Lotus Emira review: For the purist

If there’s one thing our otherwise very accommodating photo and video crew insist on, it’s an early morning start. The golden hour of soft light at sunrise guarantees beautiful captures.  

But today, it’s me leading the pre-dawn charge to our shoot location an hour outside Mumbai for a less noble, more selfish reason. There’s a Lotus Emira waiting on the other side of the journey, and I’m itching to drive it. Drive it hard. There’s just a few hours before our favourite road is swarmed by two-wheelers, trucks and tractors. The window of opportunity is small.  

Lotus Emira engine and chassis

What is the Emira, and why is it special? In a line, it’s a small, light and tight sportscar – the kind of car that made Lotus Lotus. Think Elise, Exige and Evora. What makes the Emira doubly special is that it is also the last of its kind from Lotus, with the Chinese-owned Brit carmaker committing to an all-electric future in the years to come. The all-electric Eletre SUV and Emeya grand tourer are the ‘new’ Lotus’ first steps in its transformation from sportscar specialist to EV specialist.

No volts, amps or range talk today, though. The Emira is a proper combustion-enginedsportscar with its heart literally in the right place – just ahead of the rear axle. The mid-engined layout dictates the Emira’s gorgeous form, but I’ll have time to ogle at it later. Time is of the essence. The engine in question is Mercedes-AMG’s manic M139 unit, better known as the source of power on the mad AMG A 45 S. The highly strung turbocharged four-cylinder unit makes 360hp and 430Nm in the Lotus (421hp and 500Nm in the A 45 S), and more powerful iterations are said to follow. There’s a supercharged V6, too (see below), but the four-pot unit, at the very least, deserves a fair hearing. Let’s not forget Lotus has a long, back catalogue of four-cylinder greats.

The engine is nestled amidst an aluminium chassis, and the Emira tips the scales at 1,446kg, all in. It’s not as featherweight as Lotuses of old, but it’s no heavier than a comparable Porsche Cayman either.

Lotus Emira performance

The Emira’s doors open conventionally (no scissor or butterfly doors here), and getting in is convenient enough by sportscar standards, thick sill notwithstanding. There’s a Lambo-like flap to access the starter button; press it, and the engine rumbles to life. The sound at idle itself establishes that this is no namby-pamby family sedan engine. Let the show begin.

I quickly realise I’ve underestimated the potency of the powerplant. Pressing down hard on the accelerator launches the Emira well into the mid-range, and before I can say “turbo lag”, it is well past 6,000rpm. I back off before it does. Woof! I make a fresh start and learn a few more things about the engine over the next few minutes. One, it’s un-turbo-like in its willingness to rev. I think I saw 7,000rpm on the digital tacho. Two, there’s a delightful urgency with which it pulls in the mid-range. It’s almost as if no one told it it’s a small engine. Three, it sounds great. With the engine just behind the passenger cabin, you can hear it breathe intimately. The soundtrack made up of intake noises, hisses from the blowoff valves, a raspy exhaust note, and pops, bangs and crackles on the overrun is better than anything you’d get on the otherwise superb KEF audio system.

The characterful engine eggs you to drive harder, and you know what? The relatively sensible power figure means you can get more out of the engine than you can in an over-endowed supercar.

The 4.42-second 0-100kph time isn’t record-setting but is quick in absolute terms and par for the course for this class of sportscar. Oh, and Merc’s 8-speed dual-clutch gearbox is game for spirited driving and is satisfyingly responsive to tugs at the paddle shifters or gear lever.

Lotus Emira ride and handling

The experience gets elevated when I get to the twisty section of the road. Lotus sportscars have long been revered for their handling prowess. Now I know why. There’s a brilliant connect at the steering. Hydraulically assisted, it feels well-oiled in its smoothness and has the right weight to perfectly communicate what the front wheels are up to. Turn-in is sharp and smooth without feeling absolutely pointy, which, in its own way, makes this car easy to get up to speed with. Grip levels are reassuringly good throughout, and I’m always left with a feeling that the car could have taken the last corner faster still. There’s room for the driver to level up to the car’s capabilities without being intimidated, and that’s a good thing.  

