Future Classic? We Drive the new Lotus Emira

With only a few examples of Lotus's new Emira in South Africa and only two in the Western Cape, we get a short drive in a privately owned Emira to experience Lotus’s latest sports car. 

Words and photos: Wilhelm Lutjeharms

Like many (once) great British manufacturers, Lotus has had a troubled past. One of the highlights (or, perhaps, "lowlights") of these that I personally experienced occurred at the 2010 Paris Motor Show when the (then) head of the company Dany Bahar announced a handful of new models for the near future, complete with a number of celebrities to pull off the covers. Naively, I believed him!

Things weren’t going well for the company, but in 2017 Geely got involved and bought a 51% share in Lotus. That seems to have been a turning point for the company.

• Find a classic Lotus for yourself, here. 

Fast forward to 2023, and not only have we seen the (rather sad) end of the Elise and Exige range, but we’ve seen the introduction of the Emira. There is also an electric supercar (Evija) that has sold out and an electric SUV (Eletre). I'm not so sure how Colin Chapman would've felt about the latter...

However, for petrolheads the launch of the Emira is a huge deal. Recently Daytona, importer of McLaren, Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin and Pagani, announced that it was now also the official importer of Lotus. A brave step, but with a number already sold in South Africa, it would appear that there is indeed appetite for these alternative sports cars.

Up close

The Emira is basically an all-new sports car, and that is always an expensive exercise in terms of research, development and manufacturing. You only need to slowly walk up to the car to notice the massive shift in built quality the Emira represents compared to previous Lotuses – it is visible from a distance.

Thankfully it is still a compact car with a relatively small footprint, even though weight has now climbed to a rather un-Lotus like 1 400 kg, although that is still 100 to 200 kg lighter than most competitors. 

Secondly, the Dark Verdant Green exterior colour is truly world class. Depending on the light (especially in shadows) it is close to black, but then as sunlight falls on it, it changes to green. Capturing the right colour on camera is a challenge as the camera constantly wants to bring out the blue hue in the colour.

Walk around the Emira and there are a number of important details. For air flow there are vents in the front (no luggage space here) and in front of the rear wheel arches there are air intakes while there are also air outlets behind the rear wheels. Peak down, and behind the mesh grille at the back you can see much of the mechanical rear end of the car. Look at the front from dead centre and and there are elements of the Ferrari F8 Tributo and even Koenigsegg – it looks pure supercar.

Under the rear decklid (there is also a small luggage compartment here) there is a Lotus-tuned Toyota 3.5-litre V6 supercharged engine. Part of the throttle system is visible and so it is when you look in your rear view mirror over the engine. It is positioned far forward in the chassis in true mid-engined fashion.

Behind the wheel

The level of quality is especially evident when you open the door. The standard of the materials, screens and fit-and-finish is not comparable to previous Lotuses. There is a centre screen as well as a digital display behind the steering wheel. The start button is situated below the gearlever, and oh, that gearlever is a fantastic element. It is made from brushed metal and is not only perfectly positioned, but feels like a true quality item in your hand.

The surprising factor, especially if you are a previous Lotus Exige or Elise owner, is that it is easy to get into the car, plus, there is more than enough space in cabin. At 1.87-metres tall I had enough headroom, and even taller drivers will be able to fit. Behind the seats is also place for some soft bags. 

Start the engine and there is soft rumble, but nothing that will agitate your neighbours. As we make our way through the Jonkershoek Valley outside Stellenbosch, it is immediately evident how well damped the Emira is. The suspension system is stifling sprung, but at same time it is not crashy and road irregularities are dealt with in a very fine and modern fashion.

The gearshifts are short and precise, while still being notably more polished than before. The best shift action yet on a standard Lotus? Quite possibly (do note that I have not experienced the last-generation Elise or Exige).

The engine’s level of torque is the main feature when you short shift at 2 to 4 000 rpm. Even though being supercharged, it is eager to rev while the supercharger whine is noticeable at (almost) all times. It is enjoyable though and reminds you of the power unit behind your shoulders.

We point the nose of the Emira up the fast Helshoogte Pass outside this Winelands town. The road is wide and flowing and you can’t help but notice the level of immediacy from the steering wheel. The ratio is very quick and at the same time the steering is also very light. The damping remains impressive while grip levels, as expected, are quite high while the car as a package does instill a high level of confidence in the driver.

Flat out gearchanges at the redline just below 7 000 rpm is not on the cards today. This is understandable as the kind owner is still running the car in as it has only covered less than 600 km at the time of our drive. Needless, to say, having experienced the engine to around 5 000 rpm, the last couple of thousand revs will only add to its level of performance and the level of intensity and joy from behind wheel.

It is almost a completely different car to previous Lotuses. It is much more refined, modern and liveable. However, it is still a honest sports car with a level of engagement that few sports cars offer these days. There are obviously other performance cars in this price bracket, but for the owner these cars were simply too common and not that appealing.

He elaborates: “I read about the Emira and watched a number of in-depth reviews of the car online, and generally all of the reviewers were impressed by the car. One of the main elements that appealed to me was the design of the Emira. My first colour option would have been Nimbus Grey, but the car I bought was a cancelled order, and thankfully painted in my second choice, Dark Verdant Green. The rest of the options were what I would have selected like the tanned leather interior and the silver wheels.

“It wasn’t a brand I would have considered previously, but the Emira is now on a different level compared to the previous models.”

Specifications:

2023 Lotus Emira 3.5 V6 First Edition

Engine: 3.5-litre, supercharged V6, petrol

Power: 298 kW at 6 800 rpm

Torque: 420 Nm from 3 500 rpm

Transmission: 6-speed manual, RWD

Weight: 1 405 kg

0-100 km/h: 4.3 seconds

Top speed: 290 km/h