Monday 3rd April 2023

Emira missing its bark? Milltek to the rescue

Want to get the most out of the last combustion engined Lotus? Milltek launches its aftermarket solution

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Though the Emira is broadly a great sports car, some die-hard Lotus fans might be a tad disappointed at the sound. The feral bark that always characterised the Toyota V6-engined cars is much more muted this time around, reflecting the more accommodating remit of the car. This is no longer an Exige of a sports car, and doubtless for some that's fine. But for anyone after a bit more volume, Milltek has already made an exhaust system available to Emira customers.

Having borrowed Litchfield’s development car to mount it on, Milltek’s new T304L stainless steel system is a couple of kilos lighter than stock (just the silencer alone saves a kilo), with an 18 per cent reduction in back pressure. It also ‘sharpens throttle response and provides a more aggressive engine note’. Sounds ideal, especially as the Emira’s throttle isn’t always the most responsive to blips. A titanium set of pipes is also in development (and something for the 2.0-litre car will follow), which will subtract something like six kilos from the standard system.

Though the new silencer is compliant with the various exhaust filters and the normal exhaust valving, Milltek is also offered an OPF/GPF bypass pipe for use on circuit. This is designed to work with its own valve control system, which can keep the valve open permanently and can be had without the bypass pipe. Of course, the video makes the full cat back system sound great, but then it’s also an exhaust for use away from the road. Milltek says this should all be fine on a track day, at least. ‘With the rear silencer, the Emira is fully track day-compliant, while even with the OPF bypass pipe and valves open, the Lotus will be within reach of the noise regulations of certain UK tracks.’ So it’d be worth knowing exactly what the decibel limit of your track day is, and what this is now belting out, before being disappointed.

Still, there are no noise limits on the road (at least not for the moment), and the Milltek exhaust does promise to enhance one of the Emira’s most emotional selling points. “Our work with Litchfield has helped us to create a system that not only enhances the Lotus Emira as a standalone upgrade, but which is also designed to work in parallel with other tuning enhancements to fully optimise the performance potential of the supercharged V6”, said Milltek Sport’s MD Steve Pound. The last generation of models showed how tuneable to the 3.5 V6 was; imagine an Emira that only sounded like an Exige, but went like one as well. That’d be some sports car. Whether you’re after just the new silencer or the full system, Milltek’s Emira exhausts are on sale now.

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• 2022 Lotus Emira | PH Review
• Lotus Exige Final Edition vs. 718 Cayman GT4

 

[Nish Gnackers]

304L ?

I would have specified type 316L Stainless Steel.

[Krikkit]

Nish Gnackers said:

304L ?

I would have specified type 316L Stainless Steel.

316 is better for salt, but given there's a diffuser protecting it from road salt you won't need that as much as strength and acidic resistance (from exhaust fumes) which 304L is better at.

[Nish Gnackers]

T304 is cheaper for a reason, and salt corrosion is relevant unless the whole exhaust is protected from the environment.
The main source of acids in exhaust gases was from Nitrous Oxide and catalytic converters reduce the NO2 to a minimum so acid corrosion in a modern exhaust system isn't a problem.

Edited by Nish Gnackers on Monday 3rd April 17:34

[s94wht]

Always laugh when weight reduction is mentioned in things like this, as if 2kg makes any difference.

[BertBert]

Does that article actually suggest that the louder noise is better on track?

[samoht]

That's the first time I've heard of a switchable GPF bypass pipe. An interesting development, especially in light of moves to actually test exhaust particulate output at MoT time, at least for diesels.

[anonymous-user]

The last two Milltek systems I had were of poor quality. Hope this one is better (photos don’t look that great). I always go custom made now, instead of off the shelf.

[redroadster]

s94wht said:

Always laugh when weight reduction is mentioned in things like this, as if 2kg makes any difference.

X 10 changes to reduce weight and yes it will make a difference.

[ZX10R NIN]

It sounds good.

[Alpenus]

s94wht said:

Always laugh when weight reduction is mentioned in things like this, as if 2kg makes any difference.