Over familiar corners, the Emira’s mid-engined balance shines through. There’s no delay between command and execution, and I feel at one with the car. It’s not a front-row seat to your favourite artist’s performance. In an Emira, you are the artist. A compliant suspension that’s quick to regain composure after a mid-corner bump, beautifully metred brakes and a gearbox happy to oblige with a high rpm downshift are other elements that keep you so, so engrossed in the drive.

For the brave, there’s the option to dial up the engagement further by switching to Track drive mode, which reduces electronic intervention and brings with it some twitchiness at the rear end. On the subject, the Emira doesn’t get adjustable dampers. Buyers have to pick between the Tour and Sport packages (different dampers, spring rates and tyres) at the time of speccing their car.

Other takeaways from my drive? Frontal visibility is great, and ride comfort is actually pleasant. I’m not cocooned from road imperfections, but the Emira is also not jarringly stiff as many other sportscars are. The 20-inch low-profile tyres tend to tramline, though, which is something to be careful of on wavy surfaces. There’s no nose-lift function, but a slow crawl is enough for the Emira to clear speedbreakers without making chin or belly contact. However, the Emira has an unusually large turning circle, and as I learn, the gearbox doesn’t like being rushed between drive and reverse. Also, the Emira doesn’t particularly like crawling speeds – it’ll lurch when you want it to inch forward.

Lotus Emira interior and exterior

It’s when the photo and video crew shoot static shots that I get to really take in the Emira’s design. What a looker! It’s some parts aggressive, some parts delicate, and all parts gorgeous. There’s a fantastic flow to the design, and even the aero scoops and channels don’t look forced or overdone. It’s a thing of beauty in the classic sense. My favourite bit is the rear end, which is home to a high deck spoiler and purposeful dual exhausts that poke out of a mesh surround.

It’s rather nice on the inside, too. It’s a fuss-free – simple even – environment that gives the driver easy access to all information and controls. The 12.3-inch digital dials are easy to read; the 10.25-inch touchscreen packs in Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and there are physical controls (hurray!) for the climate control and drive mode functions. All touch points are really well finished, and our test car even had an Alcantara finish on the roof.

Also, while the cockpit is cosy, there’s enough space for two large adults to sit in comfort.

There’s a degree of practicality built into the cabin with cupholders, door pockets, a storage box between the seats, a usable open space under the centre console and storage behind the front seats (it’s a strict two-seater) for a soft bag or two. The engine cover also lifts to reveal a 151-litre cavity that can accommodate two cabin bags.

Lotus Emira price estimate, verdict

It’s easy to fall for the Lotus Emira. It’s stunning to look at, deeply rewarding to drive and even reasonably India-friendly thanks to a comfy-enough ride. Before you start mentally speccing your Emira (might I recommend the fetching Hethel yellow), there is a spoiler. And that is the price.

Lotus is expected to launch the Emira at Rs 3.1 crore (estimated, ex-showroom) before options. To put things in perspective, the sensational Porsche Cayman GTS 4.0 was on offer for Rs 1.6 crore not too long ago. Then again, the Cayman is no longer on sale, and there’s actually no other mid-enginedsportscar available in India for Emira money. The Ferraris, Lamborghinis and McLarens of the world sit way higher up the power and price ladder.

The Emira doesn’t have price to power on its side, but driving purists with deep pockets might see the Lotus in the right light. And that is as a loud, proud and emotive sportscar. The kind of car that we grew up lusting for.And one that’s guaranteed to light up your drives for years and maybe decades to come.

If you’re on the fence about adding one to your driveway, just remember they won’t make ’em like this in the not-too-distant future. The clock is ticking.

Lotus Emira V6 engine

If AMG’s turbocharged four-cylinder doesn’t cut it for you, the Emira can also be had with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6. The Toyota-sourced unit makes more power (400hp and 430Nm) and betters the AMG-powered Emira with a 4.3 second 0-100kph time. However, the bigger differences will be in the way the power is delivered and theatrics. Gearbox options include a 6-speed auto and a, wait for it, 6-speed manual, complete with an exposed gearchange mechanism! The other thing? The price difference to the turbo is expected to be all of Rs 10 lakh or so. Something tells me the supercharged V6 will be the engine of choice in India.

Also see:

First Lotus India showroom to open this month

Lotus Theory 1 electric supercar concept revealed with 1,000hp

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