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The 2023 Lotus Emira is the newest model from the renowned British sports car manufacturer and the final to utilize an internal combustion engine. That is correct. As seen by the Evija hypercar, Lotus is prepared for a fully electric future. Before saying goodbye to its gasoline-powered heritage, the business will offer one last gasoline-powered vehicle for purists. As the successor to the Evora GT, the only Lotus now offered in the United States, the Emira is more practical, has a much nicer cabin, and for the first time features active safety systems. While the base Emira will feature a turbo-four with 360 horsepower, Lotus offers a supercharged V-6 with 400 horsepower and a manual transmission as an option. Thus, the Emira is in competition with the Porsche 718 Cayman and select 911 versions.
What’s Different in 2023?
The Emira will unite Lotus‘s gasoline history with its electric future when it goes on sale in late 2022. It will feature an exotic exterior inspired by the carbon-fiber-intensive Evija and an aluminum-bonded architecture inherited from the Evora GT. The 2023 Lotus Emira will first be offered as a fully equipped First Edition. However, ultimately a more economical entry-level model will be added to the lineup.
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Powertrain, Engine, and Performance
One of two engines will be mounted in the centre of the Emira: a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a supercharged 3.5-liter V-6. The Mercedes-AMG four-cylinder engine produces 360 horsepower. The single transmission option is a dual-clutch automatic transmission that drives the rear wheels. The Evora GT’s V-6 is a Toyota-made powerplant that has been carried over from its predecessor. It can be paired with either an automatic or manual transmission. According to Lotus, the 3.5-liter engine delivers 400 horsepower and 317 pound-feet of torque when paired with a manual transmission. Unlike the majority of contemporary sports cars, the Emira will employ a hydraulically assisted steering system that gives unrivaled steering feel and feedback.
We appreciated the Emira’s well-balanced handling and superb steering, as well as its dedication to driver involvement. When we have the opportunity to evaluate the Emira on our own test track, we will revise this article to include test findings and further driving impressions.
Energy Efficiency and Real-World MPG
It doesn’t take long to realize that a 3.5-liter engine and a supercharger are an excellent combination, as they provide an excess of intermediate torque and quick throttle response, both of which are advantageous in a vehicle weighing less than 3,500 pounds. According to Lotus, the manual 2023 Lotus Emira V6 would accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 4.3 seconds en route to its top speed of 180 mph. On the tiny, winding roads surrounding Hethel, the powertrain’s adaptability is more impressive than its strength.
In third gear, the manual Emira accelerates smoothly from 15 mph (1,000 rpm) to 100 mph (6,750 rpm) before hitting the rev limitation. Although the revs accelerate substantially at 3,500 rpm, the power delivery is smooth and linear, and can be adjusted precisely with the right foot. Consequently, the resulting vehicle is readily swift on any canyon road. And not simply in the corners. Also through them.
The Emira possesses the wonderful lightness that has traditionally distinguished the best Lotus sports cars. It dances down the road on a suspension that is far more supple than the Cayman’s Germanically stiff setup, and the conversation through the hydraulically assisted power steering is more significant.
Turning into a corner involves little effort beyond a wrist roll. The response from the front axle is instantaneous, and although there is more body roll than in the Porsche, it is considerably simpler to perceive the rate at which loads are rising through the tire and into the suspension, and thus to comprehend how to modify the chassis balance.
If you apply power prematurely, torque and traction will cause modest understeer. To tighten your arc, lift off, and the weight transfer will cause the front tires to grip again, commencing a smooth transition to mild oversteer that may be readily managed with the throttle as the load is transferred from the rear axle. On the track, with all electronic aids disabled, the Emira V6 First Edition is the most pure and engaging mid-engine sports vehicle ever created.
What is perhaps most impressive about the way the Emira V6 drives is that it does not need to be driven aggressively to be enjoyable. At moderate to medium speeds, it still feels alert and nimble, but the cabin is surprisingly quiet and comfortable, with minimal levels of impact harshness and tire noise. If you do not want to spend every day on the track, the regular touring suspension is an excellent all-around setup.
Interior, Convenience, and Comfort
Jon Statham, manager of Lotus Interior Design, created the interior of the Emira. When questioned, his favorite feature of the cabin was its “integrated nature” We must express our agreement. Infrequently do automakers prioritize the interior. This does not apply to the Emira. As we observe its design, we are awestruck by its sense of equilibrium.
