and some carbon fibre, along with the zorst - and adds another 25kg of downforce without any drag penalty. As standard, a 420 Sport gets larger intakes, new splitters and spoilers, plus a louvred bonnet, with the aims of upgrading cooling and aero to make the Emira more track suitable.

The Lightweight Handling Pack is also notable for introducing Multimatic dampers; potentially another few kilos saved, but more importantly a very serious bit of motorsport hardware for a Lotus sports car. They’re two-way adjustable and promise another level of wheel and body control compared to standard. Ride height is down 5mm over standard, and ‘high performance tyres’ are fitted to take advantage.

Gavin Kershaw, Director of Attributes at Lotus Cars and the man responsible for so many of the mid-engined marvels, said: “Emira is globally renowned for its ride and handling – it has been tuned to absorb, settle and communicate, working in harmony with a steering system that remains pure. With the 420 Sport, we've taken that foundation and pushed it further. Adjustable dampers, increased downforce, sharper responses, reduced roll - every detail obsessively engineered to put the driver more in control.” Which of course he’s going to say, but who wouldn’t be excited by an Emira turned up a few notches?

All perhaps to be expected for the most driver-focused Emira yet, though one feature might not be: a removable roof panel. Yep, really. Launched with the 420 and now available across the Emira range, the roof is said to have been inspired by old Esprits with a similar arrangement. Very much unlike old Lotuses, however, this one has been ‘designed for quick removal’, and can sit behind the seats in a protective bag without, Lotus says, any impact on the driving experience.

420 Sport buyers will have nine wheel designs to choose from (you’ll want the 15-spoke forged items, of course), as well as 16 colours. Tangelo Orange is unique to this Emira, and can be optioned with a Hand Painted Pack that puts more of the exterior colour inside the car. There’s a carbon pack for both inside and outside, too.

Fully optioned up, then, with the Lightweight Handling Pack (that sounds near enough essential) and all the carbon, the Sport 420 will easily be the priciest Emira yet. It kicks off at £105,900; previously the most expensive variants were the Racing Lines, at £92,500 for the 2.0-litre and £99,500 for the V6. First orders should be delivered in August…

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MikeMi-4

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