Weight always matters this is PH forum, I think a 2kg drop is the sweet spot

[Pusikurac]

"Still, there are no noise limits on the road"
Wait, what? I'm from central Europe, can please someone explain that?
Really?
No noise limits?

[Retro.74]

Would have been better with a drive by as well just revving at standstill.

You dont always get true sound levels from a short sound clip on youtube, but still sounds a bit muted and restricted to me, not as angry or up for it as the Exige.

[Mark_Blanchard]

Pusikurac said:

"Still, there are no noise limits on the road"
Wait, what? I'm from central Europe, can please someone explain that?
Really?
No noise limits?

I understand the noise limit is 72 dBs for new cars from 2016 onwards.

https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/fu...

[sege]

The particulate back option sounds the best to me. Perfect in fact. Good job Milltek. I had thought that the criticism of the Emira sound was unjustified, but this shows it can certainly be improved quite easily.

[MountainsofSussex]

Mark_Blanchard said:

Pusikurac said:

"Still, there are no noise limits on the road"
Wait, what? I'm from central Europe, can please someone explain that?
Really?
No noise limits?

I understand the noise limit is 72 dBs for new cars from 2016 onwards.

https://www.vehicle-certification-agency.gov.uk/fu...

In theory the police can stop you, but I'm not sure it ever happens, just like driving a Lamborghini without a front number plate seems fine too. From gov website: It’s illegal to modify the exhaust system to make a vehicle noisier after it has been ‘type approved’ (checked it meets environmental and safety standards). The police can also take action if your vehicle’s silencer doesn’t work in the way it was designed or if you’re driving in a way that creates too much noise
Also remote detection systems starting up, presumably will generate revenue...
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/noise-camera-tr...

[Leithen]

redroadster said:

s94wht said:

Always laugh when weight reduction is mentioned in things like this, as if 2kg makes any difference.

X 10 changes to reduce weight and yes it will make a difference.

A missed opportunity for PH / (add your sports car manufacturer of choice here)?

Driver weight loss programme designed by former F1 personal trainers designed to help powerful company directors lose between 2 and 20 Kgs. Immediate lap time improvements guaranteed.

[J4CKO]

Leithen said:

redroadster said:

s94wht said:

Always laugh when weight reduction is mentioned in things like this, as if 2kg makes any difference.

X 10 changes to reduce weight and yes it will make a difference.

A missed opportunity for PH / (add your sports car manufacturer of choice here)?

Driver weight loss programme designed by former F1 personal trainers designed to help powerful company directors lose between 2 and 20 Kgs. Immediate lap time improvements guaranteed.

Its not much of the cars weight but Milltek can only help on the exhaust aspect to be fair, so its a good chunk off the weight of the exhaust.

Its a fair point that its not much overall and a lot of us are carrying way more than that but it is a small advantage and they are trying to sell you stuff so worth mentioning.

You wont notice 2 kilos unless you drop it on your foot, but people get giddy over a bit of carbon stuck on pretty heavy cars which is like adding a stick of celery to your plate filling, foot high carvery dinner, a lot of car stuff is bks really isnt it ?

[Don Roque]

I'm guessing Milltek sent a press-release out as EVO magazine was running the same advertorial yesterday too.

[Mysstree]

J4CKO said:

You wont notice 2 kilos unless you drop it on your foot, but people get giddy over a bit of carbon stuck on pretty heavy cars which is like adding a stick of celery to your plate filling, foot high carvery dinner, a lot of car stuff is bks really isnt it ?

Thats why if your a beardy type who wears glasses its obviously worth having a pair of titanium framed specs and removing the crumbs etc from the facial hair and trim it up a bit if your going on a track day, after all that extra weight is well above the centre of gravity.

[p4cks]

When I had my Evora I went to a bespoke exhaust place and got something rather lovely knocked up for a fraction of the cost of one of these (and it did away with the silencer)

I had a Milltek on a couple of my previous cars and didn't think they were up to much