Their concept is “technology with soul.” Here is a detail to accentuate cars with manual transmissions. A mesh panel is located beneath the floating center console. It reveals the shifter unit’s mechanical aluminum gear linkage so that its operation may be observed in real time. That is very cool, and something you would expect to find in a Pagani rather than a Lotus.
The Emira’s interior is modest and small, with two seats and a straightforward design. The driver is positioned in front of a square steering wheel and a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. The material quality appears significantly superior than that of prior Lotus models, and we are pleased to see tactile controls for the temperature system. Similarly, the automaker aims to make its most recent sports vehicle easier to enter and exit by making the door sills thinner and the door openings larger compared to the Evora GT.
Other utilitarian enhancements include a pair of cupholders in the center console and storage compartments in the doors that reportedly can fit a half-liter bottle each. In addition, there are 7 cubic feet of cargo room behind the seats and 5 cubic feet of storage space below the engine.
Informational Entertainment and Connectivity
The infotainment system of the Emira will operate via a 10.2-inch touchscreen located in the center of the dashboard. Aside from steering wheel controls and the possibility of voice commands, there are no physical controls for adjusting the stereo’s volume or tuning. In addition to 12-volt and USB charging connections, the sports car will come standard with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration.
Price And Availability For The 2023 Lotus Emira
When developing the 2023 Emira, Lotus had a very specific price range in mind. Consider that the 2021 Evora GT priced approximately $96,000 brand-new. Therefore, the MSRP of the Emira First Edition is $93,900 less than its predecessor. All of this will continue to be priced against the Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 4.0’s MSRP of $90,300. The cheaper and later-arriving Base Edition Emira competes with the MSRP of $75,400 for the 718 Cayman S.
These two competitors’ respective trims are priced within a few thousand dollars of one another. They produce nearly equivalent amounts of energy and serve similar purposes. There is no way that these two sports vehicles are not being compared. This is what differentiates them from one another.
2023 Lotus Emira GT4
Lotus has unveiled the all-new 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 race car at the popular Hethel test track, providing a dynamic display of its thrilling performance. In an exclusive event earlier this week, VIP guests of the passenger courses were treated to the legendary 2.2-mile circuit with Gavan Kershaw, Lotus Vehicle Attributes Manager and former British GT Championship winner, at the wheel.
The culmination of more than 70 years of innovation on the road and track, the 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 marks the beginning of an exciting new era in GT performance racing for Lotus. It’s the first new model from Lotus Advanced Performance, the company’s dedicated Vehicles and Experience division that launched earlier this year. Returning to the world of motorsports is a key pillar in the company’s transformation from a British sports car company to a global performance car company and brand.
This week’s event comes on the heels of last September’s announcement that Lotus would build a GT version of the iconic Emera. Order books for the 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 were opened at that time and the car was sold out in its first year of production.
Nearly all modern Lotus cars on the road have race-ready siblings and the Emira is no exception. Each 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 customer receives a monolithic performance machine, handcrafted with lightweight sporting components and equipment to comply with the latest safety regulations. The project was a collaboration with Lotus and RML Group.
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2023 Lotus Emira GT4 Exterior
The advanced composite bodywork makes the car exceptionally light and is mated to Toyota‘s race-proven 3.5-liter V6 engine and GT4-optimized aerodynamics derived from Emira’s advanced exterior design.
Since the announcement last September, Hethel’s development team has focused on precision engineering to deliver excellent dynamics and stability at high speeds. Several hundred validation hours were conducted on the test track, and in the winter the 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 also left for Portimão in Portugal for a week. In addition to better weather, it is one of the most challenging circuits in Europe, making it the ideal destination to check aerodynamic performance and component reliability.
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Also in Hethel at the 2023 Lotus Emira GT4 launch event was a Lotus Type 30 sports racer. Powered by a 4.7-liter Ford V8, this white, privately owned 1965 GT car won the Pentecost Cup at the Goodwood Revival last year. Only 33 of the Type 30 were built and scored several victories by Lotus legend Jim Clark and others.
Lotus has been synonymous with racing success since the Mark I, a test car handcrafted in 1948 by founder Colin Chapman, and the company pioneered many of the technical innovations that make racing an exciting sport today. Lotus‘ impressive roster includes seven Formula 1 constructors’ titles, six Drivers’ Championships and a win in the legendary Indianapolis 500.
Recently, Lotus has raced the 2023 Lotus Emira GT4, which has won prestigious races and championships, including the British GT Championship, Dubai 24 Hours, Barcelona 24 Hours, European GT, Sepang 12hrs and Pirelli World Challenge.
source : http://hotcars.com
