Lotus revealed its final ICE-powered vehicle, the Emira, which will replace the Evora. With a starting price of $84,500, the Lotus Emira will compete with vehicles such as the Porsche 718 Cayman. It will be available in Europe in the spring of 2022, and in the United States at the end of that year.
Lotus Emira is built on a revised version of the company's bonded and riveted aluminum chassis. It's also almost the same size as the Evora, with the same 2575mm wheelbase.
Lotus states that the new vehicle represents a "paradigm change in terms of practicality, comfort, usefulness, and technology."
One of the major drivers in this change is Mercedes-turbocharged AMG's 2.0-liter inline four.
This engine is derived from the Mercedes-AMG A35, where it produces 302 horsepower. However, ‘fundamental improvements' such as a new air intake system and exhaust assist increase power to about 360 horsepower, but Lotus has not verified this.
The inline four powers the rear wheels via AMG's seven-speed dual clutch gearbox, allowing the car to reach 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
Those looking for additional power might opt for Toyota's 3.5-liter supercharged V6. This engine has long been offered in the Exige and Evora. The engine produces 395 horsepower and 430 Nm of torque and is available with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission.
The inside of the Emira is arguably the most noticeable feature since it is clear that craftsmanship has improved. Instead of Evora's aftermarket double DIN head unit, a genuine 10.25-inch touchscreen media system with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay has been installed. This is supplemented by a second, bigger digital display positioned behind the flat-bottomed steering wheel.
Four-way electric seats are standard, with 12-way power chairs available as an option, and key-less entry, cruise control, rain-sensing wipers, electric folding mirrors, and front and rear parking sensors will all be standard.
There is also an Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) package available, which includes adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, fatigue alert, lane departure warning, and other features. One intriguing item to notice is that Lotus has kept with hydraulic steering, which it believes still provides better input to the driver than an electric steering arrangement.