Lotus Emira review embargo lifts

[Honeywell]

And we are off:

https://youtu.be/o5sLT4mvZH8

[Honeywell]

Harry's

https://youtu.be/w_jGkBzhIp4


Why has this thread been moved from General Gassing? Surely this is a landmark car launch for British car enthusiasts rather than a niche topic??

[Deckert]

Interesting Harry much prefers the touring suspension for the road, i recall he has ordered a car with the sports option.

[thecremeegg]

Why is this in here?! I followed th GG link to here, so stupid

[Honeywell]

Deckert said:

Interesting Harry much prefers the touring suspension for the road, i recall he has ordered a car with the sports option.

I strongly suspect he's changed his spec to Touring and that Lotus will have agreed to do it regardless of ballache. His Channel is pretty important these days with a reach just as big as the large motoring magazines.

Having supply suspension and a short ratio gearbox are the two best reasons for buying the Lotus over a Cayman.

[Implus1]

Honeywell said:

I strongly suspect he's changed his spec to Touring and that Lotus will have agreed to do it regardless of ballache. His Channel is pretty important these days with a reach just as big as the large motoring magazines.

Having supply suspension and a short ratio gearbox are the two best reasons for buying the Lotus over a Cayman.

The gearing isn't really shorter though, is it? It only appears so because of the relatively low red line. If you extrapolated out to 8,000 RPM, I imagine the speeds would be quite similar?

[Honeywell]

Is there really a difference? Third in a Cayman GTS takes you to 110mph.


Its over geared for UK roads and speed limits.

[Deckert]

Watched the Evo review, Jethro says the opposite of Harry and says sport suspension is great for the road.
Engine - "okay"
Gearbox - "okay not great"
front end - not so good, bit soft !
He's disappointed.

[cc3]

Reviews seem a mixed bag some a bit luke warm. A bit disappointing. Looks fab but is it the car I still really want ? Not so sure now

[chrisABP]

Deckert said:

Watched the Evo review, Jethro says the opposite of Harry and says sport suspension is great for the road.
Engine - "okay"
Gearbox - "okay not great"
front end - not so good, bit soft !
He's disappointed.

Mixed bag of reviews so far.....
Harry Metcalfe loves it!
Autocar liked it
Evo didn't like it!

But I think the EVO test was compromised - Sport suspension with Goodyear tyres and the test carried out on a circuit, hardly the best set up without the Cup 2 tyres. The other two tests i've watched were both on the road (touring suspension with Goodyear on one and Sport suspension with Cup 2 on the other car) so again not really comparing the same set-ups.

I've gone with Sport suspension and Cup 2 tyres and see no reason to change.

[ntiz]

chrisABP said:

Deckert said:

Watched the Evo review, Jethro says the opposite of Harry and says sport suspension is great for the road.
Engine - "okay"
Gearbox - "okay not great"
front end - not so good, bit soft !
He's disappointed.

Mixed bag of reviews so far.....
Harry Metcalfe loves it!
Autocar liked it
Evo didn't like it!

But I think the EVO test was compromised - Sport suspension with Goodyear tyres and the test carried out on a circuit, hardly the best set up without the Cup 2 tyres. The other two tests i've watched were both on the road (touring suspension with Goodyear on one and Sport suspension with Cup 2 on the other car) so again not really comparing the same set-ups.

I've gone with Sport suspension and Cup 2 tyres and see no reason to change.

I have been a bit disappointed by the reviews.

Car magazine have given it close second to Cayman GTS.

I guess it is sort of as expected. Great steering, great chassis. Engine and gearbox feel like what they are borrowed from more mundane stuff.

[Honeywell]

ntiz said:

I have been a bit disappointed by the reviews.

Car magazine have given it close second to Cayman GTS.

I guess it is sort of as expected. Great steering, great chassis. Engine and gearbox feel like what they are borrowed from more mundane stuff.

Qui Bono

[Honeywell]

Is there really a difference? Third in a Cayman GTS takes you to 110mph.


Its over geared for UK roads and speed limits.

[Gibbo205]

Honeywell said:

Is there really a difference? Third in a Cayman GTS takes you to 110mph.


Its over geared for UK roads and speed limits.

I own a GT3 which is around 105mph in 3rd, it is way too long, short gearing is a lot more fun in a car, a Cayman GT4 is like 114mph in 3rd gear, it is absolute stupidity.

My 458 which has way more power than those cars but has really short gearing, 64mph in 2nd, around 85-90 in 3rd, it rips the gears so fast but even better due to the crazy elastic power band of 2000-9000rpm means you can go up and down first four gears within the speed limit on a country road which makes it so engaging and fun.

This is where the AMG Emira will do so well, as it has the A45S engine and gear ratios which are also really short just like a Ferrari 458, so you can enjoy the gears, but even better in the Emira / AMG its an 8 speed unit and 7 and 8 are over drives so you can bet the car will see 40mpg plus on a run.

The V6 will sound glorious but the AMG car could actually be the more fun car due to short gear ratios, then tune it and give it another 100HP and it will be a crazy little car.

I can also see the V6 Emira manual struggling to go sub 5s 0-60mph, this does not bother me as I want the car to enjoy, but I know so many people buy cars based on 0-60 and the AMG Emira in the real world will be much quicker.

[Honeywell]

I think you are correct. As long as the i4 sounds OK I am sticking with that as my choice.

The Emira will be the highest performance car I have owned and being honest the DCT will free up some mental capacity for managing the road and the steering. I have flown supersonic and at low level in a fast jet - I value workload management as a skill.

[Honeywell]

Still no Emira sub forum.

Does PH hate the Emira or something?

[bcr5784]

Honeywell said:

Still no Emira sub forum.

Does PH hate the Emira or something?

It took years to get an Alpine Forum, let alone a sub forum , so think yourself lucky.

[gareth h]

I’ve had 2 Exiges, one of the reasons I bought the 410 (after the 350) was the amazing grip on turn in on the Cup 2s, I would imagine the Emira would be a completely different Car on them

[Jumpingjackflash]

I have been disappointed with the Emira from day one when I read it was 1400kg. If hypothetically the AMG engine is the best option I would buy an A110. The only reason I was holding off for the Emira V6was the manual option but th ereviews have been mixed and gearbox was disappointing. If I was buying a four cylinder with double clutch gearbox then I would buy the Apine. I do think we will never see another car like it under 1100KG.

[Gibbo205]

Jumpingjackflash said:

I have been disappointed with the Emira from day one when I read it was 1400kg. If hypothetically the AMG engine is the best option I would buy an A110. The only reason I was holding off for the Emira V6was the manual option but th ereviews have been mixed and gearbox was disappointing. If I was buying a four cylinder with double clutch gearbox then I would buy the Apine. I do think we will never see another car like it under 1100KG.

The manual in my Exige 410 is great so either EVO got a dodgy car or Jethro just could not get on with it, it does take quite a bit of time to adapt to it as heel and toe takes a much bigger stab on the throttle to rev match and the gear box is very positive and notchy but I find it superb now I’m used to it and when I jump between it and my 987 Spyder both manuals I find them both great so I can’t see Emira been any different to my Exige as it’s the same drivetrain.